Flyonel action cars, such as the coal-dump cars, tend to have very fragile trucks----in particular the action truck with the contact shoe that extends out the side of the sideframe. Repairing these trucks when they break is impossible, and replacing it is a waste of time and money.

So our solution is to remove both Flyonel trucks from the car, and replace them with a pair of sturdy Gilbert-style action trucks......trucks which are still working 65+ years after they were installed on Gilbert AF action cars !

NOTE: there appears to have been a frame modification during production years, as the bolster area for the truck mountings may have changed thickness at some point. The following instructions apply to frames on which the action-truck bolster area is slightly thicker than the regular truck bolster. If that is not the case with your car, you may need to modify the mounting slightly to accomodate a difference in thickness.

Here's the process, using the following parts in our "kit":

1   AF Action truck with pickup lever

1   AF plain truck, with 2 steel wheels

1   W7 metal washer

1   PA10235 rivet

1   PA9988 rivet

1   PA8715 insulating washer

2   PA10209 insulating bushing

       (a) Remove the action pickup truck from the frame, along with all the hardware used to mount it,

       (b) You will have to enlarge the hole in the frame so that it will accept a PA10209 fiber bushing. This is the trickiest part of the conversion, as you will have to do this carefully. Our recommendation is to use a Dremel rotary tool with a cylindrical or conical grinding stone; insert and slowly open up the holes until the PA10209 bushings fit.

       (c) Insert the PA10209 fiber bushing and a PA10235 rivet (the shorter of the two in the kit) into the frame. Add a PA8715 insulating flat washer to the underside, followed by the plain truck with metal pickup wheels.

       (d) Use the proper rivet tool or arbor press to "set" the tip of the rivet, securing it in place.

       (e) Repeat the process, mounting the action-truck (with pickup lever) using a W7 flat metal washer and a PA9988 rivet (the longer of the two in the kit) , with the washer located right underneath the head of the rivet. (The purpose of the washer is to raise the rivet slightly, as it has a bit longer shoulder than necessary.)

       (f) Install the action contact lever, spring, and hairpin clip in the action truck. Be sure the metal wheels in the plain truck are on the same side of the car as the contact lever.

We offer a complete kit (as listed above) containing everything you need for this retrofit, including the two trucks. You will find it listed in our SALES CATEGORIES, in the TRUCKS & PARTS Category.

We can also retrofit your car for you, as a repair service. Just send the entire car, including all the parts and trucks from it (even if broken).