Converting American Flyer couplers to knuckles

[lionelsoni]

The American term for "split pin" is "cotter pin".  In British however "cotter" or "cotter pin" refers to something else entirely.

[richhotrain]

Here is a link to Portlines where you can purchase the pins.

http://64.251.10.24/~worldofw/cgi-bin/shoppl.pl/page=results.html/SID=259567338/category=Couplers

Rich

[stebbycentral]

I'm surprised the converstion couplers didn't come with the split pins.  They are usually sold as a set.   Though you can occasionally find them in an eBay auction by themselves.  Otherwise your best bet is to purchase them from a vendor like Portlines Hobby. 

Of course if your situation is that you have the split pins but don't want to use them, I would advise doing so.  They are specifically designed for the purpose, and are quite easy to install. 

I do own one car where conversion couplers were installed using machine screws instead of the split rivets.  No nuts required, just get a screw of a size that is just a touch oversize for the hole in the metal bracket and it should fit securely.

[Benjamin Maggi]

I have had some of my old trains converted from the link-and-pin to knuckle couplers in the past by a train shop. In doing so, they hammered out the old pin and put in a new one that was split down the middle and bent over to retain it. It looked messy but worked okay. Sort of like grade school project metal spring binder posts in your book reports.

I recently purchased some used Flyer cars and managed to get the old couplers off by really hammering the pins hard while positioning the rivet over a round support. I bent the pins several times before they came out. But, now I don't know how to remount the new split-shaft couplers. I was told to glue/epoxy it onto the thin metal bracket that sticks out but that doesn't seem so secure. Where can I get those split-shaft retaining pins? Or, is it better to purchase actual pins and set/rivet them in place?

Thanks.

Similar couplers on EBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Repro-American-Flyer-Universal-Knuckle-Couplers-Pins-/110694565111