# Knuckle Couplers on a Mack?



## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Ok...I'd been hearing good things about these litttle 'Mack' locomotives for awhile now (thanx Vic). So when the opportunity came up, one of the concluding purchases of my recent EBAY spree was for one of these little gems (emphasis on the 'little').. It arrived today; I *really* like the way it runs..

...but it has 'Loop' couplers.

My rolling stock and other locomotives are all Bachmann or Lionel and they are all equipped with knuckle couplers. So...how do I go about putting knuckle couplers (preferably Bachmann or Lionel) on this little gem? I am tempted to put 'bars' across the bottom next to the motor mount and see if I couldn't use the same sort of coupler my Lionel 0-4-0 locos have, but I figured I'd check here first before embarking on that little project. 

I hope I don't have to convert everything else to 'hook and loop' type couplers....


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I don't have any advice on how to modify the Mack, but if you can't convert the couplers on the engine, you can always make a "transition" car with the loop coupler on one end and your regular knuckle couplers on the other end.

Ed


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Done this, I use Bachmann knuckles, it was easy. all you have to do is remove the loop, add a basswood block so that the knuckle tongue can be placed thru the loop opening, make a brass angle from a brass strip w/ a hole in each side, use one hole with the screw holding the coupler to the wood, the other for the spring tang on the coupler to keep it straight. I will try to find some picks, Later Vic


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

With some styrene pieces, a zona saw and some glue, you can put any coupler on anything!


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## Don Gage (Jan 4, 2008)

Another option, probably the most expensive, is to use the Kadee #779 coupler. It is designed to mount on a flat pilot or car end beam. It attaches with four through bolts or screws and can be adapted to fit almost anything. 
I think it is a heck of a good option. 
Just my 2 cents, 
Don


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Done this, I use Bachmann knuckles, it was easy. all you have to do is remove the loop, add a basswood block so that the knuckle tongue can be placed thru the loop opening, make a brass angle from a brass strip w/ a hole in each side, use one hole with the screw holding the coupler to the wood, the other for the spring tang on the coupler to keep it straight. I will try to find some picks, Later Vic 


Thanx Vic. I really look forward to the pics, if you can dig them up. I almost went and did something like that myself, but I decided to check here first rather than build myself into a bind.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

When I bought my Mack, the #779 couplers were still a gleam in Kadee's eye. I used Ozark Shay milti-height coupler pockets and rigged some wire to the back of Lionel LS knuckles to fit around the pin. Later I filed the back of a pair of Kadee 831s to fit the Ozark coupler pockets. I have enclosed a photo of the Mack with the Lionel knuckles.











The #779s do work quite well. Below is a photo of an LGB 2090 with #779 couplers.












My reply may be too late, but it does give some options for other folks.

Best wishes, 
David Meashey


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanx again. 

Been a bit busy what with work and visitors lately, so I have yet to sit down and properly tackle this project. I did discover, though, that the tongue of the Bachmann couplers is too big to fit through the opening left by the loop; not only that, the correct placement of the coupler would put the screw directly above the clip deal that holds the body in place. 

So, I went and looked at a Lionel coupler. The tongue on this one fits through the hole, but the screw would still have to go in about the same place. 

I am contemplating two possible solutions here: 

1) mount the coupler on the outside of the body (glue a block the body and screw it in place) OR 

2) make a sort of 'bridge' piece out of basswood and brass for the inside for the coupler to screw into. With this approach, I'd most likely go with the Lionel couplers, since I wouldn't have to mutilate either the coupler or the loco that way. Going that route means getting more lionel couplers, though. 

Maybe I'll get a spare hour or three to muck around with this in a few days...(right now, everytime I turn around...)


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