E-unit finger

[Hutch]

I've got me e-unit disassembled and ordered new fingers for it. I couldn't believe how thin the outer ones were. Like tinfoil. I hope the replacements from Trainz are better. One of the fingers was twisted, could have been me, and was somehow still working. I tried to straighten it but it just disintegrated . Also, in the future, I would prefer to buy the fingers without the wires and save a few bucks. I do enjoy tearing these down and hopefully will end up with a smoother operating train and will be able to clean and repair future trains without fear.

 

[Quietman]

They are fairly thin, but if they were that thin, it was from wear.

 

[Cheboy22]

The replacements from Trains are better. I just went through this same exercise last month on a 203.

 

[Dub]

Some of the really old units have heavy duty fingers and i change them hardly at all. They have to have hole or just bent beyond help to be replaced. Being delicate is one of the reasons they need to be checked if they do not work correctly.

 

[Mixed Freight]

I had a couple of finger ends darned near burn off on one of my locos due to a stray metal particle that got into the E-unit and shorted it out. I cut and formed some new finger ends out of some phosphor bronze sheet and soldered them in place right over the top of the damaged fingers. After reassembly, the E-unit worked perfectly and the loco has been running great ever since. That's probably been a few years ago now, to the best of my recollection.

 

[Dub]

I had a couple of finger ends darned near burn off on one of my locos due to a stray metal particle that got into the E-unit and shorted it out. I cut and formed some new finger ends out of some phosphor bronze sheet and soldered them in place right over the top of the damaged fingers. After reassembly, the E-unit worked perfectly and the loco has been running great ever since. That's probably been a few years ago now, to the best of my recollection.

I like it. Recycle the board. It is just the top that is important were the contact is made with the drum . You can use thicker material that will stand up to wear.