Knuckle Couplers For N Scale Switcher??

Drew1125

Active Member
Does anyone have any experience assembling Micro-Trains #1015/1016 body mount couplers?
I'm wanting to convert a couple of Life Like SW9/1200's to knuckle couplers.
Manuevering these %$#@ed centering springs into place is driving me completely crazy!
Does MT make a pre-assembled body mounted coupler?
Any help would be much appreciated.
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
Charlie I have one of those switchers (best n-scale swicther I have ever cracked the throttle on!). I used the 1015's but I ordered 'em already assembled. The 2002 Walthers cat. number is 489-10151.List price is $8.35 and they work great. :p
 

Bill Pontin

Member
Charlie, don't know if my method with those springs will help you, but I will try and describe it. If your coupler is one of those with a two part case, insert a drill or pin into a piece of wood to hold the case. Insert the case onto the pin thus holding it in place. I pick the spring up on the end of an exacto blade, #11 works best. Pick the spring up by slipping the blade down into a coil about half the length of the spring, gently of course. Place the spring into the case one end first, - then gingerly push the blade to compress the spring back enough to fit into the case. Push the spring off the blade with a probe. It should stay in place without going "ping". I made up several types of probes by using 1/4 dowels and heavy sewing needles. My favorites are the large canvas needles where I broke of 1/2 the eye. This gives you a little fork like probe.
 

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Drew1125

Active Member
Bill,
Those are some pretty nifty tools you've made for yourself!
Well, I FINALLY got one of those things together last night! I did exactly (well...almost) what you described, Bill. I picked up the spring with the x-acto blade, put it in position, & then put my finger over it, & pulled out the blade, & much to my astonishment, the thing was in there perfectly! The night before, I was trying to use tweezers, & & "pinged" 3 or 4 of those little springs into the wild blue yonder! I still haven't mounted the coupler yet, but that shouldn't be as big a problem. I installed them on my GP7 with no problem at all.
Rory,
Thanks for that info...that's good to know. I think that's that route I need to follow. Ilove these little switchers too. They run 10 times better than that geep.
Thanks for all your help, guys! :)
 

TGL1956

New Member
Hey Charlie,
The pre- assembled couplers are the 1015-1. BLW has them for around $6.50 a set. To me the extra $3 per set is worth the time and agravation saved.
 

Drew1125

Active Member
Thanks TGL1956!
I got a couple of sets of the 1016's (longer shank) & have installed them on one of the switchers...hopefully get around to the other one tomorrow.:cool:
Y'know, I think if I had to go through assembling too many more of those things, I'd tear everything down, & switch to O, or G scale!!
When I get both of these finished...(I still have to paint & letter one of them), I'll post pictures.
 

K.V.Div

Member
Just an item of note, Charlie.
There are some thin plastic shims included with the couplers (both 1015 & 1016).
These are called "Universal Mounting Shims" and, depending on the locomotive you are converting, are used either above (top mount), or below (bottom mount), and are used to ensure that your couplers are the right height.
For all of my Life Like locomotives, I use them bottom mounted.
Hope this helps out.
Happy Modeling.
Cheers!

Terry
 
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