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The little springs on Bachmann close coupling cams


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I've been pulling my Bachmann mk 1 coaches to bits, well removing the bogies anyway.

Under the bogie, with the coach upside down, is the plastic cam device, held back towards the centre of the coach by a fine, and VERY delicate, tension spring.

As I am going to be getting Keen Systems close-coupling cams which will give me NEM pockets which are at the correct height (as opposed to whatever Bachmann thought!), I will have to detach these springs from the supplied close- coupling cam and fit them to the new cams. I foresee problems here - those springs are diabolically delicate!

Does anyone know whether replacement springs are available? Or viable alternatives?

Thanking you for any help,

Bill

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Not to worry, Bill. The little springs are less delicate than they look. I've done a dozen or so of these coupler-arm-replacement jobs and not damaged a spring yet.

I did lose one, though, and it took me a long time to find it. In future I may try the dodge of threading a piece of cotton through the spring before starting the disassembly, so that it won't be able to get away.

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Many thanks for the tips, lads! I haven't done a replacement close-coupling arm yet, so I'm a bit nervous, but the dodge of threading some cotton through spring sounds v. clever and wise, considering how many little things have gone 'ping' and disappeared forever somewhere in my workroom!

Thank you,

Bill

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  • 6 years later...

I've been pulling my Bachmann mk 1 coaches to bits, well removing the bogies anyway.

Under the bogie, with the coach upside down, is the plastic cam device, held back towards the centre of the coach by a fine, and VERY delicate, tension spring.

As I am going to be getting Keen Systems close-coupling cams which will give me NEM pockets which are at the correct height (as opposed to whatever Bachmann thought!), I will have to detach these springs from the supplied close- coupling cam and fit them to the new cams. I foresee problems here - those springs are diabolically delicate!

Does anyone know whether replacement springs are available? Or viable alternatives?

Thanking you for any help,

Bill

Hi Bill. I know that your question was posted in 2012 however I wondered if you had any luck with getting hold of the tiny Bachmann replacement springs for their original close coupling system?

 

My son and I have a large collection of Bachmann coaches and during routine maintenance over the years (greasing the axle boxes) we have managed to loose at least eight. We have since changed how we do this maintenance and have built a purpose made craddle with sides that capture errant springs....most of the time anyway!

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