Can anyone recommend a method for removing the trucks from a postwar Lionel log car? I need to remove the trucks to resolder a wire. They are held on with a C shaped spring steel washer. I don't seen to be able to spread the washer apart to remove it from the pin. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.
The normal clip used by Lionel in the early postwar years were a horse-shoe shaped clip. This was not a "spring" washer, but rather just distorts at the narrow section opposite the opening. The technique I use to remove them is to use a set of electrician's pliers with blunt ended jaws about 3/8" wide. I put the end of one jaw on top of the horse shoe clip and against the stud on the truck. I put the other jaw against the two sides of the horse shoe clip opening. Squeezing gently causes the stud to open the clip just enough to allow it to slide off the stud. Other techniques, such as using a screw driver or needle nose pliers to spread the ends of the clip can result in excessive opening which can fracture the clip. Geezer
That sounds like an E ring. It fits in a groove in the truck pivot stud.
If you look carefully you'll see that there's a bump in the center of the ring, and a bump on each end, making a sort of curved E shape to it. You should see a little bit of space between the bumps where the ring is not down in the groove. Find something pointy and push it into one of these spaces and pry out against the pivot stud, and the ring will come out.
If you don't see the space, you'll have to use something wide enough to push on both ends of the clip at once, like a big screwdriver. That might push it far enough for you to see the space to pry the clip out. You could also make a two pronged tool to push the clip completely off the stud.
Now you'll see why they're also sometimes called "Jesus Clips." It's likely to come out and fly about 200', bounce off of everything nearby, and land where you'll never find it. Keep your hand, a rag, or something over it to catch it when it comes off. If you do lose it, a piece of wire larger than the groove it fits in can be wrapped into the groove and the ends twisted over to hold the truck on when you're all done soldering.
No e ring on Lionel. It's solid, not slotted, it's a horseshoe clip.
This method does work for this job, & does not distort the clip beyond what is needed to effect the repair.
That might
These aren't spring steel, though.
See:
Rob
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