dseagull Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 As above! Today took delivery of a pack of 4 ready assembled Smiths 3 links. Tonight I've successfully (amazingly, as I couldn't find a suitable drill bit so used the pointy end of a 30mm galvanised staple...!) poked out the holes in the bufferbeams of one of my Ratio 4 Wheelers and have fitted them. They look nice. The second part of the instructions though - push the spring over the coupling and fix it with the split pin - is something which isn't coming easily, or in fact, at all - to me. It seems that when I push the spring down to expose the hole, I cant fit the split pin in due to a combination of fingers, spring, solebars and bufferbeam being too tight a space to work in. Am I missing an obvious answer, or are these designed for people with more delicate fingers than my rugged Sussex lumps? - at the moment I'm toying with the idea of leaving them off, which ticks the 'this is sensible to stop you throwing things' box, but somehow feels like A - cheating and B - a recipe for disaster when I've fitted the wheels and am operating. Ta. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 It's a long time since I used Smiths couplings, but I remember the spring being far too stiff to be of any practical use, so if you were to fix the drawhook to the wagon it wouldn't make any difference. Sprung drawhooks should be set up so that when the train goes round a tight curves the buffers on the inside of the curve are compressed and the drawhooks are extended out. With the Smiths couplings I once had, the train would derail long before the drawhook spring started to compress. Hope this helps. Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Know this well! You can use a small slot screwdriver to hold the spring back, whilst you fit the split pin though the hole at the end of the shank. Then you bend the split pin legs one each way to avoid it coming out again. There are other options though because, as Will says, the springing action is frankly of little use in 4mm. Option 1 - Don't bother with the spring at all, bend the shank through 90 degrees behind the bufferbeam and glue it solid. Option 2 - Cut the shank off just behind the bufferbeam and glue solid. I've used all 3 methods on locos and stock. Don't ever remember one pulling out. steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAndy Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Evening. No its not you, they are tricky little things and requires a bit of practice to get right, but once you master it, you'll be fine! I've find the best way to go about this is the following, however you may find a better way. Firstly make sure the hole at the end of the coupling shank is wide enough to take the split pin. ( obviously you need to do this before fitting the coupling into the bufferbeam - I've used either a 1mm drill in a pin vice or a round file twisted into the hole a few times does the trick ). At this point prepare your split pin by separating the two sides from each other so that you can insert it into the shank later - you only need to separate it by about 5 mm. Put the coupling into the buffer beam and turn the wagon/coach/loco upside down ( its handy to have a piece of foam cut so that it supports the item of stock both to prevent damage but also to stop it moving about during the next bit of the procedure ) With the coupling in place, take a pair of tweezers and push the spring over the shank. This is now the tricky bit. Position the tweezers on the end of the spring and open them wide enough to clear the shank and push the spring so it compresses down to the buffer beam, revealing the hole for the split pin and grip the buffer shank holding the compressed spring in place. Stay with me! Now whilst doing this, you need to pick up the split pin with either the fingers of your other hand if you are dextrous enough or with another pair of tweezers ( either way its with your other hand ) Push the split pin through the hole on the end of the shank and release the spring. In your own time, you can then bend the split pin to stop it from coming out. It all sounds a bit of a faff, but I promise you that once you master it, this way only takes seconds. It's the easiest way I've found of fitting them, but of course someone else may have an easier approach. Hope it helps Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hold the spring back with a finger . hold coupling in place with thumb on the outside at the same time. Place splitpin through hole using tweezers release spring and then bend spitpin to retain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAndy Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Just to add to my above and to take up a point made by Steve. Yes it is a lot easier to glue the shank in place as described, but if you do want to spring your couplings, I ran a rake of 16 kit built Cambrian BBA's around Runswick Leamside for about 12 years on the exhibition circuit and all of the wagons had sprung couplings with rigid buffers. I have, since going to EM have fitted most of my locos and stock with sprung buffers as well. Certainly, the radius' on Leamside required the springing of all three linked or screwlinked stock. I never had a problem with them at all and they ran beautifully with sprung couplings fitted. Anyway, have a play round with them and do some experimenting. If you find its not for you, you've lost nothing, can remove the springs and glue it up solid as Steve suggests. cheers Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Assuming that you still want to fit the springs after what's been said: Take the spring and thread it onto a much thiner piece of stiff brass wire Hold one end oif the wire in a vice Thread some thin cotton through the centre of the spring alongside the wire Tie the ends of the cotton together so that the spring is compressed on one side (the wire's there to keep it reasonably straight Repeat the passing of the cotton and tying on the opposite side of the spring. You now should have a spring compressed equally Take the spring off the wire and fit it to the hook shank Fit the split pin Cut the cotton. If you've fitted the split pin correctly you won't spend the next half hour searching for where the carpet monster had started to gobble it up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseagull Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Many thanks all! I did manage to get them sorted in the end, using a combination of Mick's suggestion and my fiancé, who's fingers are far more delicate than mine! - I was able to hold the spring back just enough whilst she poked the split pin through - I then bent it back, as Steve suggested, one leg each way to stop it coming out. Very pleased! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mikes rail Posted January 4, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 4, 2012 I found best tool was a pair of locking forceps. Place spring over coupling shank, push forceps down shank compressing the spring untill hole for split pin is clear then lock forceps. You then have both hands free to fit split pin, when done remove forceps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 92912 Posted January 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 5, 2012 Hi, I find snipping a couple of millimetres off one end of the spring makes them easier to fit and also act a little bit softer in use. It is a good idea to put the snipped end near the bufferbeam otherwise they can wind themselves round the split pin. JP Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I always put a washer on the shank before fitting the spit pin. OzzyO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dukedog Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Most of mine are glued in solid. 9 times out of 10 there is very little room for the spring and split pin, especially so on steam locos with front pony trucks or bogies where the pin tends to foul on the truck or bogie causing derailment. I don't have problems with buffer locking even when propelling the train into sidings etc. BUT, my minimum track radius is 72" (00 gauge) Cheers! Frank Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I would agree the springs are much too strong as supplied - - it's almost the same as rigidly fixing the couplings. My solution is to use only one spring and connect it between the two couplings with wire*. This has two advantages:- The tension is only half as strong and does actually allow the coupling to 'spring' and the draught force is transmitted to the trailing headstock and the rest of the train and no longer tries to rip the leading headstock/end off the vehicle (been there ! ) * Possibly bend the last coil or two at right angles to the spring to make connection easier and leave the spring slightly in tension. The whole process is easier with the wheels removed from the vehicle, of course. In the case of locomotives, the coupling hook need not necessarily be sprung as the coupling on the other vehicle will be. Sprung buffers are desirable and really almost essential with coaches and/or sharp curves. Smith's couplings help as they are slightly overscale, though the prototypes of the Ratio 4 wheelers originally had long buffers and need the extra length in the coupling. Ratio's buffers are rather undernourished. I'll see if I can post a photo or two of mine when the image issues are resolved. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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