08/18/2008
| PLUMBING BRAKE CYLINDER AIR LINES |
The first section of this web article is plumbing the air lines on a low brake mount SD40 or SD45. What you see
above is the REAR LEFT truck side frame. The plumbing brackets on the front side frame have a different
layout. Actually you need to pay close attention to each individual side frame. I am finding that the plumbing is
not the same on all frames.
above is the REAR LEFT truck side frame. The plumbing brackets on the front side frame have a different
layout. Actually you need to pay close attention to each individual side frame. I am finding that the plumbing is
not the same on all frames.
This is going to be the FRONT LEFT side frame (conductors side). The first order of business is to drill all the
holes. That includes the holes for the sanding hose brackets. You can just barely see four new holes drilled in
the frame. Look just below the EMD stamp, next two are on either side of the center journal and the third is just
below the first frame hole after the center journal. My air line bracket is made from 0.010" brass rod so I use a
0.0111" (#85) drill and drill through the frame. The holes you cannot see are the #85 holes I drilled at an angle
at the top of the brake cylinders. Look at the last photo to see better where the holes are drilled.
The sanding bracket holes I use a 0.0135 (#80) drill. These holes are drilled on each end of the frame just
above the journal retainer.
holes. That includes the holes for the sanding hose brackets. You can just barely see four new holes drilled in
the frame. Look just below the EMD stamp, next two are on either side of the center journal and the third is just
below the first frame hole after the center journal. My air line bracket is made from 0.010" brass rod so I use a
0.0111" (#85) drill and drill through the frame. The holes you cannot see are the #85 holes I drilled at an angle
at the top of the brake cylinders. Look at the last photo to see better where the holes are drilled.
The sanding bracket holes I use a 0.0135 (#80) drill. These holes are drilled on each end of the frame just
above the journal retainer.
What you see here is 0.010" brass wire with the end smashed. Through the years of collecting tools for my mill,
I have several machinist vise. I smash the wire in the vise. Prior to smashing the wire, I anneal it and then sand
it all so it will have a good soldering surface. When the wire is smashed, it does not smash evenly on the center
of the diameter. You can see in the photo above how there is a sort of "seat" where the flat meets the round
wire. This is the side that the brake line goes against and fits into that "seat".
I have several machinist vise. I smash the wire in the vise. Prior to smashing the wire, I anneal it and then sand
it all so it will have a good soldering surface. When the wire is smashed, it does not smash evenly on the center
of the diameter. You can see in the photo above how there is a sort of "seat" where the flat meets the round
wire. This is the side that the brake line goes against and fits into that "seat".
I have now smashed four pieces of wire. I have also bent the brake line. The brake line is made from 0.012"
brass wire. After all the parts are fit to make sure all is correct, I then take it all apart again and anneal the
brass. It is the brake line piping that hangs below the vertical brackets that needs to be annealed. There is no
need to anneal the entire brake line wire. Before I take the brake line off to be annealed, I use a sharpie and
mark the wire at the vertical brackets.
brass wire. After all the parts are fit to make sure all is correct, I then take it all apart again and anneal the
brass. It is the brake line piping that hangs below the vertical brackets that needs to be annealed. There is no
need to anneal the entire brake line wire. Before I take the brake line off to be annealed, I use a sharpie and
mark the wire at the vertical brackets.
Now I reassemble it all and crimp the bracket flats real hard around the wire. I use a pair of sharp tweezers for
this. It is VERY important to crimp these brackets hard around the wire because you need to take this assembly
off in one piece without the brackets moving from their position. Before I remove the assembly, I nip off any
excess wire protruding from the back side of the frame.
After I am satisfied with the crimp, I carefully slip a #11 blade behind the brake line and slowly remove the
assembly. I do not do it all from one point. I insert the blade all along the brake line and lift a little at a time.
this. It is VERY important to crimp these brackets hard around the wire because you need to take this assembly
off in one piece without the brackets moving from their position. Before I remove the assembly, I nip off any
excess wire protruding from the back side of the frame.
After I am satisfied with the crimp, I carefully slip a #11 blade behind the brake line and slowly remove the
assembly. I do not do it all from one point. I insert the blade all along the brake line and lift a little at a time.
The final step is to insert the air line into the brake cylinders. Now you will understand why I anneal the brass
wire below the vertical brackets. It allows you to route the line into the brake cylinders and give it a rubber hose
look which it actually is.
Next I insert the sanding hose brackets. These are simply DETAIL ASSOCIATES formed wire lift rings. I open
them slightly to allow me to later insert a piece of wire into. I open them just a tad over 0.022" diameter. Just
use a piece of 0.022" diameter brass wire for a gage. If it slips through with some play in it, you are good to go.
Unlike in the very first picture, this brake setup gets its line feed from inside the truck assembly. The photo of
the prototype I am building does not show ANY brake line feed coming into the outer piping. Also what I have
found through my research is that the front right and rear left side fames are plumbed the same. The same is
true for the front right and rear left side frame. The differences you may see is when these units are shopped,
the air line might get bent up a bit or routed slightly different. Anything can happen over time to these lines and
the bracket configuration. It is always best to consult the prototype you are building. If you do not have a photo
of the other side, you can use what I wrote here as a guideline.
wire below the vertical brackets. It allows you to route the line into the brake cylinders and give it a rubber hose
look which it actually is.
Next I insert the sanding hose brackets. These are simply DETAIL ASSOCIATES formed wire lift rings. I open
them slightly to allow me to later insert a piece of wire into. I open them just a tad over 0.022" diameter. Just
use a piece of 0.022" diameter brass wire for a gage. If it slips through with some play in it, you are good to go.
Unlike in the very first picture, this brake setup gets its line feed from inside the truck assembly. The photo of
the prototype I am building does not show ANY brake line feed coming into the outer piping. Also what I have
found through my research is that the front right and rear left side fames are plumbed the same. The same is
true for the front right and rear left side frame. The differences you may see is when these units are shopped,
the air line might get bent up a bit or routed slightly different. Anything can happen over time to these lines and
the bracket configuration. It is always best to consult the prototype you are building. If you do not have a photo
of the other side, you can use what I wrote here as a guideline.
With the assembly removed, I flip it upside down on a piece of glass and tape it all down. I run tape along the
brake line pipe that extends below the vertical brackets and then I put tape on the bracket flats. This holds
everything firmly so I can have both hands free to do the soldering.
brake line pipe that extends below the vertical brackets and then I put tape on the bracket flats. This holds
everything firmly so I can have both hands free to do the soldering.
I am showing this after soldering to explain that I am in no way an expert with soldering. So if you think you
cannot do this, you are wrong. I only understand with soldering that you need a clean surface, flux and heat.
The reason I anneal and clean the wire before I smash it is because it is much easer to clean while the wire is
still in it original form. After smashing, it becomes very difficult to clean.
You can see some heavy solder in the joints. That is not done on purpose. I use a set of PBL flush cutting
nippers and I clean the excess off before removing the tape. I also use a #11 knife and clean up more if need
be.
Once I remove the tape, I then clip off the excess bracket flats up to the air line and reinstall it on the side
frame. Once installed, I use a little ACC or Cyanopoxy where the pins enter the frame and secure it all down.
cannot do this, you are wrong. I only understand with soldering that you need a clean surface, flux and heat.
The reason I anneal and clean the wire before I smash it is because it is much easer to clean while the wire is
still in it original form. After smashing, it becomes very difficult to clean.
You can see some heavy solder in the joints. That is not done on purpose. I use a set of PBL flush cutting
nippers and I clean the excess off before removing the tape. I also use a #11 knife and clean up more if need
be.
Once I remove the tape, I then clip off the excess bracket flats up to the air line and reinstall it on the side
frame. Once installed, I use a little ACC or Cyanopoxy where the pins enter the frame and secure it all down.
RIGHT FRONT truck side frame. The speed recorder is Details West part SR-285. Naturally I am using this
speed recorder because it is what the prototype is using. The speed recorder cable is black nylon fishing line I
bought from my local craft store. This side frame also has the same air line feed as the rear left side frame.
speed recorder because it is what the prototype is using. The speed recorder cable is black nylon fishing line I
bought from my local craft store. This side frame also has the same air line feed as the rear left side frame.
Finally I have the REAR RIGHT side frame. Looks a bit like the front left.