Bar Groove Wear Limits?

[pbilly]

yes sir really small world as it woukd happen i am sitting on a CP locomotive right now its the second unit in our consist and they are so much more comfortable than the ones that UP has set up for their crews. I have had many experiences in my life like the ones that you just mentioned and they really are some of the best memories. simple pleasure of just doing something productive and taking pride in it.

 

[Square Ground]

.050" bar grooves are manufactured to .052"-.056", and will hit on target at .054" most of the time. .002" really does make a difference. Letting it ride can cause chain to wear prematurely, and will wear the inside of the bar groove. Some people have good luck at making shims to .054", inserting a piece 6" or so long into the groove and lightly hammering the grooves closed. I have a friend that automatically does that to new bars if needed.

 

[Philbert]

‘Feelin’ groovy . . . .

Philbert

 

[SteveSr]

.050" bar grooves are manufactured to .052"-.056", and will hit on target at .054" most of the time. .002" really does make a difference. Letting it ride can cause chain to wear prematurely, and will wear the inside of the bar groove. Some people have good luck at making shims to .054", inserting a piece 6" or so long into the groove and lightly hammering the grooves closed. I have a friend that automatically does that to new bars if needed.

Thanks for the reality check! The issue with the rail closer is that it likes to ride-up come and off the bar. I may give it a go to save some wear and tear on the chain.

 

[SteveSr]

Thanks for the reality check! The issue with the rail closer is that it likes to ride-up come and off the bar. I may give it a go to save some wear and tear on the chain.

Well, I gave the old Silvey bar rail closer a try. I think that I may have made a small change in the width. But my vice is not on a heavy enough table to withstand the pulling required on the closer. So I gotta jamb my leg against the table, push down hard on the closer to keep it from jumping off the bar and then pull it along the bar. Not an easy feat. The .050 groove makes it worse than .063 as the rails are thicker.

I also think that the rail closer will work much better in cases where the rails are actually splayed out. This puts the pressure point at the tip of the rail and furthest from the bend point giving the most leverage.