mtrpls
Ignorance is Patriotic
I have been using Micro Mark's Truck Tuner to clean out the flash from the truck bearings on my extensive HO freight car fleet. Today, I made an interesting discovery: it seems that trucks that have been cleaned with the tool roll with more friction than trucks that have not been cleaned.
To experiment, I took two identical Athearn RTR boxcars, both recently purchased, and used Micro Marks' tool on one set of trucks only, or one car. The other car I left alone. I then put two pieces of flex track parallel to each other on a glass table, and rolled the cars with my hand - hundreds of times.
There is NO DOUBT that the car I thought would perform better - the one whose trucks were cleaned with the Truck Tuner tool, rolls rougher and with more friction than the other car. That other car, in fact, rolls so much smoother and comes to a stop at a much further distance. What is going on here?
I've noticed that after being cleaned with the tool, the trucks allow the wheelsets to enjoy a much greater "side to side" movement than before, while the unmodified car doesn't allow such movement. It is the latter car, ultimately, that rolls more freely.
Am I using the tool wrong? (is that even possible?) My only assumption here would be that I am removing too much plastic from within the bearing, as I don't stop milling the truck until the tool itself rolls freely as an axle should.
Any advice or recommendations?
To experiment, I took two identical Athearn RTR boxcars, both recently purchased, and used Micro Marks' tool on one set of trucks only, or one car. The other car I left alone. I then put two pieces of flex track parallel to each other on a glass table, and rolled the cars with my hand - hundreds of times.
There is NO DOUBT that the car I thought would perform better - the one whose trucks were cleaned with the Truck Tuner tool, rolls rougher and with more friction than the other car. That other car, in fact, rolls so much smoother and comes to a stop at a much further distance. What is going on here?
I've noticed that after being cleaned with the tool, the trucks allow the wheelsets to enjoy a much greater "side to side" movement than before, while the unmodified car doesn't allow such movement. It is the latter car, ultimately, that rolls more freely.
Am I using the tool wrong? (is that even possible?) My only assumption here would be that I am removing too much plastic from within the bearing, as I don't stop milling the truck until the tool itself rolls freely as an axle should.
Any advice or recommendations?
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