What to do with couplers cut off of MT trucks?

[nickelplate759]

I've a bunch (50+) of old MT cars that came with the standard MT trucks with mounted couplers, and pizza cutter wheels - mostly the one-piece plastic wheels, but also a few of the older Kadee wheels with ribbed backs.  I'm upgrading the cars with body mounted couplers and new wheels.    In some cases I reuse the truck, after cutting off the couplers, in others I replace the truck because I want a different one.

So, now I have a bunch of old pizza cutters wheels and coupler boxes that were cut off of trucks.  Also, a bunch of intact trucks with couplers and pizza cutters.
What to do with the leftovers?  I hate to just throw them away.

The wheels and complete trucks I can offer to someone who wants them (when I' ready I'll probably post a note on this forum) but do the cut-off couplers have potential for re-use?  The boxes are really bulky.

[ChristianJDavis1]

I've a bunch (50+) of old MT cars that came with the standard MT trucks with mounted couplers, and pizza cutter wheels - mostly the one-piece plastic wheels, but also a few of the older Kadee wheels with ribbed backs.  I'm upgrading the cars with body mounted couplers and new wheels.    In some cases I reuse the truck, after cutting off the couplers, in others I replace the truck because I want a different one.

So, now I have a bunch of old pizza cutters wheels and coupler boxes that were cut off of trucks.  Also, a bunch of intact trucks with couplers and pizza cutters.
What to do with the leftovers?  I hate to just throw them away.

The wheels and complete trucks I can offer to someone who wants them (when I' ready I'll probably post a note on this forum) but do the cut-off couplers have potential for re-use?  The boxes are really bulky.

I guess for someone on a budget, they could be attached to the bottom of existing cars to convert them to body-mounts without being any more obtrusive than the truck-mounted couplers; a function over form type of modeling just to get body-mounted cars. I also wonder how much of the box could be removed while still leaving the coupler functional, or if the couplers themselves could be swapped to a smaller box. The cheapskate in me sees plenty of uses for them, in theory.

[Curtis Kyger]

I use the couplers in extended draft gear boxes purchased on Shapeways   These are body mounted to any cars marked as "cushioned"

[C855B]

Throw the pizza cutters away. The hobby has advanced past the old tech, and to pass them forward encourages clinging to obsolete concepts. We're better 'n that now. Problem I specifically have with "donating" pizza cutters to a couple of club members who use them is they turn around and push back against adopting better track standards such as Code 55 whenever the group is debating tech specs, with "my cars won't run on Code 55". Well, duh. So the buck has to stop somewhere.

I'm in the same boat as you with the couplers, and wonder what to do with the hundreds I have clipped off, either in the name of mounting True Scale Couplers, or body-mounting in general. I cut most of them so they can be reused, but the burning question becomes "Reused... for what???. So I'm no help there. Good luck.

[djconway]

I just completed this task on my fleet of about 1100 freight cars. Converting to 1015 or 1016 or 10?? couplers would have been cost prohibitive, so I carefully cut of the coupler box  and uses 00-99 x 5/32" screws to attach them to the freight cars.

I'll have to use my real camera to get pictures, but it is a simple process.  Brass 00-90 screws get expensive also, so if you know a better way let me know. 

[altohorn25]

Put each set of items in a baggie and sell them on ebay.  Believe it or not, some people still want the old pizza cutter wheels.

[Albert in N]

Otherwise spray paint rust color and make a shop scrap pile or gondola load.

[thomasjmdavis]

The other thing to do with old parts and bits and pieces is to use them on the layout.  Sort of an inside joke, if you will.  Burnt out motors on a flatcar.  Old pizza cutters piled into gondolas to go to the scrapyard.  Or a big scrap heap near the car shop and a fork lift straining to stack one more rapido coupler at the top of the pile....

I just took one apart (from a truck I can't find in their catalog anymore, 70 ton friction bearing- nevermind....it's really a roller bearing under better lights and higher magnification, but does not look like the A-3 on Spookshow's page).  Unless I am missing something (between eyesight and memory, a fairly high probability I am missing something nowadays), the coupler out of the truck mount box looks identical to a 1025 - so I'd be tempted to suggest that box.  HOWEVER- most of the stuff in my parts box is collected from other folks parts boxes.....so my suggestion would be to open up one of your collection of cut off couplers, and double check before ordering any parts.

[jargonlet]

I was wondering the same thing. I had thought about putting 1027s on my MTL cars. I could be wrong but it looks like they would fit the 1027 or 1015/1016. I assume these are the same internally, does anyone know for sure? Anyone ever order just the boxes for these from MTL?

[peteski]

I was wondering the same thing. I had thought about putting 1027s on my MTL cars. I could be wrong but it looks like they would fit the 1027 or 1015/1016. I assume these are the same internally, does anyone know for sure? Anyone ever order just the boxes for these from MTL?

Yes, the innards of those truck-mounted couplers will fit the low-profile 1023/1025 boxes.  And yes, some  members here ordered just coupler boxes from Micro Trains.

[nkalanaga]

I'm one of "those members" who ordered 1025 boxes - 500 pair.  In my case, I converted all of my truck-mounted cars to body mounts, and most used the existing couplers.  For those that couldn't, for whatever reason, the couplers were reused on other cars.  I still have several hundred boxes, and some couplers, for future use.

Back in 2012, 100 boxes and covers, 50 pair, were $15.00 + $7.30 for shipping.   1000, 500 pair, were $150.00 + $10.40 shipping, priority mail, in a large zip-loc bag, in a box.

I don't know if she's still there, but the email address I used was mtl@micro-trains.com, and the contact person was Gail Jakabosky.  No hassle at all, although she did say they had no plans to make them a stock packaged item.

[mmagliaro]

I just completed this task on my fleet of about 1100 freight cars. Converting to 1015 or 1016 or 10?? couplers would have been cost prohibitive, so I carefully cut of the coupler box  and uses 00-99 x 5/32" screws to attach them to the freight cars.

I'll have to use my real camera to get pictures, but it is a simple process.  Brass 00-90 screws get expensive also, so if you know a better way let me know.

Do they have to be brass?  Look on eBay for stainless steel 00-90 in lots of 100 or more.  They are much cheaper.  100 are typically around $20 or less.  That's a lot cheaper than the hobby sources that sell 5 or 10 in a bag.

[MK]

Brass 00-90 in various types for about $20 for 50.  Located in NJ.

https://www.microfasteners.com/search.php?mode=search&page=1&keep_https=yes

[brokemoto]

I still use pizza cutters.  I could find something to do with the couplers.

I will take them.

If you want to get something for them, sell them on FeePay.  I am amazed continually at what people will pay for junk on FeePay.

[Steveruger45]

There is another option.  You can find metric M1.2 machine screws on EBay. These are pretty darn close to 00-90. 
Here is a link but these aren’t brass. Around $10 for 500 from China.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/172094093928

And some stainless steel x 500 for $7 again from China
https://www.ebay.com/itm/283717759646