Is it just me, a bit of bad luck, or something actually not quite right... Lately I have encountered several M/T coupler failures. Both in 1015 and 1025 styles. Old catalog numbers stuck in mind. Cannot recall the new unless I dig out another package. #001 02 something... Anyhow, brand new out of the package, factory assembled couplers. Shortly after installing and testing, they will suddenly stop automatically centering. After several instances, I did some careful looking and discovered the spring had moved to a vertical position, from it's original laying down. What the heck??? Has this happened to anyone else?
I have a recently purchases 10-pack of 1015 couplers that I started putting on locos I recently bought. So far, I've used 4 pairs. I didn't notice any problems with them straight out of the pack. I haven't run the locos except to test them, so I don't know if the couplers will keep centering.
I always bought the kits--so I cannot comment on having experience with assembled ones. And I haven't bought them for at least 15 years...
Usually non centering is caused by the mounting screw to tight on all MTs. Back off the mounting screw about a half turn you usually see the coupler snap into center.
Except Boxcab said the spring had shifted to a vertical position although I admit I don't see how that could easily happen in an assembled coupler. Doug
I did check for this. But the two pieces of the knuckle assemblies were very freely moving. Then I carefully magnified and managed to get barely enough of a peek inside, and spotted the spring issue.
The knuckle was very freely moving. So there was no overtightening. It was just flopping loosely, as if no spring at all. That is why I looked to see and found the spring standing up.
I used to do the kits, almost exclusively. But age, injury and a couple of neurological issues have brought that to an almost complete stop.
Which reminds me..... I just found my small storage box full of MT couplers...that need assembly... It snowed today and will get better...temp wise...by Monday. I am gonna get out my home made assembly jig and see if I can still make those couplers. If not...they will all go on TB Swap Meet..unassembled !!!!
Aren't there a couple of 'nubs', one on the back of the coupler pocket and one on the back of the coupler, to keep the spring in position once assembled? Perhaps those assembled couplers were missing the nubs when moulded??
No "nubs" in the 1025 (1023 unassembled), or 1015. The springs merely sits within the cavity created by the two shank pieces, and should be held in place by the upper and lower pocket halves.
When I toured the MT factory........there were 2 ladies sitting at desks putting couplers together, and that's all I saw as far as assembly stations. Maybe you just had the luck of getting a package assembled when they were training a new person. I've never had any problems with MT couplers, although I know what you are talking about.......I've had a few springs do that during assembly.
Yup. When I was assembling all of mine, that happened a few times, too. This has happened with a couple of different catalog numbers, several times this past month. So I must be getting very unlucky! The price of these today, ouch.
I'll check into it. When you do tens of thousands of couplers every month, some are going to slip by...Let me know if you need replacements. Joe
ive started converting to ezmate mark II im disliking any mt couplers , some work and some dont. but i dont care about prototypical i just want the dang things to work and work consistently and so far those mark II's work great at least fir me.....
