Fixing an older Kato 485

[NeMo]

I picked this train last week as a 'project'. Don't often see Japanese trains on sale in the UK, and between being the right length for my layout (3 cars) and a funky colour scheme, seemed well worth a flutter.

 

Although the motor runs and the train sort of moved, it was very noisy. Couplings were broken, too. On top of that, one of the bogies had lost its cardan shaft at some point.

 

I've managed to replaced the missing couplings. That bit was easy! But finding the ASSY number for the green cardan shaft has proved problematic, and when I got in touch with Kato, turns out they don't have the spare part for this old train in stock.

 

I did try using a pack of (white) cardan shafts that are the correct ones for the modern 485-series train. But alas, they are slightly too long! So, tried splicing these into a bit of plastic sprue to make a shorter shaft. Worked up to a point, but didn't spin smoothly enough to be reliable. Sometimes, the wheels would stop turning and the train would stall. So, removed that shaft and got the train running quite reliably (if still a bit growly) using just the one bogie. Worst case, I leave it like that.

 

Kato have offered to send along some new bogies that should fit but aren't the correct ones.

 

But just in the off chance -- does anyone know what the ASSY number is for the green cardan shafts? Might be some older stock somewhere online!

 

Thank you!

 

Neale

[cteno4]

Neale,

 

ahh the old broke driveshaft! Might try using a small bit of styrene tubing around your spliced driveshaft, maybe straighter than trying to drill into the end of a pice of sprue. I’ve done this a couple of times to shorten drive shafts and keep them nicely aligned and also give a much increased gluing area.

 

I’ve also had luck just finding a different drive shaft from a different model and even manufacturer that fits. Lenghts and diameter of the universal ball joints do differ some, but in a pinch I’ve discovered replacements. Years ago we use to run shinkansens a lot for long times on the club layout and sometimes with wrecks or other mishaps folks seemed to have a number of broken or stripped, so every order from japan I would included a couple of packs of different driveshafts and have a pile to just figure out what worked on the fly. Tomix makes a drive shaft that you can telescope and glue at your desired length, but if memory serves me right the ball joint is bigger than many of the smaller Kato ones.

 

what is the length you need and let me see if I can dig out my box of drive shafts to see what I may have lurking around from the ages. I have a vague memory of some green ones like that.

 

Nice of Kato being so helpful for you!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[NeMo]

12 hours ago, cteno4 said:

what is the length you need and let me see if I can dig out my box of drive shafts to see what I may have lurking around from the ages. I have a vague memory of some green ones like that.

 

Nice of Kato being so helpful for you!

 

 

Hi Jeff,

 

Thank you!

 

The green cardan shaft is exactly 2 cm long (the white ones I got from TrainTrax, ASSY# Z01-0382 are about 3 mm longer). Also, and again different to Z01-0382, the fitting at both ends are the same: round knobs with four equally spaced short pegs. Z01-0382 has a hexagonal fitting at one end.

 

Looking on Plaza Japan and whatnot, these cardan shafts seem to be called 'middle joints' so I might try looking around using that name instead.

 

Yep, Kato have been very helpful!

 

Best wishes, Neale

[cteno4]

Hugh I don’t remeber any drive shafts that had hex on one end and the usual 4 nib universal joint on the other. But it’s been a number of years since I’ve replaced one. Some for the drive shafts don’t easily come out of the truck end at all and you only buy them as a set of truck and drive shaft attached. I’m wondering if they changed the design some in recent years.

 

I’ll dig out the shaft box and see what I have.

 

hobby search just calls them shafts. Btw hobby search is a great research site as they tend to put most everything on the site and it remains there, so wonderful sort of catalogue.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

 

 

[NeMo]

Thanks, Jeff.

 

This is the closest one:

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10130231/20/1

 

Looks identical. Same type of joint at each end, plus the same colour and the same small flanges along the shaft.

 

What I can't tell is the length.

 

Best wishes, Neale

 

[NeMo]

So, the train works again! Runs nice and smoothly.

 

In the end, the replacement bogies sent by Kato did the job, more or less. The original bogies (and their green shafts) are removed. The replacement ones (ASSY 41912ZD1) simply click in, the copper contacts and the driveshaft matching perfectly.

 

The only problem was that these replacement bogies have attachment arm that holds the coupling is much too short. What worked here was to unclip the coupling and then push it back in, but not as far as the 'clip' fixture that holds it tight. Instead, some strong glue was used to attach it permamently. To keep the coupling at the right height, I pushed this bogie into one of the old bogies, and then left it for a few hours to set really hard.

 

After that, tried it out, and the coupling stayed in place and was almost exactly the same distance out from the chassis as the original coupling. Being a trifle shorter (maybe half a mm) it might not handle quite such tight radius curves as before, but it seems happy enough on 315 mm curves.

 

End result is an unusual 485-series unit that brings a definite splash of colour to the layout!

[cteno4]

Neale,

 

great the new bogies worked! 
 

I am still hunting for my little box of drive shafts. I’m pretty sure they are just buried or stuck in another box I would not think to look in. I’m still hunting though as I’m frustrated I’ve misplaced them all!

 

jeff

[Kamome]

Great it’s running again. These things are a good learning opportunity so next time something happens, you feel confident to get stuck into the project.

 

Here’s so images of the real thing.

 

https://www.uraken.net/rail/kokutetsu/485kirishima.html

[NeMo]

2 hours ago, Kamome said:

Here’s so images of the real thing.

 

https://www.uraken.net/rail/kokutetsu/485kirishima.html

 

Those are some great photos. I hadn't seen them before.

 

I've been reading up on the train and this particular variant as best as I could via Google Translate. But somehow missed these!

 

Thanks for sharing them!

 

Neale