Chuff wiper install

[lmackattack]

has anyone installed a chuff cam or wiper?

I was looking at installing a wiper on my Spectrum mountain drivers. how hard is it to do is it just a single wire to the metal tab? does it matter what side its mounted to?

I just installed a Kato motor, added more weight and have the with the help of Bullfrog snot tires. I know it needs a wiper to keep the chuff in step with all the added resistance. I know the motor is going to be straind but I really want to get this mountain to pull 60-70 cars right now its slipping at about 45 cars.

 

[Espeefan]

You'll need the cam disc that Soundtraxx does, some PC board, and phosphor bronze wire. I have done a few cams though not on Spectrum locos. You'll need to remove the driver from the loco to insert the disc. The disc should go on the "live" side of the driver. Go here for a look at how running gear on these models comes apart: http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11415&page=3

You should also be able to adjust the chuff rate of the decoder which will be less labor intensive, though any "automatic" setting will be out of sync somewhere along the power curve. That's just how it is. The thing is, I'm not sure that you're going to get this model to pull that many cars no matter what you do. Think about this for a moment. Do you have any diesel model that will pull that many cars up any sort of grade alone? Doubt it. A good rule of thumb is that if a single diesel won't do it, then a single steamer won't either. Model diesels are better at negotiating our tighter curves and using their built in weight than model steamers are. What you are attemptiing is a big load even for a P2K PA-1, and remember, in the real world it took three PA's to equal the horsepower of a single northern! I have some very heavy brass 4-8-4's that will pull 40 or so cars up a 1.5-2% grade but I need a running start at it. They won't start the train there. Sure the prototype did it, but there is a little difference in power to weight ratio & weight distrubution. You may accomplish this if you have a flat layout. Even then, you'll likely place an excessive load on the model's motor and end up with a very short life span for the model. Good Luck!

 

[lmackattack]

thanks for the tip Alan

Yea the mountain without traction tires could pull about 40 cars on the clubs 90% flat layout. I know it will be stressed with a long train but im kinda a "HP junkie" if you know what mean. the chuff was always way off with the stock motor so I want to add a wiper to it so that it stays in step now that it has even more friction. I had the whole loco apart I will have to she how well it pulls first with a long train and then see if it needs a wiper. I suspect it will after about 30 cars