Loose trucks?

[eggpro]

Hi I am new to model trains and just perched a bunch of Bachmann fright cars and noticed that the trucks are looser on some cars than others.

How loose should the trucks be?

I know that they should be loose enough to rotate freely but some of them have a lot of play up and down and just seem like they are loose. Are they supost to be loose to allow the car to lean on the curves for better handling?
thanks

[SteamGene]

One truck should be looser than the other.  Both should swivel freely and the other should be able to rock a bit.  The deal is, if the car tracks well, the trucks are set correctly.
Gene

[Beatle (TrainBrain)]

One truck should be looser than the other.

Really? So do you have to put them on always faceing one direction? Sounds wierd, or maybe (most likely) I misread.

[richG]

One truck should be looser than the other.

Really? So do you have to put them on always faceing one direction? Sounds wierd, or maybe (most likely) I misread.

This is what SteamGene meant. Notice he did "not" say face the cars in one direction.
http://www.horailroading.net/tip-cars.htm

Rich

[Beatle (TrainBrain)]

One truck should be looser than the other.

Really? So do you have to put them on always faceing one direction? Sounds wierd, or maybe (most likely) I misread.

http://www.horailroading.net/tip-cars.htmhttp://www.horailroading.net/tip-cars.htm

It was 404'd, didn't work, try agian.

[richG]

I see what happened. The url was entered twice. That happens with the laptop I am using since the laptop is on a table. It is a little higher than usual.
http://www.horailroading.net/tip-cars.htm
You can adjust either truck. Experiment. That is the fun of model railroading. Also search the 'Net for ho rolling stock wobble, loose truck, rocking, etc. If you learn how to search the 'Net, you can find a lot of answers to model railrioading issues. I use Yahoo, Google, Ask.

Rich

[eggpro]

thanks for the the info

[SteamGene]

 Here is the tip.  No, the cars do not have to all face the same way - they can be A end to A end, B end to B end, A end to B end, or B end to A end.  They can also be swivel to swivel, rock to rock, etc.
Gene

Here is a tip when assembling car kits.   Adjust the screws that retain the trucks (assuming that is how the trucks are attached - most better cars have this feature) so that the truck on one end of the car is fairly snug, but can easily swivel (but no rocking).    On the other end of the car, adjust the truck so that it will rock just slightly.   This will give your car a three-point stance, allowing it to travel smoothly over uneven trackwork, yet keeping it from unnecessarily rocking.

[Beatle (TrainBrain)]

Now I get it.

Thanks,

[jsmvmd]

Dear Rich & Gene,

Thanks from me, too!  Have a bunch of rolling stock that needs to be tuned.

Best Wishes,

Jack

[Bojangle]

Most of my cars come out of the box with sloppy trucks.  Be careful tightening up the screw, as Bachmann screws have a large flat head that tightens against a post.  You can strip out the plastic thread by overdoing it.  Better to be too loose than too tight.
Bo