mjltuk

Many Thanks Ray, as helpful as ever. That sounds like 19.6V to me then.

Hello I'm lucky enough to have just got one of these that looks (and weighs) great. It looks to be a low-mileage early model with its Phoenix 2k2 card and manual dated 2002. Are there any other identifiers as to which version/run it is? Or even a hidden serial number? We're all Battery/RC and I'm looking for your experiences of converting this loco please. With previous (mainly Aristo) loco conversions I have ripped everything out and started over with all the controls in the tender. That might be very foolish with this one, where nearly everything is already built into the loco and tender. How much of the existing wiring can I retain? Specific questions: Battery voltage to haul 7 HWs at a brisk but not reckless pace up to 2.5% gradient? Physical location of main switch and charge socket, assuming batteries end up in the tender If USAT don't provide a wiring diagram, does anyone have pin-outs for the six-pin connector cable - please? Thanks in advance Mike in UK

AML site works OK for me: http://americanmainline.com/ mike

Pictures please!

All done today without any problems! Much better slow speed running - and, even more importantly, I got to learn how to take all the drive train off and put it back together again! Very many Thanks to all contributors but in particular to our host Ray. You sir are a star as well as a gentleman. Best mike

Thank you very much indeed Ray. So that's ovalling out the three holes in the connecting rods to drivers #1, #2 and #4 on both sides then = 6 holes. What about the big hole (king-pin?) to driver #3? I promise this will be my last Question on this thread! Mike

A little further research, before committing the conn. rods to the Rayman treatment. With the drive-train out of the way the quartering doesn't look too good: but running at low voltage doesn't look so bad to me on the vid: My Movie2.wmv So still a bit of a dilemma for me. What do you think please?

Many Thanks again Ray Have now had another look. There is virtually no spin on the axles of any of drivers #1 - #4. But the connecting rods are very tight - should the hex screws that connect the parts of the connecting rods together be tightened? I have now taken off the conn. rods to driver #4 on both sides and the motion is then virtually perfect (i.e. no surging/binding) at the lowest voltage I can deliver. When I try to put them back the alignment is clearly off and is very tight fit and the surging returns. Can you confirm that this is a case where opening out the holes in the connecting rods to an oval would likely be a solution? Thank you for your patience. mike

Many Thanks Ray There is movement/play on all the connecting rods OK, so I guess that I mean that driver #s 1-3 don't spin. Moving the driver #s 1-3 from side to side the movement is about 1mm only. Today there seems hardly any difference on #4, perhaps 2mm of movement. In order to see if they spin at all I presume I need to remove the drive train, yes? That's where I am stuck, can I just remove the con-rod between #3 an #4, and again I am presuming on both sides. Best wishes mike

Hello again, just back from a week away Many Thanks to Joe Jerry and Mark, they're all very helpful contributions. Yes it seems that on mine the front three drivers are firmly fixed, but that the #4 has a bit of slop in it - I'd guess a few mm. Do I need to measure it accurately or is that enough info to mean that its worth trying Ray's solution of opening up the holes? Otherwise apart from taking lots of photos are there any tips on how to disassemble the drive train? Thanks again

No they're both the same, Ray. Can anyone else with one of these please confirm whether this is a non-existent connection by design or by wear and tear?

Many Thanks Ray This is the connection (or lack of, its just a hole with the connecting rod into it) ringed yellow:

Many Thanks Sean that's also very helpful Ray here is today's vid after trying to follow your advice. My Movie.wmv What do you think? Looks a bit better to me. How would you think it got so far out of alignment? Should all the connections be tight? Is it right that there is no fixing where the plastic part enters the valve chest? mike

Many Thanks Ray that's very helpful and is beginning to make sense to me. Will have a look again in the daylight tomorrow! All the best - please keep up the great work. mike

Many Thanks Ray Sorry no vid available. Its new to me a couple of months ago, been run a few times and as is a good puller. But the plastic valve gear has been flapping about intermittently and I've tried to fix it a couple of times before. This is the worst it has been, just like your video won't move off and then suddenly shoots off. Can you please have another try with the red circle as I can/t see it. mike

Oh dear my Mikado is making nasty noises and jerks at start voltage. Have read most everything about synchronising drivers, quartering and red loctite so now I've got a bit scared. Should I be with these pix? Thought I would investigate further by removing the plastic valve gear to get a closer look and if necessary try Ray's fix of opening out the holes in the rods. Then I really messed up: I now realise I don't know how to disassemble/reinstall the plastic valve gear. I just can't find any good pictures of how it should look. Any ideas please? mike

Thanks Nick that sounds much more encouraging. How many HWs in your string and what are your grades please?

Thanks Ray

A little Bump Anyone else with one of these please? Mike

Thanks Chuck, I know they look great, my concern is whether they pull OK! I think it was you that suggested you noticed some improvement after removing the weights over the drivers. With your experience of these can you please say what is the maximum number of Aristo Heavyweight cars that a single K4 can reliably (without overheating) haul up a 1.75% gradient with or without these weights? Many Thanks mike

Ray Sorry this was meant for my current thread not Chuck's

Back to the K4 (yes I know I wandered off). (Discussion moved from this thread: http://www.gscaletrainforum.com/index.php?/topic/471-wheelbase/) I just don't see how to reconcile the test using 24V 2.5 amp supply with Marc Horovitz's review in GR Oct 2006: Nine Aristo-craft passenger cars were easily pulled as the engine glided around with Greg Elmassian's experience and Chuck's statement:

Kevin Many Thanks but I had understood that the official source of Aristo Mikado/Mallet motor blocks was right out of stock. So where are these various sources please? mike

Brilliant reply thank you Ray. Very interesting insight on the Aristo drive train that will be helpful to many. Must say that the only problem we have had with our Mallet to date (six years after buying it in a pretty neglected state, so I'm guessing an early model) was a quartering issue after a fall - fixed in a few seconds once we noticed what had happened. On the K4, four heavyweights does seem to be the tipping point if not running on level track. I'd guess from your videos that that ramp is steeper than 2%. Hoping that the voice of experience will prevail. Or several even! mike

Thanks Kevin, as thoughtful as ever. Yet I agree if you're talking mainstream suppliers of mainstream parts. Yet where are all the new suppliers of Aristo motor blocks? Ray I see you also have two AML K4s. That's another option I'm considering. Can I ask where do you stand on power/gearing please? I'd be looking at a couple of pounds of batteries and four to five coaches and 2% gradients. I don't want to have to stop to cool down every 10 minutes! Is there any significance in the absence of any videos of K4s on your site? Best mike