Model Railroading > Question on MTH HO GEVO disassembly

I purchased some CSX HO GEVO's this past summer. I love them. They run great and they pull so well!  One of the units has a chirping sound coming from the rear truck. The unit runs just fine but the chirping sound get on your nerves after awhile.

I wanted to know if you can open the trucks up without taking off the shell.  There is a bottom plate and it is not clear to me if you can pop the bottom truck plate off like you can on Kato models.

I want to look inside and see if there is anything obvious. I have checked gauge and added some lite oil to the area.

The MTH shells are a bear to take off and with that process there is usually damage. The tabs also are susceptible to breaking.  This is my only major complaint with the MTH design is shell removal.

So if you know, I am all ears.

Thanks Bruce

Hi Bruce,

I recently installed a decoder in my MTH SD70ACE so I know where you're coming from with the shell! I did take the trucks apart prior to shell removal. Simply pop off the bottom plate on the trucks and you get access to the wheel axles and gears. You can take the wheels out very easily if you need to look at them, as well as the gears.

Hope this helps!

Nate

Thanks Nate but it is not clear what I need to do to "Pop" off the covers. I see a couple of screws on the side of the truck and what appears to be some tabs inside a couple of holes on the side of the trucks that I may need to press inwards. Trying to avoid breaking anything through experimentation.

Thanks Bruce

psunate08 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Bruce,
>
> I recently installed a decoder in my MTH SD70ACE
> so I know where you're coming from with the shell!
> I did take the trucks apart prior to shell
> removal. Simply pop off the bottom plate on the
> trucks and you get access to the wheel axles and
> gears. You can take the wheels out very easily if
> you need to look at them, as well as the gears.
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> Nate

Bruce the mth sd70 where a little easier to access the wheels I also have 2 csx version but ease of access to shell and wheels is something MTH could improve on

Posted from iPhone

Stupid question maybe, but doesn't MTH give a parts and assembly sheet with each loco like Athearn does?

No parts sheet and instructions just talk to taking off the shell which I am trying to avoid. Bruce

tomstp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Stupid question maybe, but doesn't MTH give a
> parts and assembly sheet with each loco like
> Athearn does?

Ok update. Since no one was sure how to do this, I decided to take a crack at this and it was simple. There are 2 small square openings on the side of the truck near the top. You can see tabs inside from the top coverplate. I pushed the 2 inward with a small screw driver and then took a 2nd small screwdriver and and pried upward. The cover just pops off. Removed all wheelsets, cleaned out some excess lube, checked gauge of wheelsets. Found nothing wrong. Added some light oil to area where wheelset tips go into bronze plate and reassembled. Noise is gone.

Not sure what was causing it, but I learned and that was good.

Thanks to all who tried to assist.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Bruce