Lorenzo Beckmann
New Member
please advise for better trucks on Rivarossi 1930 coaches, Athearn '70's lite wt coaches. thanks
truck conversion passenger coaches
- Thread starter Lorenzo Beckmann
- Start date
trailrider
Well-Known Member
If the pizza cutter wheels are a problem, you can change those out for Kaydee or other wheel sets. If the truck-mounted couplers with X2f are the problem, you can probably change them out for Kaydee's or even cut the truck-mounted ones off and install Kaydee body mounts with the greater swing.
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
The problem with the Rivarossi / AHM cars is that the trucks are not mounted in the center of the truck. They are offset so it can navigate smaller radius curves. A truck replacement must be another truck with an offset mounting point OR you must relocate the bolster, so they can be mounted in the center hole most of them have. In turn the couplers must be body mounted. I really liked the IHCs which unfortunately are no longer available. There is also the good old Central Valley lurking around on the used market.
IHC Truck
Central Valley Truck
There are the new current production Walthers trucks that are OK. Once again you would have to build a bolster mount for them. They need a very deep bolster.
Walthers Trucks
If your issue is the plastic wheels you can just replace the wheel sets, just note that 36" wheels will not fit. The brake shoes will rub. Have to use 33" or even 30".
If your issue is the horn hook couplers, then McHenry makes three different sizes of long shank that can be used in the existing coupler box. Otherwise Kadee makes conversion kits. The Kadee conversion is a lot of work.
A company named JayBee used to make a coupler mount for the Rivarossi / AHM cars. Don't know if they are still in business anymore or not. JayBee mounting pad.
Lorenzo Beckmann
New Member
all great tips, thanks. some trucks permit up to 1/8" axle side to side float (already w intermountain metal wheels). Am heavily considering body mount couplings. I've looked at Kadee body mount box-couplers--likely to go that experiment.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I have 4 Rivarossi coach's which I'm converting to body mounted couplings, I'll let you know how I get on with it.
glenng6
Well-Known Member
I have done a similar conversion. I used the Kadee #451 coupler, Intermountain NS wheels and Rapido passenger car trucks. I body mounted the couplers. I had to make some modifications to the underside of the cars, but it isn't noticeable, so I don't care. The important thing is it now performs great on the layout. Good luck. Glenn
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Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I have come to the conclusion, I don't like you
Now I find the Kadee #451, NOW, after 2 days of fitting KaDee#5 couplings and draft boxes to my Rivarossi UP coaches, you share this, Oh Balls!!, life was so much simpler in OO land 
glenng6
Well-Known Member
That's OK. I still like you. 
The Kadee #451 can resolve a number of ailments. To get them to work well may take some patience, but when you get it right there is no better solution. As far as converting to Kadee #5 couplers go, I have stopped using them. I am converting all my Kadee #5 couplers to Kadee #148. The #148 performance , in conjunction with the #242 snap together gear box, is amazing. Hope I got this information, to you, before you converted too many #5 couplers.
The Kadee #451 can resolve a number of ailments. To get them to work well may take some patience, but when you get it right there is no better solution. As far as converting to Kadee #5 couplers go, I have stopped using them. I am converting all my Kadee #5 couplers to Kadee #148. The #148 performance , in conjunction with the #242 snap together gear box, is amazing. Hope I got this information, to you, before you converted too many #5 couplers.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Errr Nope!That's OK. I still like you.
Finished them all last night, also found out (afterwards of course) that McHenry do replacement couplings
MikeGTW
Signalman, ESQ
Glenn I know what an arch bar truck is but you identify part of the truck in your photo as "arch bar in place" I've never heard this before what kind of truck has this on it ? Just curious
Thanks Mike
glenng6
Well-Known Member
Mike,
What I was trying to indicate was I cut one end of the archbar, on both sides, to allow wider movement. If you notice, and you should be able to enlarge the photo, there is a piece of plastic missing on the end closest to the coupler and is not missing on the opposite end of the truck. I know everything is black under the car but it's easily visible when you enlarge the photo. Glenn
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I know this probably a dumb question but how do you work out how far forward of the beam the #451 needs to be, to allow sufficient swing on the couplings.?
MikeGTW
Signalman, ESQ
Glenn
Question you say that three axle truck is made by Rapido It looked like a truck I could maybe use so tried to find it no luck at all
Do you by any chance have a part number or where to get them at
Also I'm still confused by the arch bar in place It looks to me to be a outside brake bar or beam
this is what I consider arch bar
Question you say that three axle truck is made by Rapido It looked like a truck I could maybe use so tried to find it no luck at all
Do you by any chance have a part number or where to get them at
Also I'm still confused by the arch bar in place It looks to me to be a outside brake bar or beam
this is what I consider arch bar
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
Not dumb. Hard! Maybe measure the length of the new coupler beam and multiple by two. Set the cars on the minimum radius curve. Push them together to the closeness you want. Use the number from above to find the point along the center line of both cars where a cord of that length would make them fit. You know seat of pants engineering.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Ok, I think I get what your saying, Sound's better than my idea anyway. I have some NEM conversion couplings, that look to be roughly the same length as the 451's, their very thin so I can't use them on the coaches proper, but they would do for a trial run, thanks, I'll give it a go and see what happens.
glenng6
Well-Known Member
Smudge617,
I always mount the coupler box at the end of the car, usually the Kadee Snap Together coupler boxes have a small lip sticking up and I use that as my stop, and go from there. If anything interferes with that placement then I have to make a decision. Usually, I will remove any molded in details that you can't see when the car is riding the rails. That includes anything that interferes with the maximum swing possible. After all a car that can't make it through our curves is useless. That is just me! Most everything on the underside of a car is visible only when you are holding it upside down. How is that realistic? Glenn
glenng6
Well-Known Member
Mike,
I may be wrong about what I am calling an arch bar. It serves the same purpose to hold the wheels to the truck, but on a three axle truck it runs along the side of all three wheels and then passes from one side to the opposite side of the truck. It makes the wheel assembly look like it is being cradled. I did some searches and couldn't find any pics, even on Rapidos site. I will go take some pics of mine and see if there is any information on the truck assembly. I doubt I have any of the packaging, as I did these a few years ago. Glenn
Mike, I did not see any markings on the trucks. I even removed one of the trucks to check the areas hidden from view. I guess you could write Rapido and ask. I know when I did the conversion my LHS had them hanging in a display case. I have no idea how long they were there. Glenn
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glenng6
Well-Known Member
Mike,
I am including pics I took today and will explain what I am showing in each one:
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