Doodlebug wheelset question

[NKline]

I have a doodlebug that had bad gears on the drive truck so I replaced them with NWSL geared wheelers. Upon testing the doodlebug I came across a short. I found the insulated wheels were opposing each other. My question is which side does the insulated wheel go on...the right rail or the left rail like the rear truck? Thanks on advance.

Nathan Kline

[brokenrail]

Was there a short before you changed the wheels?
Johnny

[ebtnut]

I believe that the power truck picks up on one side and the trailing truck the other, so the insulated wheels should be opposite each other between front and back

[NKline]

i Johnny,

No short prior to changing the wheel sets. I removed the DCC Ready PCB and will be hardwiring a decoder in. I'vs been testing on DC. (no decoder yet) This test was done by hooking up the pickup wires from the front and rear trucks (red to red and black to black) and then hooked up the red pickup wires to the positive motor wire and the black pickup wires to the negative motor wire. I then placed it on the track and applied power with a DC power pack and it the a short. That's when I looked at the wheel sets and notice I goofed when installing the replacement wheelers with one insulated wheel on the right side and one on the left side which is causing the short.

Nathan

Was there a short before you changed the wheels?
Johnny

[NKline]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to try it and see what happens.

I believe that the power truck picks up on one side and the trailing truck the other, so the insulated wheels should be opposite each other between front and back

[NKline]

I checked the the exploded parts diagram but it didn't show which side was insulated.

Nathan

I believe that the power truck picks up on one side and the trailing truck the other, so the insulated wheels should be opposite each other between front and back

[ebtnut]

You can usually tell visually where the insulating bushings are - normally between the axle and the wheel.  If it isn't obvious, the brute force method is to clip one lead from the power pack to an axle.  Turn up the throttle and brush the other lead on a wheel.  If it sparks, it is not insulated.  If it doesn't spark, insulated.  If you have a VOM meter, use the resistor setting to check continuity. 

[NKline]

I can see which wheel is insulated. My question is which side, left or right, does the insulated side go on?

Nathan

You can usually tell visually where the insulating bushings are - normally between the axle and the wheel.  If it isn't obvious, the brute force method is to clip one lead from the power pack to an axle.  Turn up the throttle and brush the other lead on a wheel.  If it sparks, it is not insulated.  If it doesn't spark, insulated.  If you have a VOM meter, use the resistor setting to check continuity. 

[NKline]

Looking at the exploded parts diagram from the Bachmann website, not the paper one with my doodlebug, it shows the insulated wheels of both the power track and trailing trick on the left (-) rail. Thanks to all for the replies!

Nathan

[brokenrail]

The wheels not in the correct isolation position will not create a short .It may create a open only .CHECK YOUR WIRING.Going only by the colors can get you in a problem since they time to time are not correct. Trace your wires with a ohm meter if hard to see to make sure left wheels are left wirs and right wheels are right wires.
Johnny