Anyone have a solution for “coupler sag?” I’m using Bachmann couplers in old MDC kit cars and it appears as though the coupler shank isn’t thick enough to keep the coupler sticking straight out. It doesn’t bend, but it is thin enough that the back end goes up into the coupler box and the front end rides down onto the cover plate. This happens enough that the coupler itself appears to be about half a face below where it should be.
My guess is that a washer of some kind in the coupler box would eliminate most of the sag and bring things back into proper alighment. But I don’t think the Kadee fiber washers would be small enough. I also thought about a very thin piece of strip stock across the top of the coupler cover plate would hold it up as well. But that would be pretty tedious.
Are you using the ones with the whiskers or the centering spring? I’m assuming that you are using the centering spring on the ones that require it. You could cut the flanges off another bronze centering spring, file it flat & use it as a shim inside the coupler box. You could also file some from the cast on coupler pocket to let the lid go down further. Probably the best solution would be to file or grind the pocket flush with the floor & use the Kadee coupler pocket & coupler. jerry
You can buy or make coupler box shims. These are the size of the inside of the coupler box. Install it above or below the coupler, whichever is needed to get the coupler closest to the right height. These give support to the shank as it goes out of the box as well as take up the slack at the pivot point, both actions helping to eliminate the sag. You may still have to use a Kadee washer to raise the car higher, or do some filing to lower it, once the shim has the coupler held level in the box.
First make sure your coupler box lids are firmly in place I never trust the mechanical connection so I put a tiny drop of CA on the edge of the lid securing it in place. If the coupler needs to be swapped out a little debonder on a micro brush will free the CA
Foremost do yourself a favor and as suggested trash the Bachmann ezmates for KD’s , Many people say there’s no difference but things like this clearly show there are.
for a quick fix, i just snip off a piece of real thin styrene strip and poke it into the draft gear box under the coupler shank then dab it with a bit no neolube which colors it black and lubricates it.