Loco coupler off center

Is there a two sided spring that is offline? A photo may be helpful.

I don’t have an answer to your question but it might help if you would specify if your couplers are off centered vertically or horizontally .personally I have seen both. When my couplers are not centered horizontally I just use my fingers seems to work of course your trains would have to be reachable

It is offline horizontally. Cannot see spring.

I don't know the first thing about how to change or access a coupler though. I don't know if you do it from the bottom or from the top or have to take Motors out to get at it, I'm sure the info is online here but I haven't looked into that yet.

To clarify what it does. It quite often rides with the coupler pushed a little bit to the left if looking at it from the top. Essentially cocked a little bit towards the non-moving side of the coupler. If it  does happen to be sitting straight and I hit the open Button it will buzz and push itself a little off center to the left. Again enough to  miss the Rolling Stock I'm trying to couple it up to. The Springs to return it to Center do seem to work but just not quite enough to keep it from being cocked a little bit to the left most if the time.

That's not an uncommon issue, especially with the T-bar attached couplers.  There's just too much friction to allow them to properly center on their own.  I've had some luck (nowhere near 100%), lubing the T-bar and coupler with light oil to reduce the rotating friction.

I have taken some things apart and found out what my problem is. It's almost impossible to make out with any picture so I made a crappy rudimentary drawing haha. The little black colored in spot is part of the coupler body, I will call it a nub, and there is a tiny bit of space in between it and the spring which allows the coupler to Cock over to one side a little bit before the nub makes contact with the spring and there is nothing to push it back straight as tension is not created against spring yet. I'm really not sure how to fix this. I'm not sure if I can stick a PS1 coupler into a Lion Chief like this. Having to dig into engines to modify things is not something I've ever had to do with my MTH so this is new to me.

Either the spring is in wrong or you need a new spring.  Those springs are tricky to get in properly and get the whole coupler together again.

Engine is going back. Looks to be a machine tolerance fault with the nubs. Spring is in right, theres just too much play before nub contacts spring. Since its this way on both couplers I dont trust a new engine wouldn't have same issues. Will just wait til I find a legacy diesel  I like.

A cheap, quick, and temporary fix I have used on occasion is to install two pieces of thin black elastic thread or cord to center it.  I tie two pieces near the coupling jaws and then tie the other end to the engine or car on the outer sides of the frame or glue it there with drop of E6000 glue.  The cord is found in sewing depts. of Walmart, Hobby Lobby or sewing stores or internet.  I know most folks would not like this fix!

Charlie

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

That's not an uncommon issue, especially with the T-bar attached couplers.  There's just too much friction to allow them to properly center on their own.  I've had some luck (nowhere near 100%), lubing the T-bar and coupler with light oil to reduce the rotating friction.

I would take this advice first; lube can just make things settle in/down better, especially with use. Not a fix, but perhaps a help.