Replacing Lionel coupler spring

[lionelsoni]

I just did one of these over the weekend and thought someone might find my customary technique to be useful:

The only how-to information that I have ever seen involves prying the knuckle pin out with a pair of diagonal cutters. Don't do it. If you can even get a purchase on the pin, you will probably make a mess of both it and the coupler body.

I put the coupler upside down on top of the jaws of a vise which have been opened just enough to clear the head of the pin. Then I drive the pin out with an ice pick. The tip of the ice pick goes into the depression at the bottom of the pin and follows the pin into the coupler as the pin is forced out, keeping everything together. Its easier if you have the coupler or even the truck separate from the car, but not worth it if that involves any extra work at all.

I remove the ice pick, the knuckle, and the pin. There is no reason to save the broken spring. If the bottom of the pin is spread too much to go back into the coupler, I work it back into shape with the smooth back part of my pliers' jaws. However, a little resistance is better than a completely loose fit, since it helps to keep things together when reassembling.

I put the pin back into the top part of the coupler, part way across the gap, and set the coil of the new spring onto it. The long leg goes into the coupler pocket. The bent leg sticks across the opening. I do all this with the coupler upside down, so that gravity keeps the spring in place. Then I pu***he pin the rest of the way across the gap.

I then take the knuckle and put its hinge edge against the pin, with the spring at the top, where there is a notch cast into the knuckle to clear it. The bent end of the spring goes behind the back part of the knuckle casting that will be buried inside the coupler. Then I withdraw the pin carefully, past the hinge edge of the knuckle but not past the spring coil. When the pin clears the knuckle, the hinge edge should slide into place. I then put the pin all the way in.

I use a center punch to spread the bottom of the pin, but not any more than necessary to keep it from falling out, to make the next replacement easier.

I should add that the ice pick that I use is the old, slender type. All the modern ones that I have seen are much too fat for this job.