Tips for MTL coupler conversion on Marklin cars

Ajayrav May 1, 2020

  1. Ajayrav

    Ajayrav TrainBoard Member

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    Hello folks,

    I have some German outline Marklin cars where I want to convert the front end to MTL couplers. Reading online, the way to do this is to remove 3 black Marklin plastic welds on the metal coupler cover, replace with MTL coupler (902), replace the metal coupler cover over the remnants of the 3 prongs and use a soldering iron to re-weld.

    I tried this years ago and it was a colossal fail. I had scraped the welds off to access the coupler pocket and when reassembling, I had a hard time re-welding the coupler shut as I had removed too much material.

    Do you guys have any insights for my next go round... maybe trimming the weld leaving the center intact, so there is material to re-weld?

    Any help is appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Ajay
     
  2. SJ Z-man

    SJ Z-man TrainBoard Member

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    It certainly is not easy. That 908 kit conversion is 50:50.
    You have 2 choices:
    1. Except them and use a Transition car from ZScaleMonster or make your own. Both use an MTL car for starters and one truck has the adaptive 'no coupler' 907 truck with the Claw around the bolster.
    2. Use the Zealatory conversion pieces (or make your own). You pull the Märklin truck out, the file (or cut with a flat end blade) the outward mushroom bulge. Then lay a flat strip of styrene, thick enough to get the correct height of the MTL bolster.
     
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  3. Ajayrav

    Ajayrav TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks, Jeff. The cars I want to switch are 2 axle cars, so no removable trucks... the Marklin couplers are body-mount, so maybe I can remove the original coupler housing and use the MT tap and drill set to body mount pre-assembled couplers. Since all of these cars are part of sets, as you suggested, maybe I can make a transition car using a sacrificial car...that way, if I screw up, the sets are not destroyed.

    Cheers,
    Ajay
     
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  4. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    If the Marklin coupler has a metal cover, you can switch the guts. Try not trim too much of the plastic, so you can pop back the cover.

    second option is to use styrene to shim the 905 into the right height. Tap a hole in the styrene, and screw in the coupler.
     
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