Thanks for the feedback, and sorry it took so long to get back. I was only planning on re-using the MT couplers. Any other brands (Atlas, Athearn, etc,) would get the body mount MT's.
I will keep in mind about the coupler box width to make sure the cars can negotiate my curves. I hadn't thought of that aspect. The current layout has a 15" minimum radius. The one I am designing will have at least that, maybe more. But if the coupler gets in the way, I will switch to the thinner body mount MT's and scrap the idea of re-using the truck-mounted ones.
Thanks for the assistance.
Scott
My car fleet on my Maclau River RR in Nscale is mostly MTL car whith a fleet around 500 cars mostly 40' cars.
MTL coupler are the only one used couplers on the system they are far better than any clones.
You can easily understand of not changing all these couplers whith 1025, 1027 body mount couplers because of the cost.
So except in a few case like hopper or flat cars I reuse the truck coupler box as most as possible.
No cars run on my system if they aren't body mounts.
I first diassemble the car for weathering and some paint touching; the truck come apart, I take off the plastic wheels which I discard and replace them whith 33' metal wheel from Nwsl or Atlas and now some Fox valley one, they keep the track cleaner.
The coupler box is cut from the truck, I use a jeweler saw to do it and I have made a small handling tool to easily do it. I cut also the remaining arm of the coupler box near the bolster hole. I put this side of the truck inside the car when it's reassembled.
MTL car are produced whith the right height of the frame for the coupler, I never use shim on the MTL cars.
MTL make a small mark on the frame for drilling but this mark don't correspond whith the coupler truck we want to reuse.
The frame is drilled whit a Proxxon small drill press and taped for a MTL screw, I have also made a small tool to mark and center the hole so the draft gear box is flush whith the car body and only the coupler protuberate.
Coupler and truck are washed in Isopropylic alcool and airbrushed, the coupler box is weathered like the coupler when dry, the wheels are also painted in the same way. The coupler receive a small puff of Greasem from MTL.
When dry the car is fully reassembled.
Hopper are mounted whith 1025 or 1027 MTL coupler it's an easier conversion and more cosmetic.
Other brand of car are also modified and some are equiped whith truck coupler I have on hand from hopper or flat cars; I reuse most of the truck. Some of these brand need a shimed coupler box for the correct height.
BUT if you use these couplers you need to use broad curve because the coupler box is large and limit the swing of the truck when body mounted, anyway broad curves give better running results, mine are a minimal 17"
It took an around 15 minutes by car to cut, drill and tap the frame for the reuse of truck coupler.
These coupler work fine as any other MTL coupler.
Fox Valley, like MTL in recent release offer the cars whith readily body mounted MTL coupler, hope this become the rule.
Good luck,
Marc
Re using the truck mounted coupler boxes works well for the 89' flats,auto nracks and 86' appliance boxcars where the coupler actually mounts ahead of the truck.For regular style cars use the 1023 (1025 if you can handle assembling them).
The reason for the 1023/25s is they have a narrow box and are intended for body mounting to allow full truck swing.One other thing about body mounting on long cars.Keep your curve radius as wide as possible .
Veyr easy to seperate the coupler box from the truck.. Remove the wheels from the coupler end of the truck. Use a knife blade to scribe a line between the truck and the coupler. Bend until they break apart at the scribed line.
Trucks are reuseable. Usually better to mount them with former coupler end to center of the car.
However, I do not recommend tryng to reuse couplers as you you propose.
Problem 1: Mounting the coupler at proper height. Can be overcome with shims and/or modifying the bolsters to lower car ride height (many N scale cars ride too high) or sometimes changing to another brand of trucks Lowering them improves appearance.
Problem 2: Aligning couplers properly along the centerline of the car. Can be overcome with careful work. Jigs would help.
Problem 3: Attaching the boxes in the correct longitudinal position.
Problem 4: Method of attaching boxes. MTL boxes have a hole through which a small screw cann be placed. Some brands of "compatables" don't. Trying to glue them on will sometimes get glue into the works, gumming them up. Depending on type of plastic may not be possible to get strong glue joint.
Problem 5: Using screw to attach MTL boxes. Need some way to keep box from swiveling of allignment. Glue will work, but see problem 4.
Problem 6: Most difficult to overcome. The boxes are not designed for body mount. They are too wide and severely restrict truck swing. The cars may not operate well even on what we call broad curves.
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It is much better to use couplers with boxes designed for body mounting.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
I have a number of N scale freight cars that have MT truck-mounted couplers that I want to convert to body mounts. In keeping with my prototype's practice (Cheap & Nothing Wasted), I would like to separate the draft gear box from the truck and body mount that coupler while still re-using the trucks. What would be the best way to accomplish this? Razor saw? Sprue cutters? Something else?
Thanks,