A super model. I have one of these myself and it never gave me any problems after nearly 35 years in service on my different layouts. Powerful puller too.
Thank you very much, it put me on the right track, never new about this. Wish I had known before as I had a King class which showed same symptoms before today. Noticed it could be done by just removing the bottom bracket (carefully) which holds the wheels in place, tilt the rear and centre wheels forward and could hinge the weight out. As predicted there were two large bulges on one side and two minor ones on the other side, which had pushed the housing outwards against the wheels. Filed those down, refitted and it worked fine
Hi Mike, picked up an old crab 2 weeks ago. Loco wheels wouldn't turn. I had this problem before with old lima's. I had speculated that the cast weight had changed shape over time but I thought that was impossible and thought perhaps I had gone mad. This video helped me greatly, she's running lovely now. I removed the weight from the lower chassis entirely and put weights into the boiler cavity to compensate. Usual 'Mike's' service on the motor. I never thought I'd have so many old lima locos cruising smoothly around the layout. Thanks again.
@@MikesMovies Cheers Mike, love your other channel as well. Keep up the good work. I wouldn't be surprised if your service video has been at least partly responsible for the price of Lima locos going up on ebay!
Hello Mike thank you so much for explaining this . I saw a Lima Crab described as never been out of the box on a well known auction site and i remembered seeing your video some years ago which gave me the confidence to bid for it .As expected when it arrived the wheels were solid and after following your video again it now runs beautifully . The most difficult bit was explaining to my wife what I was doing with her hair dryer ! David
You are very welcome, I am so glad to hear this news :) I now have a dedicated model railway channel called Model Railways Unlimited if you wanted to keep up with me.
Interesting did have one myself once but got rid of it once the Bachman crabs came on the scene, glad you've restored yours to running order looks and runs very well now by the looks of it. Always a conversation point I'm sure when you show people and thanks for shwing us, Stewart
big thanks, i wouldn't have got my hughes crab going without your help, took about five goes but got there in the end! just hope that i do not experience the same marsek problem with my king class.
Very well done Mike - those are a pain when they don't work, but yours seems to run great! I had one once upon a time, but I ended up selling it since it never ran properly! All the best mate, Sam :)
It's rewarding when you can resurrect something, isn't it. Despite its detractors, the Lima Crab is a very decent model indeed. That swelling Mazak though! Oh my GOD! :)
Brilliant Mike... I've got two of these, one I need to take apart so I might have a go now after watching this... Was that weight about 1.5" long, rectangular with a cut in it for the center wheel axle... I've got one on my desk from another Lima steam loco and it looks like its bulging a bit.. :)
+oorail.com Thanks very much, this weight had cut outs for the front axle, was as long as the underframe. The bottom plate clips in by each driving wheel in two places. Let me know how you get on
I know that this is an old video but thank you for putting it up Mike. I actually watched this before splashing out a whole £25 on a Lima Crab :) When I got it the loco wheels wouldn't turn but following your instrcutions I was able to rectify that fairly quickly. What has completely flumuxed me is how to take the tender body off. I've tried removing the screws from the underside of the tender but it didn't seem to make any difference. Any advice would be most apprectiated. I do subscribe to your other channel and really enjoy the content you post there. ATB Paula
@@MikesMovies Thanks for the advice Mike. I eventually got the body. It turned out that the mazak weights in the tender had swelled and were pressing hard against the body. All sorted now though. ATB Paula
@@paulathomas4944 Hi Paula oh wow so even that weight was breaking down, hmm might be a plan to remove them, and use them to make a cast for new lead ones?
@@MikesMovies Casting new ones from lead sounds like a great idea but I wouldn't know where to start. At the moment I've just filed them down to fit. The loco is going to be in regular service on my layout so it should be easy enough to keep an eye out for any further problems.
@@paulathomas4944 ah yes good point, dad and me used to pick up car wheel balance lead, clip it down and make moulds of the shape wanted in clay, pour in the melted lead and wait, probably not a safe project lol
I have this model I think was once wired for DCC (Yuc) it's now rewired wrongly Just two wires from each contact yet both linked to the current feed on the side of the motor. I'm a Lima collector but this baby has me beat. Connecting a lead to the motor tabs the motor runs as it will on the track but not moving. Adding tyres the motor is dead on the track. Can you help?
I'll have to think about that, you should have one side of the tender wheels (with no tyres) connected to one side of the motor, the other side connects via the spring contact through to the loco wheels. Check that there is a spring pressing on the stud that sticks down from the loco and tender link???
Attractive, well proportioned locomotive. A real beauty!! If I can find the Bachmann version here, I'd proudly run that on my U.S. railroad. Right. It's actually called a Crab? I need to know for search purposes. Thanks and Cheers!!
+Carmine Allocca Hi Carmine, thanks very much, yes a very attractive loco indeed. Check out this link for history en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Hughes_Crab
A super model. I have one of these myself and it never gave me any problems after nearly 35 years in service on my different layouts. Powerful puller too.
Good to hear, please follow me over on Model Railways Unlimited
Thank you for sharing this. My Lima Crab had exactly the same problem, now running freely again thanks to your helpful description.
Hi Bruce, that is so good to hear, take care
Thanks Mike, I have the same problem with my Lima Crab - after watching this I will attempt a repair! Fingers crossed!!! Kindest regards.
Good luck!
Thank you very much, it put me on the right track, never new about this. Wish I had known before as I had a King class which showed same symptoms before today. Noticed it could be done by just removing the bottom bracket (carefully) which holds the wheels in place, tilt the rear and centre wheels forward and could hinge the weight out. As predicted there were two large bulges on one side and two minor ones on the other side, which had pushed the housing outwards against the wheels. Filed those down, refitted and it worked fine
Great news, Follow me over on Model Railways Unlimited
Hi Mike, picked up an old crab 2 weeks ago. Loco wheels wouldn't turn. I had this problem before with old lima's. I had speculated that the cast weight had changed shape over time but I thought that was impossible and thought perhaps I had gone mad. This video helped me greatly, she's running lovely now. I removed the weight from the lower chassis entirely and put weights into the boiler cavity to compensate. Usual 'Mike's' service on the motor. I never thought I'd have so many old lima locos cruising smoothly around the layout. Thanks again.
Well that is truly splendid news :) so glad to have helped. Look me up on Model Railways Unlimited, think I'll get my Crab out again soon :)
@@MikesMovies Cheers Mike, love your other channel as well. Keep up the good work. I wouldn't be surprised if your service video has been at least partly responsible for the price of Lima locos going up on ebay!
Hello Mike thank you so much for explaining this . I saw a Lima Crab described as never been out of the box on a well known auction site and i remembered seeing your video some years ago which gave me the confidence to bid for it .As expected when it arrived the wheels were solid and after following your video again it now runs beautifully . The most difficult bit was explaining to my wife what I was doing with her hair dryer ! David
You are very welcome, I am so glad to hear this news :) I now have a dedicated model railway channel called Model Railways Unlimited if you wanted to keep up with me.
A really beautiful steam loco by Lima. Excellent video.
Thanks very much for the kind comments
Thanks to you I got my crab running good although I binned the original weight and used lead-shot instead
Hi Chris, what great news! Really glad :)
Interesting did have one myself once but got rid of it once the Bachman crabs came on the scene, glad you've restored yours to running order looks and runs very well now by the looks of it. Always a conversation point I'm sure when you show people and thanks for shwing us,
Stewart
+hollpoll Thanks Stewart :) Good fun these models :)
big thanks, i wouldn't have got my hughes crab going without your help, took about five goes but got there in the end! just hope that i do not experience the same marsek problem with my king class.
Glad it helped!
great video Mike,I've got 2 of these,now running properly,after watching this,thanks
Hi Pete, wow that is really great news. Maybe we shall see a video of them?
@@MikesMovies Hi Mike,will try to,not very good at that stuff,will have to ask my kids!!
Very well done Mike - those are a pain when they don't work, but yours seems to run great! I had one once upon a time, but I ended up selling it since it never ran properly!
All the best mate,
Sam :)
Cheers Sam, yes indeed, never was a great runner until now, glad I stuck with her :)
It's rewarding when you can resurrect something, isn't it. Despite its detractors, the Lima Crab is a very decent model indeed. That swelling Mazak though! Oh my GOD! :)
Yes a horrid thing to deal with
Very useful video re the chassis straightening. Had a hairdryer on mine today and bingo! Cheers, Chris.
Great to hear!
Brilliant Mike... I've got two of these, one I need to take apart so I might have a go now after watching this... Was that weight about 1.5" long, rectangular with a cut in it for the center wheel axle... I've got one on my desk from another Lima steam loco and it looks like its bulging a bit.. :)
+oorail.com Thanks very much, this weight had cut outs for the front axle, was as long as the underframe. The bottom plate clips in by each driving wheel in two places. Let me know how you get on
Thank you - lima crab up and running again. Just need to fix all the bits that fell off.
Great news, follow me on Model Railways Unlimited
Great job mike it runs so smoothly, I have a lima gwr king class although not as smooth I know what to check now 👍
Thanks 👍
Nice Loco Mike , and a good demo of repair to this Loco ..Dave
He actually didnt demo anything, he just pointed his screwdriver and talked about it, not the best idea on video!
I know that this is an old video but thank you for putting it up Mike. I actually watched this before splashing out a whole £25 on a Lima Crab :) When I got it the loco wheels wouldn't turn but following your instrcutions I was able to rectify that fairly quickly. What has completely flumuxed me is how to take the tender body off. I've tried removing the screws from the underside of the tender but it didn't seem to make any difference. Any advice would be most apprectiated. I do subscribe to your other channel and really enjoy the content you post there. ATB Paula
Hi Paula, many thanks for the great comment, I think the tender body just lifts off, hinging at the buffer beam end. I'll need to check to be 100%
@@MikesMovies Thanks for the advice Mike. I eventually got the body. It turned out that the mazak weights in the tender had swelled and were pressing hard against the body. All sorted now though. ATB Paula
@@paulathomas4944 Hi Paula oh wow so even that weight was breaking down, hmm might be a plan to remove them, and use them to make a cast for new lead ones?
@@MikesMovies Casting new ones from lead sounds like a great idea but I wouldn't know where to start. At the moment I've just filed them down to fit. The loco is going to be in regular service on my layout so it should be easy enough to keep an eye out for any further problems.
@@paulathomas4944 ah yes good point, dad and me used to pick up car wheel balance lead, clip it down and make moulds of the shape wanted in clay, pour in the melted lead and wait, probably not a safe project lol
I have this model I think was once wired for DCC (Yuc) it's now rewired wrongly Just two wires from each contact yet both linked to the current feed on the side of the motor. I'm a Lima collector but this baby has me beat. Connecting a lead to the motor tabs the motor runs as it will on the track but not moving. Adding tyres the motor is dead on the track. Can you help?
I'll have to think about that, you should have one side of the tender wheels (with no tyres) connected to one side of the motor, the other side connects via the spring contact through to the loco wheels. Check that there is a spring pressing on the stud that sticks down from the loco and tender link???
Look at 3:54 in the video
Because it was wire wrongly without tyres then is work yet still stationary. The loco was a very free mover so the tender needs tyres.
Do you mean it runs but just sits and spins?
yes but without tyres. Put tyres on and it doesn't run at all?
Attractive, well proportioned locomotive. A real beauty!!
If I can find the Bachmann version here, I'd proudly run that on my U.S. railroad.
Right. It's actually called a Crab? I need to know for search purposes. Thanks and Cheers!!
+Carmine Allocca Hi Carmine, thanks very much, yes a very attractive loco indeed. Check out this link for history en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Hughes_Crab
MikesMovies Thanks!
Beautiful model
Many thanks, yes not bad at all. Please follow me over on Model Railways Unlimited, all my model rail stuff is there now
Hello, Could you repair my Lima crab? If so, please quote a price.
Hi, sorry no but look up Sam's Trains he is offering a repair service
Lima made some really nice trains, but their early stuff was real poor.
Thanks for that.
You're welcome
👌
+Daniel Nedbal Thanks