I need some advice. In the recent collection I obtained, there were many AMS cars included, (Stock cars, Gondolas, and Box cars), that were largely left outside in a partially protected area. Nonetheless, all of the cars body mounted couplers and springs (that control the lateral movement of the couplers), are partly rusted and/or the coupler itself is nearly inoperable. I have used some LGB oil from a needle dispenser, on a couple of them and managed to get them to loosen and work better, but I am wondering if there is a better alternative any of you have found success with. I would like to avoid replacing them if possible. Any thoughts if synthetic oil would work better, or something else? Thanks.
If you can take them apart, soak them in some ATF. It penetrates really well. I just did it to some Bachmann couplers that were stuck since I leave all my freight cars out in the freight yard in the open 24/7/365!
Thanks Joe. I have some on hand and will try that to see if it helps.
Rich,
I would be carful with ATF. these couplers are styrene based plastic and may absorb the ATF. there is a steel pivot pin and spring, as well as the lock block, and a small brass pin in the bottom that stops the coupler knuckle from opening to far. if they are truly rusted shut, you only recourse may be to completely disassemble them. start by pressing out the knuckle pivot pin, ,making sure you contain the knuckle spring. using a small flat tipped screw driver gently get behind the brass pin and push towards the bottom of the coupler. at this point all should come apart. putting it back together is a little more fun, and I only recently devised a way to do it with the knuckle spring in place. basically this involves making a short pin that will hold the spring in place with the knuckle while it is bent into position, then position the knuckle in the body and reinstall the pivot pin pushing the floater out. of course the lift lock square potion must be inserted first. finally push the coupler closed and reseat the brass pin, being carful not to push in to far which will lock the knuckle. if this happens use the same screw driver to push back out a little. if the springs are badly rusted use PBlaster and soak them in it for a couple of days. sometimes the pivot of the coupler in the body and its mating lug lock up due to plastic shrinkage. best solution here is to ream out the hole with the next size # drill that will fit. this is especially present on the early tank cars which used Zamac cover plates, and the Chinese Zamac expanded.
Hope this helps. if you look back a ways at some of my earlier posts I describe how to tune these up so you can switch with only having to open one knuckle. I will admit that I still do not have my whole fleet done.
One other tip. if you take apart as described, take time to rub the lift lock in some powdered Teflon. by working this into the grain it will keep them operating smoothly for a long time.
AL P.
Argh! Wow Don, sounds like major surgery! I was trying to avoid replacing the couplers, but maybe moving to
Kadees may be easier. I’ll try my luck with one and see how it goes. I haven’t used any ATF yet, but did switch to synthetic oil on one and noted it freed up nicely. Probably because synthetic oil is more slippery. Thanks for the advice.
Rich,
Try synthetic ZERO weight motor oil…just the cheap stuff…I use it on my 1-1/2 couplers. It gets into all the cracks and crevices and you don’t need much. I’m not sure if this stuff will degrade the plastic. My couplers are cast steel.
Thanks Gary. I don’t think it will harm plastics. I’ve read that somewhere else. I’ve not worked on any more couplers since Monday. Busy with applying surface on my new elevated layout. But I do have some 0 weight synthetic oil on hand. It’s used in my ForeRunner. I’ll provide feedback after I try it.
Yea, I got some 5/20 weight Mobil one, since its used in my Jeep. It really makes the printers I work on at my job run nice and quiet. I was impressed. If it can tame those plastic and aluminum parts, it should work wonders on model train plastic and metal parts.
Rich, Al offered the “surgery advice” not Don. I’ve had good look with the synthetics and all the surfaces I’ve tried it on.
Here is a link discussing the use of ATF for model trains…
Sorry about that Al. Good suggestion. I did take one coupler apart. More complicated than I thought. Managed to get it back together again, but slow. The “0” grade synthetic oil is working well to free things up. A bit simpler too. But at least if I have to disassemble another, I know how now. Thanks for the tip. Ric, thanks for the heads up.