# Sticky  Quartering a 4-6-2 engine.



## flyernut

Here's a short tutorial about re-quartering a 4-6-2 loco such as a K5 Pacific, Hudson, Silver Streak, Royal Blue,etc. It's a somewhat easy way to "get her done". I'm using a chassis I have in my parts bin, and the actual quartering will be shown on it. However I won't be pressing the wheels onto the axles.
First, check to see if the quartering is indeed off. What I do is to remove all linkage and then replace the connecting rod on one side, and then turn the chassis over and check the opposite side. The opposing wheels should be 90 degrees from the other side.For example if the wheel holes are at the 6 o'clock position, the opposing side should be at 3 o'clock or 6 o'clock. The exact degree is 88 but 90 works fine. If the opposing side is just a little off, re-quartering is needed. Here's some pictures.


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## flyernut

K5 chassis, and all wheels needed.


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## flyernut

Put all your wheels on the axles but don't press them on yet. Place your connecting rod on the wheels and using the large 4-40 nut commonly used on the brass stud, screw the connecting rod onto the 3 wheels, and tightening the 2 nuts so the 3 wheel set does not move.


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## flyernut

Flip the chassis over and do the same thing. When you have all 3 wheels in the correct location, use the large 4-40 hex bolts and screw the connecting rod onto the wheel set. You're checking for correct placement of the wheels. If everything looks good, remove the connecting rod and putting the chassis in a vise, compress the 2 6 wheel sets until you get the proper gauging. Check for correct re-quartering by installing the connecting and make sure it fits. On the original side we started with, remove the hex nuts and replace with the correct shoulder nuts, and then do the same thing thing for side #2. Once you get both sides together, roll the chassis around. It should roll smooth as silk; if it doesn't, your re-quartering is still off and repeat the process. This is where you should have a wheel puller, it makes the process alot easier. If anyone gets stumped, ask a question.. If you're still stumped, send it to me and I'll do the quartering for you, absolutely free of charge, just pay shipping....Loren[/ATTACH]


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## flyernut

Here are my basic quartering jigs and wheel puller, both made by a good friend of mine. I also have the Atlantic jig, made by him too. The 2 flat stock pieces shown are wheel gauging gauges. You attach these plate to the underside of the chassi and press the wheel sets on. When the wheels hit the flat stock, the wheels are properly gauged and no more pressing needed or desired.


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## mopac

Thanks for the tutorial flyernut.

That chassis in first pic looks familiar.

We need your tutorials to be a sticky, maybe John can sticky this one.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon

mopac said:


> Thanks for the tutorial flyernut.
> 
> That chassis in first pic looks familiar.
> 
> We need your tutorials to be a sticky, maybe John can sticky this one.


I agree Flyernut. And a Sticky would be good!


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## flyernut

mopac said:


> Thanks for the tutorial flyernut.
> 
> That chassis in first pic looks familiar.
> 
> We need your tutorials to be a sticky, maybe John can sticky this one.


You're right Al,lol!!!


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## Mikeh49

Interesting that the 88 deg vs 90 deg seems to be visible to the naked eye looking at the two jigs. I didn't think it would be so apparent. Unless my eyes are lying, of course. Really nice to have machinist friend, they can do wonderful things.


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## flyernut

Mikeh49 said:


> Interesting that the 88 deg vs 90 deg seems to be visible to the naked eye looking at the two jigs. I didn't think it would be so apparent. Unless my eyes are lying, of course. Really nice to have machinist friend, they can do wonderful things.


He's a great friend in more ways than one.:smilie_daumenpos:


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## mopac

Whats the chance of eyeballing wheels for quartering. There are just so many spines
on the axles. I know a jig would be better and easier.

flyernut, that lower armature bushing in that chassis with the slots. I thought someone cut those in. Not so. I saw some for sale on ebay just like that one. Seller said they were early bushings. It s a factory bushing. You might have seen them before, I hadn't.


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## flyernut

mopac said:


> Whats the chance of eyeballing wheels for quartering. There are just so many spines
> on the axles. I know a jig would be better and easier.
> 
> flyernut, that lower armature bushing in that chassis with the slots. I thought someone cut those in. Not so. I saw some for sale on ebay just like that one. Seller said they were early bushings. It s a factory bushing. You might have seen them before, I hadn't.


Yep, early factory...


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## mopac

Those 1948 302s I got from you might have the slotted bushings. I have not had to take them apart. They run too good to mess with.


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## flyernut

mopac said:


> Whats the chance of eyeballing wheels for quartering. There are just so many spines
> on the axles. I know a jig would be better and easier.
> 
> flyernut, that lower armature bushing in that chassis with the slots. I thought someone cut those in. Not so. I saw some for sale on ebay just like that one. Seller said they were early bushings. It s a factory bushing. You might have seen them before, I hadn't.


Using the connecting gear is more or less eye-balling..


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## teledoc

You got a sticky guys.


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## mopac

Thanks teledoc.


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## PRR1950

I'm sorry this post is a little late, but I'm an "O" person who only visits the "S" area on this forum occasionally. This topic caught my eye because I've seen it before in other scales. So, I have a couple of questions and a favor to ask.

First, does the degree difference (88 v 90) between the eyeball method and the jig method become more important as the scale changes, either higher or lower? Second, does it make any difference (in any scale) which side of the engine (engineer or fireman) has the wheel set ahead on the clock (engineer at 9:00 and fireman at either 6:00 or 3:00) or is that just a variation by prototype or by valve gear equipment?

Finally, the favor to ask: Would flyernut please be able to provide pictures of both the quartering jig and the wheel puller in use? Perhaps with multiple views (top, side, bottom)? I personally learn much better with pictures than I do with words.

Thanks and Happy New Year (off to another party at my sister's place soon),
Chuck


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## flyernut

PRR1950 said:


> I'm sorry this post is a little late, but I'm an "O" person who only visits the "S" area on this forum occasionally. This topic caught my eye because I've seen it before in other scales. So, I have a couple of questions and a favor to ask.
> 
> First, does the degree difference (88 v 90) between the eyeball method and the jig method become more important as the scale changes, either higher or lower? Second, does it make any difference (in any scale) which side of the engine (engineer or fireman) has the wheel set ahead on the clock (engineer at 9:00 and fireman at either 6:00 or 3:00) or is that just a variation by prototype or by valve gear equipment?
> 
> Finally, the favor to ask: Would flyernut please be able to provide pictures of both the quartering jig and the wheel puller in use? Perhaps with multiple views (top, side, bottom)? I personally learn much better with pictures than I do with words.
> 
> Thanks and Happy New Year (off to another party at my sister's place soon),
> Chuck


There should be a thread with pictures on here showing you all the info you're looking for.


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## AF-Doc'

This is a great tutorial and I hope there are more to come Thank You. I was wondering if you might have a drill drawing of the quartering jigs that you might share. I would love to make one for my bench. Hitting the wheel spline alignment by eye is getting tougher as I age.

Here is a picture of a wheel puller that will work for steamers or diesels. It is a re-purposed OLD style battery clamp remover for a car which was purchased on eBay and modified as follows: Thanks Tom Barker.

Grind the cup off the lead screw and remove the screw. Grind the threads off the end of the screw, about 1/2" then grind it's diameter to just a little smaller than the wheel / axle hole. Grind the end of the screw FLAT. Grind enough material from the bottom of the clamps to let them fit between the back of the wheel and chassis. Work slowly.

I use a small Micro Mark arbor press for all axle, gear and wheel pressing. It seems to work better for me that a vice.

Doc'


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## TimmyD

Thanks for the tutorial Flyernut! I have some insulators that are going to need replacing, so this topic is of great interest to me currently. I have been looking at pre-made quartering jigs, and they seem rather expensive, or I am rather cheap, sometimes it is hard to differentiate.  Originally I thought I would just get a 4-axle jig and I could use it for 3 and 2 axle jobs, but I am pretty sure some casting features will prevent that from working. Anyway, in leu of purchasing a jig, I was considering doing one wheel at a time, kind of the connecting rod method, only pulling and pressing a single wheel at a time so I could mark the opposite wheel position on the chassis, and use the still-built axles at a guide. Has anyone used this method or have any points of caution? Alternatively I would consider making a jig if dimensions were available, or purchasing a used one if anyone has an extra they are looking to part with cheap.  The first two in need of insulators are a 310 and a 283. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Thanks,
TimmyD


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## flyernut

TimmyD said:


> Thanks for the tutorial Flyernut! I have some insulators that are going to need replacing, so this topic is of great interest to me currently. I have been looking at pre-made quartering jigs, and they seem rather expensive, or I am rather cheap, sometimes it is hard to differentiate.  Originally I thought I would just get a 4-axle jig and I could use it for 3 and 2 axle jobs, but I am pretty sure some casting features will prevent that from working. Anyway, in leu of purchasing a jig, I was considering doing one wheel at a time, kind of the connecting rod method, only pulling and pressing a single wheel at a time so I could mark the opposite wheel position on the chassis, and use the still-built axles at a guide. Has anyone used this method or have any points of caution? Alternatively I would consider making a jig if dimensions were available, or purchasing a used one if anyone has an extra they are looking to part with cheap.  The first two in need of insulators are a 310 and a 283. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
> Thanks,
> TimmyD


Jason Strickler sells the jigs, and the insulators.. He has both brilliant white and a off-white which matches closely to the original color of AF. He has the jigs on ebay, and the insulators.. I'll send you a PM with his phone # at home. Be sure to mention my name, Loren Bock from Williamson, he might give you a better deal, maybe not,lol...


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## TimmyD

I just quartered my first engine, a '47 310 that has been sitting in pieces for to long. I think my wheel rebuild went well, accept that I was not paying enough attention and put a rimed driver on a studded wheel. 🤦‍♂️ I did catch my mistake immediately, and think the correction went ok... I am not entirely sure I have them pressed onto the axle as far as they should be, but running the chassy on a test track (no motor), they seem to run well, and I have at least .010 between the tires and the chassy at all times. I used a jig I bought from Jason and it worked better than expected. Will be traveling the next few days, but anxious to get it back together and see how it runs, all 6 drivers needed the tires re-attached. The shell and linkage are in fantastic shape, so she and the 302 I picked up from Flyernut will be the collection gems until the bank account is replenished! Next rebuild will be a 283 junk box train, and that one has cracked insulators, so I will need to replace, not just clean and glue the originals. Thanks for the detailed threads on quartering and wheel repair flyernut!
TimmyD


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## flyernut

TimmyD said:


> I just quartered my first engine, a '47 310 that has been sitting in pieces for to long. I think my wheel rebuild went well, accept that I was not paying enough attention and put a rimed driver on a studded wheel. 🤦‍♂️ I did catch my mistake immediately, and think the correction went ok... I am not entirely sure I have them pressed onto the axle as far as they should be, but running the chassy on a test track (no motor), they seem to run well, and I have at least .010 between the tires and the chassy at all times. I used a jig I bought from Jason and it worked better than expected. Will be traveling the next few days, but anxious to get it back together and see how it runs, all 6 drivers needed the tires re-attached. The shell and linkage are in fantastic shape, so she and the 302 I picked up from Flyernut will be the collection gems until the bank account is replenished! Next rebuild will be a 283 junk box train, and that one has cracked insulators, so I will need to replace, not just clean and glue the originals. Thanks for the detailed threads on quartering and wheel repair flyernut!
> TimmyD


I also sent you a PM about the smoke unit.


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## AmFlyer

Timmy, you are doing great


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## dooper

flyernut said:


> Here's a short tutorial about re-quartering a 4-6-2 loco such as a K5 Pacific, Hudson, Silver Streak, Royal Blue,etc. It's a somewhat easy way to "get her done". I'm using a chassis I have in my parts bin, and the actual quartering will be shown on it. However I won't be pressing the wheels onto the axles.
> First, check to see if the quartering is indeed off. What I do is to remove all linkage and then replace the connecting rod on one side, and then turn the chassis over and check the opposite side. The opposing wheels should be 90 degrees from the other side.For example if the wheel holes are at the 6 o'clock position, the opposing side should be at 3 o'clock or 6 o'clock. The exact degree is 88 but 90 works fine. If the opposing side is just a little off, re-quartering is needed. Here's some pictures.


Hi Loren, I used to be able to send private messages , but forgot how. I do need your address again. You can send me a message at [email protected]


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## flyernut

dooper said:


> Hi Loren, I used to be able to send private messages , but forgot how. I do need your address again. You can send me a message at [email protected]


Your link doesn't work for me buddy..


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