N Gauge Forum

General Category => N Gauge Discussion => Topic started by: Le Night ferry on March 26, 2025, 11:33:11 AM

Title: Which tool tonremove dapol's steam valve gear bolt?
Post by: Le Night ferry on March 26, 2025, 11:33:11 AM
I'm trying to replace dapol 9f's cylinder.
Which driver to remove valve gear's bolt?
Title: Re: Which tool tonremove dapol's steam valve gear bolt?
Post by: Southerngooner on March 27, 2025, 09:03:39 AM
There should be a tool for this in the loco packaging. It's about 30mm long and 5mm diameter, with a recess for the bolt in one end.

Dave
Title: Re: Which tool tonremove dapol's steam valve gear bolt?
Post by: ntpntpntp on March 27, 2025, 10:52:25 AM
Should be this tool which comes with new Dapol steam locos where appropriate

https://ingaugeltd.com/shop/steam-n-tool-conrod-bolt/ (https://ingaugeltd.com/shop/steam-n-tool-conrod-bolt/)


Curiously, my other sets of small BA and Metric nut spinners don't include one which fits the Dapol bolt heads (I can deal with Farish bolts and Hornby TT:120 bolts ok). The Dapol head is too large for a 1.5mm spinner and too small for a 2mm spinner.
Title: Re: Which tool tonremove dapol's steam valve gear bolt?
Post by: Le Night ferry on April 01, 2025, 08:40:52 AM
I purchased multifunctional screwdriver kit from dcc supplies.
Doe se fit with dapol's conrods?
Title: Re: Which tool tonremove dapol's steam valve gear bolt?
Post by: ntpntpntp on April 01, 2025, 10:00:28 AM
No, you don't need a screwdriver to work with the Dapol conrod bolts for the 9F, you need what's usually called a "nut spinner" which has a hexagonal hollow end the correct size for the head of the Dapol bolt.

As per my previous reply,  I have sets of nut spinners but unfortunately neither the 1.5mm nor the 2mm sizes I have fit the Dapol hex head bolt,  which is why the proper Dapol tool would be the best thing to buy if you can find one.

Maybe someone else on here has found an alternative nut spinner which does fit Dapol N ?

As a last resort you can do it with fine pliers but you have to be very very careful, and don't use force or it may break the bolt.

 
Title: Re: Which tool tonremove dapol's steam valve gear bolt?
Post by: Dr Al on April 02, 2025, 12:18:09 AM
I'm afraid...none of this is correct for the 9F.

While the pins look similar to the later threaded ones; they are in fact press fit on the 9F which just predated the adoption of the threaded ones on metal wheel centres which first came with the Britannias. 9Fs have plastic wheel centres.

As such, trying to unscrew these is pointless - they just need to be very gently pulled out.

Cheers,
Alan