has anyone installed MTL-1015 couplers on a Life-Like SW9/1200. I have the couplers but don't have a clue on how to install them. Help much appreciated
Real simple: Just pull the black thingy that holds the old coupler straight out, toss the brass spring strip part, push the MT coupler assembly through the front of the pilot, place a flat MT coupler spacer on the coupler assembly, then push the black thingy back in its place. The black thingy has a pin in the middle that fits in the screw hole of the MT coupler assy and keeps it in perfect alignment.
thanks a lot. I'll try tommorow as I'm a bit too drunken to handle anything smaller than a glass now...hehe.
ok I just did it. Very simple, just dont forget to remove the little brass thing. Thanks a lot, prey59, for the tîp!
For some engines I used the screw supplied by MTL instead of the pin. You have to tap the hole and then put in the screw. But this seems merely a matter of taste... Merry Christmas to all of you, Christoph
Believe it or not, I just discovered that little clip. I have used the screw on every loco I could and have always threw the little black coupler clip away. I did not know they could be used to hold a MT coupler in the pocket until 2 weeks ago. I just stumbled onto it, and I have several that I have glued with ACC when there was that thingy available, It's been available since the modern locos started shipping with a molded on pilot face. Well, I know now!
Don't forget that there is a small thin plate with each coupler called a Universial mounting shim and this should be mounted on the bottom of the coupler box or the coupler will ride just low enough to cause uncoupling problems as your loco is running down the track. Happy modeling and Cheers! Terry
I did put the shim under the coupler assembly. The only tricky part is properly aligning the coupler before inserting the "black thingy" to hold it. It works A-OK now but what I hate with body mounted couplers is that you can't really attach to a car in a curve. Now I have a deLuxe innovation Woodchip Gondola that I'd like to convert to body mounted MTs. The car does have a molded space for the coupler but no hole. Is it possible to just glue it down, since I don't really feel at ease with a drill.
