Model Railroading > Truck springs help:

Need some information help. I recently won some trucks and parts on e-bay. I tried using "Kadee" truck springs but they are to big hieghth wise and wont fit. I had springs flying all over the place.
I now think that these trucks are the old metal "Central Valley" ones.
I also tried "Kadee" coupler springs, no luck either. Any one out there have any ideas or information? (Zinged again).

Thanks,

Bob C.

If the Kadee springs won't work, try Custom Finishing #180 (Walthers part number 247-180) or Precision Scale Co #352 (Walthers #585-352). Otherwise you might have to search old established hobby shops that may still have old stock from discontinued suppliers of truck parts like Central Valley and others. I have a meager supply and have not had to look for them in a long time, so these are my best suggestions. If I come across any other ideas, I'll let you know. Let me know if these suppliers worked out for you...
Nathan

Bob, I have a few freight springs by Perfect. Let me know by TO e-mail how many trucks you need to do. Scott in Birch Run, Mi.

Back in the old days when all MDC Roundhouse kits came with trucks that had to be assembled, modelers used to put a 12" thread through a couple of the coils of truck springs while they were assembling them. You could wrap the long ends of the thread around your fingers and if the spring popped out of the truck you could find it hanging from the thread wrapped around your finger. When the assembly is done you can just pull out the thread slowly and gently and you are done.

Northwest Shortline also sells springs which might work. I have used the Perfect Springs as replacements in some of my own sprung trucks.