Query: San Juan car co. Bettendorf trucks

[Fatbiker52]

Greeting all.
I just purchased three sets of San Juan Bettendorf truck kits. They're going under my repainted Bachmann box cars. I know they really don't match the prototype, but they are what I currently have. My problem is this, they look fairly easy to assemble, but, there's some parts that i haven't the foggiest how or where they go. Mind you my cars aren't nuts n bolt recreations but, I will use them until I can lay my hands on correct ones. The kits don't hAve instructions or even an exploded  view to go by. Is there anyone that .can help me decifer how they go together?
Fred

[Lee Gustafson]

Fred,

If you go to the San Juan website and look under trucks the 3'7" trucks have an exploded view the Bettendorf trucks assemble pretty much the same way. If you can not access the San Juan website contact me back channel and I'll snail mail you a exploded diagram and some tips on assembly.

Lee Gustafson

email:    bagustaf at aol dot com

[Fatbiker52]

Lee:
Thanks for your help. The snailmail brought me the information I needed. Going to use the modifications you pointed out. At least I'll have correct trucks under my "stop gap" cars....
Fred

[Fatbiker52]

Hello from the Sunny south.

I actually was able to put one set of trucks together. They are fairly straight forward and the acc cement really helps.
I decided to use the set on one of the Bachmann cars just to see what  I needed to do.
After removing the stock Archbar trucks and setting aside the screws, I found that the original screws from the kit were missing and so were yhebother two kits. Ugh....some how I inadvertently disposed of them while doing some cleaning. But i bam digressimg a bit.
I found that the stock screws wouldn't fit into the holes in the truck to mount them. I kind up opening the holes. The trucks then went on easily. So one down two to go!
Fred Cotterell

[Fatbiker52]

Hello again.

I recieved my RTR San Juan Bettendorf's today. I know that the Bachmann boxes aren't even close to prototype, but, it's what is in our freight car fleet.
My question now is this:
After putting the trucks on I noticed that the boxes seem to sit As bit high.  On the undercarriage, there is a round molded post that the trucks screw into. Should I file it down to make the cars sit lower? Or did the C&S Boxes sit a bit higher? Just need some more experienced advice.
Thanks in advance forcany advice.
Fred Cotterell

[Mike Trent]

Fred, look at the header information at the top of page 1 of this forum, you will find a link to the C&Sn3 blog that this discussion group sprouted from.

At the top of that home page there are several links, one of them is "Files". Click on that link and you will find various folio sheets that Jim Courtney has posted. One group is freight cars. There you will find dimensional information of the classes of boxcars on the C&S.

The distance listed from the rail height to the bottom of the body is going to be either 2' or 1 ' 11".

There are vast resources available here that many of the readers and contributors to this forum are likely unaware of, especially if they are recently part of this group.

I would encourage everyone to poke around on the main blog, spend some time there.

The problem you are having is that you have trucks from two manufacturers. One of them is made differently. This sort of thing happens all the time.

[Lee Gustafson]

Fred,

An important benefit of viewing the folio sheets, as well as other information on the blog with regard to model accuracy, is operating coupler heights. Car height and coupler height are directly related and most modifications are made to the car but not always. The body bolster of the car is an area to focus on when "adjusting" car heights. There are always exceptions. BTW, a big thank you to all who have contributed valuable information to the files of this blog.

Lee Gustafson