MT conversions

[untabubba]

I'm looking for some practical experience to help me begin my quest to convert many of my favorite cars from Rapido to MTs. I'm thinking it might be easier and better to just "swap out" the whole truck, rather than engage in hand-to-hand combat with those darn little springs! To that end I went looking and found there are quite a few types of trucks. How do I know which to use? Is there a prototypical protocol, or is it a matter of "taste"? Will they all fit? Also, I went, numbers in hand, to a very good LHS. I didn't tell the guy I had the numbers. I wanted to see what he would give me. Sure enough, he gave me a different number! I divulged the number I got from the MT website. He said they'd both work. I took the ones HE suggested and it was a breeze! No alterations required at all. So, what's up with THAT?? I'd appreciate any suggestions, stories or help anyone can give. Marc

[beastranger]

Marc Share the wealth, ID please. Punk

[untabubba]

NAAAA! If I tell you, you'll buy all the stuff, his sales will increase, his head will swell, greed will kick in and he will raise his prices! Nope! This one's a secret boys! Mr. Breeze :p 😛 😛 😛 😛

[untabubba]

Wait....is that a black limo with deep tint windows that just pulled up out front? Why are those two large individuals wearing such dark glasses on a cloudy day?? I'm sorry.....you're name is Guido and he's Vinnie? .....The Fearless Leader and his right hand man, the Codfadda, sent you?!? Wait, put that blackjack away.....take the brass knucks off!! Okay...okay....I'll tell!! kdc-trains Mr. Breeze

[dl85vette]

I deal with them from time to time. Good service. Can't complain the items weren't packed well enough. Ordered 3 packs of couplers and it came in a box big enough to hold a model car kit. dave

[untabubba]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dave. I don't know if I mentioned, but his feedback is NOT "spotless". He's had, like, 6 negs in the last month. Mostly (relative) newbies complaining about not getting their items and poor communications. So, I went ahead with trepidation. That's why I made a relatively small order this first time. Marc

[dl85vette]

I take feedback with a grain of sand...to an extent mind you.Anyone with a couple years experience on ebay will know what are legit gripes and what are "not needed" neg feedback. Seen one person one time leave neg FB 'cause the item took 2 weeks to get. good grief. That's just impatience.Another one griping 'cause item took a month to get. Look at where it was coming from....HongKong. Transit time, time in customs,etc.. Anyways thats a whole other thread for topic. I just ordered couplers in the past couple months for Dougs Locos and no worries. I'm just checking above mentioned FB and wouldn't worry about it Mark. The negs are pretty spuratic. 348 POS in past month speaks for itself. Like I said, I deal with them several times a year. Dave

[untabubba]

I am "The Master of the 1015/1016"!!!!! I can now put them together, and install them, blindfolded, with one hand, whilst imbibing with the other! (Though I do occasionally miss my mouth! :^O ) I realize they are the very easiest ones to do, but you gotta start somewhere! Has anyone had any experience with the truck mounted conversion? I have seen the ones where you (apparently) hack off the existing truck mounted coupler and screw an MT right to the undercarriage of the loco...and something about a "full pilot"?!? Am I ready for this? Do any of them just "fit" in the truck mount? Marc (Not the "Master of All".....yet! 😉 )

[trmwf]

Marc, There are some models that will fit in the truck mounted box but you really don't want these. Get the full pilot conversion as they are quite simple and will make your loco look better. I thought you had some already that you were supposed to cut the coupler box off the truck? prof

[ginzokid]

Marc, When in doubt, body mount the 1025 coupler. "Real" cars have body mount. The truck mounted toy train system is made just so you can take tighter curves. Also, with the body mount, in a reverse move, the engine or other cars are not pushing the trucks off the tracks like truck mounted set ups. Think about it. You are pushing against a sturdy car and not some flimsy wheels with a body mount. The wheels are free to follow the curvature of the rails without any undo outside influence of the pushing pressure. Make sense? B-)

[untabubba]

Pete and Prof, I guess I don't understand the "full pilot" part. Maybe I should just buy one (they don't cost that much) and try it out. I do have some truck conversions on order, but N Scale Supply wrote me that they are waiting on an order from MT. I am NOT very happy about this. Next, I do have quite a few 9 3/4" turns on my layout. I am a little fearful of "mutilating" a loco and then have it become "nonfunctional" on said tight turns! Marc

[ginzokid]

Marc, You have me cornfuzed too. What do you mean by a "full pilot"? The pilot trucks are the 2 or 4 wheels in front of the drive wheels on a steam loco. That is all I know from pilot. Actually the pilot is the name for the "cow catcher" so the correct terminology should be "pilot wheels". Some of these conversions involve cutting off the old pilot and screwing or gluing on the new pilot with the M/T coupler in it. Not easy unless you have done a few like I have. Is this what you mean? Most of the diesel conversions just involve taking out the mfg. coupler and inserting the M/T one in the same slot. Help me out here with your problem. And I just know you have not invested in the M/T conversion guide yet. But, the instructions usually come with each package, but again, how will you know what conversion package to get unless you have the guide or go on line to the MT site and search for it or option #2, ask me. I have the guide and the experience. B-)

[ginzokid]

PS: Sorry I posted this so fast. I missed the 9-3/4" bit. When converting to M/Ts, just use the longer shank couplers. Like the 1016 vs the 1015. The longer shank gives you more play for the tighter radii. B-)

[trmwf]

Pete, I think he is referring to the pilots on diesels, you know the part surrounding the coupler where the MU and air hoses hang from. I think he has some older units that had the coupler attached to the trucks and there was a large slot or hole in the pilot to allow the coupler room to swivel when going around a curve. M/T sells pilot conversions that include a full pilot without this large hole, just one big enough to mount the M/T couplers and it comes with the couplers needed and a pice of thin metal to place between where you will be cutting the old coupler off the truck and the body shell to help protect the area. They are unit specific so he will need to order the right ones for each unit he is going to attempt or should I say successfully complete the conversion. Really Marc, it is not that difficult. You need a good razor saw to make the cut. The pilots just fit into the present opening with a little CA to help hold them. Piece of cake. prof PS: Marc, I know you have some newer edition Atlas engines with body mounted couplers...don't you? So if they work on your sharp radii than anything you convert will work equally as well.

[ginzokid]

prof, I get it now. Silly me forgot about the LL pilot conversions I have done with those kits from M/T. I'm so steam oriented that I go blank at times. Marc, If you do not feel comfortable doing the conversions, you know where you can send them. :-) CodFadda and :x

[untabubba]

Okay guys, I think I've got it. (BTW: I am talking strictly diesel here.) The pilot is the "hole" through which the truck mounted coupler extends. The MT conversion "full pilot" fills that "hole" with the mount for the new MT coupler assembly. This also makes it look more like a real loco, right? Heck, I'll give one a try, what could be bad, huh? Pete, I have downloaded the MT guide right from their site. I have it in my computer and a printed "hard copy". I have thoroughly investigated all of my locos. The only one I can't nail down is the OLD Life Like FA2/FB2, which has truck mounted couplers. It says use 1165s on the A unit, but 1016s on the B. We all know they are body mounts, while my B units are deaf-in-Italy truck mounts! I don't mind spending the money, I just don't want to buy something I can't use! I already have a bag of 2001s and nothing to mount them on! Marc