help gently massaging a pilot into place


blackz28

blackz28

Well-Known Member
ok todays my bday & i got my loco in the mail , anyways it looks like the loco is heavy that the wieght of the engine pushed against the pilot,& it bent into a down postion, gotta love the post office shipping , it was packed the way the factory packed it so its not seann's fault . it appears that its hinged so i want to massage it ever so gently back into place so i can run it, any suggestions are welcomed
 
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the more i look at it i thing someone at the post office dropped it from a decent height & the weight bent the pilot against the box:mad: i guess its off to the post office to file a claim:(:( sorry i just kinda talking to myself but im thinking since its metal , how about a small set of channel locks with steady upward pressure, just enough to put the pilot back to the correct postion??
 
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It looks like it took some talent to do that kind of damage.

I don't think I'd use channel locks because you might damage the paint and/or metal.

I'd think a well placed grip on the loco with the pilot on the edge of a wood counter (or harder surface if you have one) and some downward pressure might be able to fix it.
 
im thinking of putting towels around the pilot & bending up slowly or maybe the countertop trick ,,,, sorry guys i think im gonna curl up in a ball & sob quietly :(
 
Is it brass? If so, heat is going to be about the best option. but the problem, is soldered on parts may fall off that are near there.
 
I would go with the channel locks as well. If you wrap the jaws with a layer of masking or electrical tape it will minimize paint damage, although it looks to be stress cracked so you will have to touch it up, regardless. With the channel locks you can supply firm even pressure without even having to grip the part very hard. It looks like that piece is hinged and should come off. Inspect it really closely to see if there is any way to take it apart. It looks like the pilot is bent at the hinges and the bottom has rolled back and up with the front section hitting the ground. Should be pretty simple to straighten when it is off. If it doesn't come off, then just be carefull and you should have no problem. If it really feels like it is taking a lot of pressure to straighten it, it may be a good idea to apply a little heat to it while bending.
 
thank you for suggestions i know i can get it back in place just need to take my time & do it right :eek:
 
Espeefan said:
If it's brass use your fingers, no tools!!! Tools will damage the pilot. Guess how I know this :mad:
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ABSOLUTELY!!!! NO TOOLS.

I used to do heavy repairs on brass, usually re-quartering, but some frame straightening too. The pilot should be removable from the underside, DON'T ever try to fix it while the part is attached to the loco or you could break something else. The pilot has bent at the mounting to the frame, since the actual pilot is a casting, and probably didn't 'bend'. You may have to carefully remove the railings and maybe even the front engine truck to remove the pilot. AFTER it is removed it shouldn't be too difficult to re-bend the mounting bracket. I actually use a special pair of needle-nose pliers that are smooth on the insides. If you must be a little rough with the part, use popsicle sticks to protect the metal. I use a stack of 5 business cards as the distance from the underside of the pilot to the top of the rails. That gives just enough clearance to look good, while not so close as to short the track.
 
Thomas,
I don't know what to say man. I feel bad. I am looking for the pics now to help with your claim to the P.O. As far as bending it back. If you do try you should be able to tell as you do it how it's going. If it starts getting easier to bend as you do it, STOP. It's probably going to break. I would take it apart too. Did you call MTH to see if they will send or even have a pilot? I will look for a diagram online to see if they list a part #. I am sick to my stomach, I can only imagine how you feel.
 
dont worry it will get fixed i will come up with the right tool,i know this is just 1 of lifes curveballs, :)
 
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Definitely take the pilot off of the frame to try to repair. With this being a zamac casting, you may not be able to repair it without it breaking. I would try heating it some to make it easier to bend, but if the casting is cracked, it will just break. PSC, (Precision Scale Company) will have a replacement in brass that can be substituted for it if it does break.

If the frame mount for the pilot is bent, the best thing maybe to try to build up a new mounting pad for the pilot. 5 minute expoxy generally works wonders in situations like this.
 
Cjcrescent said:
Definitely take the pilot off of the frame to try to repair. With this being a zamac casting, you may not be able to repair it without it breaking. I would try heating it some to make it easier to bend, but if the casting is cracked, it will just break. PSC, (Precision Scale Company) will have a replacement in brass that can be substituted for it if it does break.

If the frame mount for the pilot is bent, the best thing maybe to try to build up a new mounting pad for the pilot. 5 minute expoxy generally works wonders in situations like this.
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thanks, i just have to figure out how to remove the pilot without damaging the loco ,im trying to open up the PCS homepage & i cant get it to ...... anybody else able to open it ?? :confused:
 
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Just checked it, and it opens fine. Just keep in mind that with over 17000 parts, that they cannot put the parts in their website. I would do like they recommend, and order a catalog of their parts in the scale specified.

The website is;

http://www.precisionscaleco.com
 
Looking at your photos it looks to me like there is brass peeking out from under the paint where the pilot is bent downwards. I would not give up hope for straightening it just yet. Get it off the loco and give it a try.

I once had a brass model shipped to me. A really nice 2-10-2. The foam in the box was the old unstable type that got greasy and sticky as it broke down. It literally disintegrated in transit. When I opened the box there was foam dust and the loco & tender had been banging into each other for most of the trip. The damage was extensive but repairable. You'll be OK.
 
Y3a hit the nail right on the head" very sound advice.
As said the pilot is a brass casting that should be held on with a machine screw"I wouldn't attempt straighting it without first removing it........you'll most likely bend the frame
 
WELL I EMAILED PCS this morning & i got at response 3 hours later!!!! :D but alas here is thier response:(


Sorry , we don’t have this pilot in our line.

Thank you,
Mark Mogensen
President
Precision Scale Co., Inc.
2383 Meridian Road
Victor, MT. 59875
(406) 642-3901 – Phone
(406) 642-3904 –Fax
mmi@ixi.net
 
Y3a said:
ABSOLUTELY!!!! NO TOOLS.

I used to do heavy repairs on brass, usually re-quartering, but some frame straightening too. The pilot should be removable from the underside, DON'T ever try to fix it while the part is attached to the loco or you could break something else. The pilot has bent at the mounting to the frame, since the actual pilot is a casting, and probably didn't 'bend'. You may have to carefully remove the railings and maybe even the front engine truck to remove the pilot. AFTER it is removed it shouldn't be too difficult to re-bend the mounting bracket. I actually use a special pair of needle-nose pliers that are smooth on the insides. If you must be a little rough with the part, use popsicle sticks to protect the metal. I use a stack of 5 business cards as the distance from the underside of the pilot to the top of the rails. That gives just enough clearance to look good, while not so close as to short the track.
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im gonna take a deep breathe & remove it but im not sure where to start :eek: i dont think MTH makes brass i assume its cast not sure , but i will figure out a way to remove the pilot carefully
 
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