Example 1: Zimo MX648 with YouChoos SugarCube7

The Dapol N Gauge Britannia with Zimo MX648 and YouChoos SugarCube7... installation guide for DCC sound...

Pop the tender body off to reveal the usual Dapol angled 6-pin DCC socket and mounting.

Off comes the circuit board and entire mounting, along with the unnecessary components across the motor terminals. Also cut out is the entire coal load, nice and neat. The almost negligible metal weight that was glued under the coal load has to be removed to make space for the MX648 decoder anyway, and the extra weight of decoder and speaker is pretty much the same, so nothing lost.

Zimo MX648 with unwanted wires removed, and YouChoos SugarCube7 speaker length-ways at the back, stuck with a piece of thin double-sided tape. On top of the motor housing we also add some strips of thin double-sided tape where the decoder will sit (but not tape over the motor itself!).

Wires shortened and soldered into their appropriate positions. Test motor direction is correct now, and swap orange & grey wires if it runs in reverse to what is expected.

Tender body should now clip back on fairly easily with some room for wires.

A piece of electrical tape covers most of the coal load hole, with the edges filled with some Black-Tak, worked patiently into the gaps and spread to give a good shape for the coal to sit on.

Thick Gel SuperGlue spread thinly across the tape and Black-Tak, then crushed Woodland Scenics coal ballast is sprinkled on to cover - very effective, and much nicer than the original plastic moulding.

There we have it - all done!

Example 2: Zimo MX648 with YouChoos SugarCube9

So here's another example, basically the same, but with a larger SugarCube9 speaker...

Another example, similar approach...

Please note that these guides are provided as useful resources for you, as-is. YouChoos cannot be held responsible for errors in the information, or for any damage caused to your models or equipment if you choose to follow any of the steps detailed here.