My dad requested I change the couplers on 3 of his Kato SD70Ace's from Kato's to Micro Trains 2004's. It was easy enough to remove the coupler clip and get the Kato part out. The MT 2004 slide in to the housing very neat and I put the clip back on. It all went together very smoothly. We noticed the new couplers sat a tiny bit high but looked acceptable. He attached a 35 car train and immediately the rear loco coupler attaching to the first freight car pulled up and barely connected with the freight car. (All the cars are micro trains). If the train is slowed too quickly the couplers will disconnect. So what do I need to correct with the installation of the loco couplers. They seemed to be a perfect fit in the loco body.
1015 in a 2004 box or, if you like extra work, 2003s. I don’t mind the assembly process on 2003s which involves a soldering iron to weld the box cover on, drilling out the central hole in the box cover, and sanding the top smooth.
I hope Micro trains can update their listing for coupler conversions. I nearly bought a few 10 packs of 2004's thinking they might be needed one day. I have a good supply of 1015's so I can start work on re-modification. I'll try a standard 1015 first, If not correct I'll try the 1015 in a 2004 box trick. So what does the 2004 in a 1015 box make ????
Spare parts? Although I need to rummage through my collection of MTL parts when I get home and see if I can use them on 3d printed cars in lieu of the planned 2004s…
Once upon a time, MT couplers had an issue with their "draft angle", which caused couplers to want to slip up or down like you described, especially when under load and when coupled to another MT coupler with the same issue. To remedy this, MT came out with "reverse draft angle" couplers. I think they since made RDA couplers the standard but older ones are still possibly around. There is a rather delicate and tedious procedure to cut a RDA into older MT couplers. '
2000 series MT couplers have an offset knuckle.........the shank actually connects to the bottom of the knuckle rather than being centered.....hence the coupler being high. 1000 series couplers have a centered knuckle. 2000 series also have a slightly shorter coupler box.......which is why samusi01 suggested a 1015 coupler in a 2004 box. I've never had to do that though........The Katos I have have been very random for which coupler they require.....I have one that has a 1015 on one end and a 2004 on the other to get the correct heights. But to correct your problem a 1015 should fix the issue.
It's been at least a decade since I have assembled MT couplers, but didn't there used to be a shim you could add atop the coupler box to correct the coupling height? You should use the MT coupler height gauge, if you have it, to ensure everything is correct, too. https://www.micro-trains.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=106_188&product_id=565
Yes, there are shims, but on some locos there isn't room to install them.........it also depends on if the loco uses a clip, or a screw to install. And yes, it's always good to use the MT height gauge........that's how I ended up with 2 different couplers on one of my Kato SD70s.
Well I'm trying to make some 2004 - 1015 combination couplers and it looks like they will work quite well .......... buuuuuuuut ...... I can't get them to stay together. The 1015 cases click together quite well and don't need glue or anything. The 2004 case that I'm putting the 1015 coupler pieces into will not stay together. The MT instructions say weld the pieces together with a soldering iron but I do not have a soldering iron small enough ..... definitely not! I pulled a factory assembled 2004 apart and there was a small trace of green glue holding the case together ..... they are not welded together ! I tried Tamiya glue and it did nothing .... apart from fall off the pieces as a small clear film. I tried silicon rubber (engine gasket) and it fell off ......... So what glue will join Micro Trains coupler boxes ? I am shopping from a hobby store here ......... https://www.bnamodelworld.com/hobby-tools-supplies-cement-glue The reason I put that stores link is shipping glue from the USA to Australia is quite difficult to impossible.
You can use a pin, held in a needle-nose pliers and heated over an oven flame to weld the pieces together. I used to do that in the long distant past. The only kind of glue that will stick to the engineering-type plastic of which MT couplers are made, is Walthers Goo or similar. Doug
I use MTL 2004s in my Kato SD70ACEs. The front coupler does look a tad bit high when mated to the MTL Coupler Height Gauge, but the rear coupler looks like the right level. Still, I've been using 2004s on these locos for over a decade already and have never had any performance problems. It would be nice if MTL made an underslung coupler that was somewhere midway between the 1015's and 2004's knuckle heights though...When you need the knuckle to sit higher, but not THAT high.
Exaaaaaaaaaaaaaactly ! LOL Some day there will be a new MT coupler just for Kato SD70Ace's ....... the 1509.5 ,,, half and half. We're chasing a really correct coupler height cause dad and I tend to run longer trains ........ 40 x 50' cars is moderate to short. To add to the confusion I decided to convert 4 Kato SD45's (2 were Kato couplers and 2 were Rapido's) and the Rapido equipped ones needed 1015's and the Kato coupler equipped needed 2004's.
Your heated pin idea sounds a lot more accurate than the MT specified method. I may need to use that technique if my last "glue" hope doesn't work. I'm going to try using Microscale's Micro Kristal Klear. I put some on the pieces of a broken MT wheel set and it appears to be holding !
Well I've actually had some success. I tried using the Micro Kristal Klear. It has a good consistency for spreading along the top of the coupler box edges. A nice even line of this stuff can be put along the edge. I gave the first try 1 hour to dry but it did come apart as I was trying to put the coupler in the chassis. I then got the coupler box and lightly sanded the top of the coupler box edges so that it had a matt finish. I washed the top cover of the coupler box because it's impossible so sand the area where it will join and have "glue" on it. I assembled another one and gave it 12 hours and it held secure (secure enough for assembly ) and I was able to complete the front coupler. The heated pin idea is still very valid and I'm sure others will prefer this method. The front SD70ACe coupler is the 2004 & 1015 hybrid. The rear coupler is the 2004. Under load the 2004 & 1015 hybrid align quite precisely, the standard 2004 rises up a little making it more out of height.
