Couplers pop open on MTH boxcars.

[pbjwilson]

Bought some old stock MTH boxcars and both of them have couplers that pop open when I'm running them. Is there a simple solution for this? The springs on the coupler stud on some of my other MTH cars seem to be of a heavier gauge. Will replacing these springs fix the problem? Thanks for your help.

[laz 57]

PAUL,
I have the same problem with a long train running lots of cars. Sometimes the couplers open up so I will put them to the rear of the consist. If that doesn't work I will take some 18 gauge wire and needle nose pliers and wire it closed.
Hope this helps?
laz57

[brianel027]

Guys, these cars have metal armatures unlike the plastic ones used commonly during the MPC era of Lionel into the LLC era. If you take a needle nose pair of pliers with a small screw driver for leverage, you should be able to give the armature a slight bend upwards to put more pressure between the knuckle and the pin at the end of the armature.

If you want to go to a little more effort, you can unscrew the armature from the coupler assembly and make the slight bend with the armature unattached. Either way, I have done this and it has solved this problem. No need for other replacement parts.

I suppose another possibility is that the spring that sits in the screw mounting of the armature could be a little worn. Remove the spring and pull on it from both ends to give it more tension, and then reassemble.

The exception to these fixes are the earlier verision of the K-Line trucks that first came with the all metal assembly. The end pin on the armature was too thick to engage the knuckle properly. This can be dealt with too, but it's another fix entirely.

And just for the info, even problematic all plastic construction coupler trucks can be fixed too.... unsually pretty simply.

[pbjwilson]

Brianel - That did the trick! Couplers are now operational. Thanks for the tip.

Laz - Thats exactly what I've done in the past. Try brianels little trick. Doesnt take much of a bend and the couplers stay closed.

[spankybird]

Around 1997 or so, MTH had some bad springs. They did a recall on them and sent out replacement springs. IF you contact them, they should provide new ones.

[laz 57]

It worked for me thanks.
laz57

[brianel027]

Thanks guys. Some might think that I am blowing hot air out my steam valve with some of my pointers and suggestions, but I am a poor man in an increasingly high-end rich man's hobby. My limited background in engineering and my natural inquisitive nature drive me to look for simple answers and fixes to problems like this one.

I can also say that my ideas for remounting of plastic trucks or the postwar staple construction really does eliminate derailments.

Here's another fix for the type of K-Line die cast truck where the plastic coupler armature was still being used. The wheels are next to impossible to pop off the truck without damaging the truck itself, making replacement of that armature very difficult. If the coupler pops open under load, get a bag of black rubber bands made for girl's hair... you find them in the hair products section at the store. These are very small rubber bands and work well in this application. If you wrap the rubber band around the coupler arm right behind the point in the plastic where the thumbtack part protudes downward, it will keep the coupler closed and still allow manual opening of the coupler. Though the pressure from the rubber band will not allow uncoupling from the UC track.

[pbjwilson]

Thats another good one! I've been using black electrical tape cut down to about a 1/4" strip. I wrap that around the coupler shank. The other way was like Laz suggested with swisting a small length of wire around the coupler shank.

[waltrapp]

I had to return a recent MTH reefer/boxcar because I couldn't get one of the couplers to stay closed. The car had the newer style coupler - without the button.

I couldn't figure out a fix for these new ones. Older ones, I've tied them closed with sewing thread and I was OK with that since I don't have an operating layout. The guy at the hobby store wasn't sure what to do either - and he repairs things.

Anyone have a comment about the new style?

- walt

[ozoneone]

The ones without the "button" are new-style?  I couldn't figure out why my new MTH tank car had different style couplers from the rest of my cars.  They seem to work OK, but I always forget how to open them.  Will they work with an uncoupler track? (I don't have one yet.)

[luther_stanton]

Guys, these cars have metal armatures unlike the plastic ones used commonly during the MPC era of Lionel into the LLC era. If you take a needle nose pair of pliers with a small screw driver for leverage, you should be able to give the armature a slight bend upwards to put more pressure between the knuckle and the pin at the end of the armature.

I had a new Milk Car (PWC "reissue") that had the same coupler problem.  I called Lionel and Brianel027's suggestion is exactly what the Lionle tech recommended.  A slight bend fixed my problem as well. 

[ChiefEagles]

Brian's rubber bands is what I always used.  I used the little guys from where your kids wear braces or retainers.  They are real small but tough.  Need to hit the dentist up for some more.  Can't seem to find them at the local druggist.