# New brushes and springs installation



## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

Is there a trick to the installation of new springs with brushes. I am having trouble placing the brush cap on while keeping the spring in its holder. Perhaps there is a better way than what I am trying? :dunno:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I put the brush bracket on first. And then the brushes and then the springs. The springs will go flying on you. I hold the spring in with a finger nail and put the caps on one at a time. Make sure the brush tubes are clean inside before you install bracket.. I use a Q-tip with alcohol on it.

With the brush bracket off remove the armature and shine the face (Comutator). I use an eraser.

I think I have the body off when replacing brushes. Gives you more room. I guess you have to remove female plug from body
to get body out of the way.

If you are working on your 302, take smoke tube out before removing body. It just unscrews with a small screwdriver down smoke stack.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Like MOPAC says, remove the chassis from the boiler shell, removing the smoke tube first!! You then place your finger over the brush cap and pull the brush cap away, keeping the springs in the tube, then remove the springs and brushes. I use a piece of rolled up 2000 wet/dry paper and polish the inside of the brush tubes. The brushes must slide through easily, because if the tubes are dirty inside, the correct pressure can not be exerted on the brushes by the brush springs. It's best when you re-face the armature to chuck it up in a drill press or drill, turn it on, and hold a piece of fine sandpaper to the face while the armature spins. This not only cleans it, but will flatten the surface of the copper face. Cleaning it as MOPAC states is better than nothing, for sure, but spinning it and holding a piece of sandpaper against it is better. And don't forget to clean out the 3 small slits on the armature face. This will avoid over-heating.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I put a drop of oil on the thrust washers, both ends of armature. And a drop or 2 of oil on that felt like pad in center of brush bracket. With body off its a good time to put some grease on the gears. And try to get a drop of oil on the axles. Where it comes out of chassis, both sides.


I did everything recommended above to my 282 and it is wicked fast. It also runs smooth at slow speed.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Just to add, with the chassis apart from the shell, I strip everything from the chassis EXCEPT the wheels, and hose everything down with CRC Lectra-Motive electric parts cleaner. It's non-flammable,and non-conductive, dries very quickly, and won't harm the white insulators. It dissolves old grease and oils, and it makes the chassis and axles sparkle. I let it dry for around 10 minutes, and occasionally spin the wheels to get rid of any excess, then oil the axles, and re-apply grease. I love this stuff. I've gone through 2 large spray bombs already. It's available at your local auto parts stores at about $8-9 bucks, but it's a large can... Just one concern, this stuff did destroy a knuckle couple I had on my 307 tender, so be careful around couplers. When I use it on my tenders, I always have the e-unit removed but in this case, I didn't remove the coupler.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

mopac said:


> I put a drop of oil on the thrust washers, both ends of armature. And a drop or 2 of oil on that felt like pad in center of brush bracket. With body off its a good time to put some grease on the gears. And try to get a drop of oil on the axles. Where it comes out of chassis, both sides.
> 
> 
> I did everything recommended above to my 282 and it is wicked fast. It also runs smooth at slow speed.


All exactly correct. It's like watching myself,lol!!!!


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

I am afraid to take off the shell to replace the springs and brushes. I have 5 or 6 N Scale DC locomotives that I had ruined because I could not solder small wires and/or deal with the many small parts because of my poor vision and hands shaking.:smilie_daumenneg: This is one reason I was migrating to American Flyer. I am not sure which parts to remove in order to remove the shell and I don't want to or need a expensive mistake like I had with N Scale. I am awaiting a AF Shop manual to arrive. I hope that ir will give me a pictorial exploded view of all of the parts.:laugh:


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## flyguy55 (Apr 20, 2015)

Thankfully mistakes in Flyer especially Atlantics are relatively cheap.I sell running reversing smoking Atlantics at train shows for $25 to $35.I really don't think a shop manual will help all that much.Better to go to You Tube and search American Flyer repair or even be more specific and search 302 or 307 repair.Many of the Flyer parts sellers like Port Lines have exploded views of Atlantics with parts nos.Like the others have mentioned dissassembly is very easy.There are only 5 screws that need be removed.As others have mentioned you need remove smoke tube first it has a slot for flat tip screw driver.Remove one screw holding headlight....two screws holding plug jack....two larger screws holding engine in the shell.Now that all screws removed is tricky part.The rear chassis has two slots that slide into mounting plates in the shell.You need to slowly move engine forward until chassis clears those mounting plates.Slowly remove engine chassis from shell as the wires from headlight and smoke unit somethimes get caught up in those mounting plates.I sold that 302 chassis which you should have received in a 307 shell.Take a look at that to see slots I am referring to....Best of luck....


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

flyguy55 said:


> Thankfully mistakes in Flyer especially Atlantics are relatively cheap.I sell running reversing smoking Atlantics at train shows for $25 to $35.I really don't think a shop manual will help all that much.Better to go to You Tube and search American Flyer repair or even be more specific and search 302 or 307 repair.Many of the Flyer parts sellers like Port Lines have exploded views of Atlantics with parts nos.Like the others have mentioned dissassembly is very easy.There are only 5 screws that need be removed.As others have mentioned you need remove smoke tube first it has a slot for flat tip screw driver.Remove one screw holding headlight....two screws holding plug jack....two larger screws holding engine in the shell.Now that all screws removed is tricky part.The rear chassis has two slots that slide into mounting plates in the shell.You need to slowly move engine forward until chassis clears those mounting plates.Slowly remove engine chassis from shell as the wires from headlight and smoke unit somethimes get caught up in those mounting plates.I sold that 302 chassis which you should have received in a 307 shell.Take a look at that to see slots I am referring to....Best of luck....


Thanks Flyguy! I will give it a try.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

flyernut said:


> All exactly correct. It's like watching myself,lol!!!!


Thanks to you flyernut. I will follow all of the good advice given by all on this thread.:appl:


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

flyguy55 said:


> Thankfully mistakes in Flyer especially Atlantics are relatively cheap.I sell running reversing smoking Atlantics at train shows for $25 to $35.I really don't think a shop manual will help all that much.Better to go to You Tube and search American Flyer repair or even be more specific and search 302 or 307 repair.Many of the Flyer parts sellers like Port Lines have exploded views of Atlantics with parts nos.Like the others have mentioned dissassembly is very easy.There are only 5 screws that need be removed.As others have mentioned you need remove smoke tube first it has a slot for flat tip screw driver.Remove one screw holding headlight....two screws holding plug jack....two larger screws holding engine in the shell.Now that all screws removed is tricky part.The rear chassis has two slots that slide into mounting plates in the shell.You need to slowly move engine forward until chassis clears those mounting plates.Slowly remove engine chassis from shell as the wires from headlight and smoke unit somethimes get caught up in those mounting plates.I sold that 302 chassis which you should have received in a 307 shell.Take a look at that to see slots I am referring to....Best of luck....


For the life of me, I cannot find a screw that holds the headlight. Is the boiler front that has the light lens just pressed on the boiler?:dunno:


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

BrokeCurmudgeon said:


> Thanks to you flyernut. I will follow all of the good advice given by all on this thread.:appl:


Got it! Two mor screws holding the pilot needed to be removed also. THANKS!:laugh:


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## flyguy55 (Apr 20, 2015)

Sorry Broke I fastforwarded a bit.After smoke tube removal you need to disconnect the the side linkage.There is a large connecting arm that connects with a hex nut on each side with a crosshead piece that connects to the front bracket.Two screws hold front bracket to the shell and after removal you should see screw that holds headlight....


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

If all else fails, send it off to me, and I'll fix/service anything that needs to be repaired, free of charge, not-ta, no cost to you, including parts..You can't hurt these things buddy. The only thing you might find needing help are broken screw holes, everything else is a cheap fix. If it doesn't run/smoke, the most you'll spend is less than $10 bucks, that's how easy and cheap these things are to fix. Smoke unit wick and wire,$5 bucks, new brushes and springs, $2 bucks, head-light,.75 cents..New fingers in the e-unit.$4 bucks.. The rest of the repair will be your time in dis-assembly, re-assembly, cleaning, de-greasing, oiling, and adding grease..We'll help you all the way through it..:smilie_daumenpos:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Originally Posted by flyernut View Post 
All exactly correct. It's like watching myself,lol!!!!

LOL, where did I learn this stuff from. It should be familiar.

Broke, once you take a flyer apart, or 2, you will be fine. I have found them all similar.
Northerns, K5s, hudsons, switchers, have some different linkages, but most everything
else is the same. I doubt you will break anything. No reason to force anything once screws are
all out. Don't hesitate to ask questions.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

mopac said:


> Originally Posted by flyernut View Post
> All exactly correct. It's like watching myself,lol!!!!
> 
> LOL, where did I learn this stuff from. It should be familiar.


You're too kind Al!!


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

flyernut said:


> If all else fails, send it off to me, and I'll fix/service anything that needs to be repaired, free of charge, not-ta, no cost to you, including parts..You can't hurt these things buddy. The only thing you might find needing help are broken screw holes, everything else is a cheap fix. If it doesn't run/smoke, the most you'll spend is less than $10 bucks, that's how easy and cheap these things are to fix. Smoke unit wick and wire,$5 bucks, new brushes and springs, $2 bucks, head-light,.75 cents..New fingers in the e-unit.$4 bucks.. The rest of the repair will be your time in dis-assembly, re-assembly, cleaning, de-greasing, oiling, and adding grease..We'll help you all the way through it..:smilie_daumenpos:


Very nice gesture flyernut.:thumbsup: Repair by committee, it sounds like a plan. Always a good deal when folks offer to help each other without benefit for themselves. Thanks also to mopac and flyguy55. All I can add is "get er done" BC!


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

cramden said:


> Very nice gesture flyernut.:thumbsup: Repair by committee, it sounds like a plan. Always a good deal when folks offer to help each other without benefit for themselves. Thanks also to mopac and flyguy55. All I can add is "get er done" BC!


:appl::appl::appl:


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