Wheels out of quarter?

[kit builder]

hello guys, Mr Newbie here.
  I would like to ask if anyone has experienced wheels being out of quarter but still true on their axles.I have a new USRA (HO) 2-10-2 which despite close examination from my ageing eyes is definitely showing signs of this problem.Would uyou suggest that I send the loco back to B or just try and get the offending axle set replaced.
  Would appreciate your practical advice.

Kit builder

[Jim Banner]

When wheels are press fit on axles and held in place only by friction, it is not unusual for them to be out of gauge and/or out of quarter but still running true.  Think about regauging a typical freight car wheel set.  We twist the wheel around the axle as we pull it out or push it in.  Neither the twisting nor the pushing and pulling cause the wheels to wobble unless we somehow manage to bend the axle.

How are you checking for out of quarter?  Sometimes a wobbly wheel looks like it is out of quarter when running down the track.  Both can cause little jumps at regular intervals.  So can a bent rod if it happens to hit something every turn of the driver.  If I suspect an out of quarter problem, I often pull the motor out of the locomotive so that it can free wheel.  Then it becomes quite easy to find the exact point where the mechanism binds, either by pushing the locomotive gently along the track or by holding it in one hand and using a finger of the other hand to slowly turn the gears.  And once you find out where in its rotation an axle binds, it is usually pretty easy to tell why it is binding just from feeling which rods are loose and which are under tension or compression.

It would certainly be fair to ask the service department if they are willing to send you a new axle set or if they need the locomotive back.  It is cheaper for them to mail you a new axle set than mail a whole locomotive, and less labour for them if you do the installation.

Jim

[kit builder]

Thanks Jim,
I'll strip the offending beast down and give your suggestions a try...
Pete