# Accucraft Couplers



## Bret W Tesson (Jan 6, 2008)

I have a number of different AMS cars including a set of the Jackson Sharp coaches. I've noticed that the couplers on the J&S coaches are not operating like those on the otherAMS equipment. By this I mean that the couplers can be opened, but just pushing two cars together doesn't work. The couplers are stuck in an open position and pushing the cars together has no affect. I have to "jiggle" the release pin and then I can get the coupler to a closed position. Bottom line is that I have to hook one coupler over the other versus just bumping two cars together with the coupler open. The other AMS cars/couplers don't seem to have this issue. Has anyone else seen this?


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Two suggestions: put a drop of light oil in the mechanism ( then open and close the couplers several times to work the oil in), make sure the cars are on straight track when you try to couple. I have noticed that trying to couple two Accucraft cars on a curve rarely works. Also check the length of the chain. I've had trouble with the chain being too short and not letting the pin fall all the way down.

Chuck


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## Snoq Pass (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a couple of Accucraft couplers and found that a few of them would open too far and the pin would drop "locking" the coupler open. Is this what you are talking about?


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## Bret W Tesson (Jan 6, 2008)

Yes. That sounds like exactly what is happening, but only on these J&S coaches which are my newest AMS stock. I'd say that of the 8 couplers on the 4 coaches, at least 4 are "defective" in this manner. Were you able to determne a fix for this problem? 

thanks


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Look on the underside of the coupler, right near the pivot pin on the knuckle. There's a small brass pin that extends up that retains the knuckle. You should see a small dimple in the bottom around 3/32" from the pivot pin. Take a very small screwdriver or awl and tap the pin up further into the coupler body. I've been playing with their new 1:32 couplers for the past few days, and they seem to have the same issues. Tapping that little pin upwards seems to solve the problems. 

There is another solution, but it involves disassembling the coupler and a bit of filing on the backside of the knuckle and lift pin. It also involves getting that #$%&*! spring back in place. 

Later, 

K


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## msimpson (Jan 5, 2009)

For a while, Accucraft was putting center buffer chopper couplers on their UK rolling stock, but not on the appropriate engines (e.g., Edrig). And the couplers on the engine use a different set of holes than the chopper couplers, so it is not a simple replacement. Now, too late for me, they put the choppers on engines as well. Sigh. 

Regards, Mike


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