I have a boxcar I got in the mystery box that the coupler will not lock shut.
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
My option would be glue. How often do you actually need to uncouple a box car?
Rick
Glue will not hold. If you have a dremel drill press you can take the truck off the car body. Place it in the drill press vice with a wood strip against the end of the knuckle of the coupler. Make sure the knuckle is closed. Next take a very small drill and drill down thru the coupler body and the closing portion of the knuckle. Place a cotter key in it. The coupler will not open again.
bruce
I would call Menard's and tell them your problem. They will send you either a new replacement truck or a new car.
This came in a mystery box so it is sold as is. I did contact them thou but have not heard back and probably won't until Monday asking them if they sell just the truck.
I super glue almost every coupler shut. Works great they don't come open after that. I tie shut the ones you can tie but most now you can not so I always have my Super glue ready.
Maybe im misinderstanding. But are you guys saying you dont couple/uncouple and switch out cars?
I'm only looking for one car to fix one end. I rather have operating couplers but this is not going to be the case here so I can live with it.
Train Nut I'm with you, I think super glueing every coupler shut is not for me.
a small rubber band will work wonders
Menards coupler problem:
The problem was in the mechanism that latches the coupler closed. I slightly bent the tang that triggers the magnetic uncoupling so it had more free play and the problem was solved.
Last year I bought a bunch of Menards cars and a few suffered this coupler problem. Menards also suggest SuperGlue. I thought that excessive so I took them apart to see what the problem was.
The problem was in the mechanism that latches the coupler closed. I slightly bent the tang that triggers the magnetic uncoupling so it had more free play and the problem was solved.
The couplers use a spring loaded knuckle nose held in place buy a latch triggered by a sheet metal plate that extends under the truck for electromagnetic uncoupling. It is much like the trigger in a gun where the sear holds the trigger cocked. The plate only needed a slight bend to move the plate a bit more away to force that plate to have to move farther to release the knuckle. It was a simple fix once I determined how it was suppose to work. Of the ten Menards cars, only three had the problem. After fixing those three all have been fine and the couplers hold in even the longest trains.
I have detailed pictures to add to this but posting them here is a problem for me. If you want them email me at ldbennett1@verizon.net . Once fixed they work as intended. Any of the other solutions mentioned above are poor fixes when all that is necessary is a simple adjustment.
LDBennett
OPPS!!!!
ldbenentt1@verizon.net
That is ".net" not ".com" Sorry about that.
I use a small tie wrap with one of my Menard's freight cars that won't keep the coupler shut. After I install the tie wrap I cut off the excess amount so the car can still run on the track. First used this with an MTH tank car that the coupler would not stay closed. For me it is cheaper then sending the car back to company that made it.
Lee Fritz
I've used 5 minute epoxy to keep a broken coupler shut.....it works for me!!!!
I relooked at the car, but did get a response from Menards and as stated above they suggested to use a little super glue. This is definitely something that a rubber band or tie down will not work on. My choice here are going to be 1 take it apart and see if I can fix it ( but I doubt it as the spring that holds the release seems to be missing also and I'm not that into taking it apart then not being able to get it back) so it appears this is going to be a Super Glue moment and hope it works or it can be a display piece.
Thanks for all the suggestions
If you convert all your cars to kaydees wich is what I plan to do some day. Just remove the nuckle that is rivited on. It is easaly removed. Then place the kaydee box and coupler there. One screw will hold it. Do a kaydee car conversion search on here. Some one I forget who posted how to have truck mounted kaydee couplers for us guys with small layouts and tighter curves. I am going to switch all my rolling stock over as the kaydees make switcing cars more fun and realistic. Plus you dont need exspencive uncouping tracks every time a car need uncoupled. I too have had issues with the menards couplers. I just remove the truck replace with mth or lionel. Wich ever one works and save the menards for the day I start converting.
Roger your trying to put me into the poor house with converting everything to Kadee lol.
That's just something I not into.
rtraincollector posted:Roger your trying to put me into the poor house with converting everything to Kadee lol.
That's just something I not into.
Many years ago when I was in HO still, I decided to convert the entire fleet to Kadee couplers.......NOT CHEAP and that was when you got a pack of 4 for around $3!!! Just buying the hundreds and hundreds of Kadee O scale couplers would cost a fortune......but I can not imagine the WORK required to do all my freight cars....not counting passenger and I don't want to think Locos!!!!
Correct I wish they all had dummy couplers. I run on the Modular club layout. Circles no uncoupling Long trains 30-40-60+ cars. I do not want then coming apart. So Super glue works GREAT. I use wire ties on the ones you can tie. I have also glued many engine couplers shut.
AMCDave that was what I was thinking with over 150 cars (probably over 200 if I count the ones packed away lol), and over 30 engine Also, no way do I want to convert my Post war or pre war ones.
I would be in the poor house quick.
Just fix the Menards couplers. It is a simple bending of a metal plate. email me for the pictures.
LDBennett
LDBennett posted:Just fix the Menards couplers. It is a simple bending of a metal plate. email me for the pictures.
LDBennett
I've tried twice and both times I get " mail demon"
Note that the email address is ".net" not ".com" as I first wrote. I could not find an edit button or I would have fixed it in the original post...Sorry.
LDBennett posted:Note that the email address is ".net" not ".com" as I first wrote. I could not find an edit button or I would have fixed it in the original post...Sorry.
Use the "take action" link in lower right hand corner for a drop down box with "edit" option. Do that in your original post
Go to a flea market dollar up store or maybe your local hardware and buy a box of assorted O rings. The small ones work great. Just carefully slip it over the coupler down to the shaft and your all set. A pair of small spreaders work to stretch it over the coupler. Also the electromagnetic uncoupler will still open the coupler. I believe Harbor Freight also has them.
Gene H posted:Go to a flea market dollar up store or maybe your local hardware and buy a box of assorted O rings. The small ones work great. Just carefully slip it over the coupler down to the shaft and your all set. A pair of small spreaders work to stretch it over the coupler. Also the electromagnetic uncoupler will still open the coupler. I believe Harbor Freight also has them.
Once again that will not work on this truck. it is not like your Lionel couplers. There is no bar/tab for it to hold the coupler shut on the outside, it's all on the inside.
LDBennett posted:Menards coupler problem:
The problem was in the mechanism that latches the coupler closed. I slightly bent the tang that triggers the magnetic uncoupling so it had more free play and the problem was solved.
Last year I bought a bunch of Menards cars and a few suffered this coupler problem. Menards also suggest SuperGlue. I thought that excessive so I took them apart to see what the problem was.
The problem was in the mechanism that latches the coupler closed. I slightly bent the tang that triggers the magnetic uncoupling so it had more free play and the problem was solved.
The couplers use a spring loaded knuckle nose held in place buy a latch triggered by a sheet metal plate that extends under the truck for electromagnetic uncoupling. It is much like the trigger in a gun where the sear holds the trigger cocked. The plate only needed a slight bend to move the plate a bit more away to force that plate to have to move farther to release the knuckle. It was a simple fix once I determined how it was suppose to work. Of the ten Menards cars, only three had the problem. After fixing those three all have been fine and the couplers hold in even the longest trains.
I have detailed pictures to add to this but posting them here is a problem for me. If you want them email me at ldbennett1@verizon.net . Once fixed they work as intended. Any of the other solutions mentioned above are poor fixes when all that is necessary is a simple adjustment.
LDBennett
Email sent if you don't get it mine is in my profile
we make a high rail dummy coupler out of jeweler's pewter(no zinc rot) that should fix the problem that you and many others have ... check this out
http://www.scalecitydesigns.co...-Walthers_p_267.htmlhttp://www.scalecitydesigns.co...-Walthers_p_267.html
we also make a dummy scale sized coupler http://www.scalecitydesigns.co...eight-Car_p_255.html
I have the same problem with the one of the WW II Commemorative Military Boxcar Boxcars. A little disappointing, but I'll try the super glue. The cars are attractive though!
Here's the fix for the tab in the Menard's cars from my review of the Reading boxcars.
https://ogrforum.com/t...27#43383978916103927
This is the full review with a couple of other fixes:
Review: Menards Reading Boxcars
Coupler Binders - Works great and guaranteed to keep them closed.
Attachments
Images (1)
I cut narrow strips of black electrical tape and tightly wrap it around. Cures all my weak couplers on whatever manufacturer. Tape is then of course removable.
Dental (braces) rubber bands. The clear ones you can't see them. Like tape, removable!
As noted above, I took the simple route, and used the super glue which worked like a charm. I was going to try Wild Mary's suggestion to use "Coupler Binders" (three posts above), but my exhaustive search of the Menard's website failed to turn up the necessary parts.
Hopefully, one day, I'll get more ambitious and use GUNRUNNERJOHN's excellent fix. Unfortunately, the Menard's couplers do not appear to be repairable with tape or rubber bands -- much better than my old standby for other couplers -- black, trimmed twist-ties!
Dennis GS-4 N & W No. 611 posted:As noted above, I took the simple route, and used the super glue which worked like a charm. I was going to try Wild Mary's suggestion to use "Coupler Binders" (three posts above), but my exhaustive search of the Menard's website failed to turn up the necessary parts.
Hopefully, one day, I'll get more ambitious and use GUNRUNNERJOHN's excellent fix. Unfortunately, the Menard's couplers do not appear to be repairable with tape or rubber bands -- much better than my old standby for other couplers -- black, trimmed twist-ties!
I have try saying this at least three times but someone keeps coming back suggesting it. So my only guess they don't have any Menards cars so they don't know what they are talking about. At least you like I know it won't work with rubber bands/twist ties/ or other items similar.
hokie71 posted:Dental (braces) rubber bands. The clear ones you can't see them. Like tape, removable!
Will not work with Menards couplers.
VistaDomeScott posted:I cut narrow strips of black electrical tape and tightly wrap it around. Cures all my weak couplers on whatever manufacturer. Tape is then of course removable.
Will not work with Menards couplers. No tab to hold shut
