repiar replacement of old style couples

Hi John,

 

You can back the sheet metal portion with a suitable socket, or use a scrap piece of aluminum with a hole drilled into it, and hammer out the pin.  Installing a new one, or reusing the old one will require a small drift to peen over the pin's edge again to retain it in the sheet metal hole.  Or you can order a set of tools just for this purpose from one of our great parts suppliers.  I have had a set for years now, and they make the job much easier.  Check with Steve at SNS trains, or Doug at Port Lines Hobbies.  There are others, but these two come to mind right away.  Or to what's left of my mind after the hectic rush of the past couple of days.... 

 

Now, there's the New Years stuff and my grandson's first birthday coming up.  But it's all good!

 

Jerry In Wayne, MI

Thank you and Merry Christmas

Port Lines Hobbies also has a tool kit which has 3 components: one for removing the old pin, one for installing the new pin, and the solid base with holes for backing the link coupler.

Gilbert made a tool which consisted of a thick walled brass tube about 3 or 4 inches long. One was supposed to place the flat head end over the tube and whack the pin end with a ball peen hammer to drive it out. This typically ruined the old coupler as the tube drove into the plastic splitting it or badly marring it. I've also seen the smashed car or tender corners from missed hits.

What I used to do was to drill a hole slightly larger than the flat head in a piece of scrap oak, and drilled one for the weight, then whacked the pin end with the ball peen hammer. I always removed the chassis before doing so. This typically saved the original coupler, and many times the original pin.

With the availability of new link pins from dealers today and the availability of the crimping tool from Doug Peck at Port Lines, I just gently cut the old pin off with a Dremel and use a new one when its replaced.

The tool is worth every bit of the $9.95 Doug charges.

Gandy