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Marx coupler help

3K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  T-Man 
#1 ·
Hi guys, I got a Santa Fe 21 and then got some passenger cars. I also got a Gondola and Caboose too, just need a GAEX Boxcar 🙂 But my problem is that on 3 of these cars I got they were missing the tilt coupler. So I bought a 4 pk off eBay but they are not the same.... I looked on eBay and can’t seem to find any the size of what I’m missing...

What is the ones I bought for?

And is there anywhere I can find the ones I’m missing?
 

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#3 ·
ANOTHER SOURCE

You might give Poster Ben from BENZ TRAINZ a PM holler. He is a Guru when it comes to rebuilding Marx Engines. I do know, via his videos, that he has a sizable stash of Marx parts. He may have just what you need in his as he calls it "JUNK".

LATER
 
#4 ·
Thanks guys.

I have googled and looked on eBay and could not find anything that is like the ones that I need. They are smaller than the ones I purchased :(

I looked at the link @Larry but there is no pic and I would be worried that it would be the same that I bought already and is wrong...
 
#7 ·
Thanks guys. I emailed him. Very nice person to respond so quickly.

This was his response:

“ What you are looking for are the short metal tilt couplers.

Probably someone kept the couplers and then sold the rest of the cars, a very common practice these days.

The short metal tilt coupler is not available.

You will have to find some rusted 7 inch cars with type D trucks to part out,
or you can change the trucks to type G or F.”


So I guess I’m out of luck 😞 for an inexpensive way to fix these 3 that are missing ...

I should of paid a little more and got different ones that had all the couplers.
 
#8 ·
just pop the trucks off and replace the couplers with tab & slot, increases your options for running the cars as NOTHING will couple with the steel tilt. plastic tilt has a slot but steel tilt does not. really limits your ability to mix cars. marx tab & slot will couple with marx plastic tilt, marx plastic knuckle and of course tab & slot.
 
#11 ·
If you use the tab and slot. You just drill out the truck rivet. Then use the new rivet to hold the new piece between the frame and truck. You will have to reverse the truck for the bar to fit.

If you do just one you will have an adapter car. I used the same concept wit American Flyer couplers.

Here is the truck with the tilt coupler. The truck has two tabs to hold the piece. It also requires a spring.

Auto part Automotive engine part


Vehicle Wheel


Auto part
 
#12 ·
Thanks guys!

The more I think about this, the more I would want to keep this short tilt couplers to keep them close to original. I will hunt for some old rusty cars on eBay that have these short metal tilt couplers and then use those on my cars.

I just hope it is not too hard to replace these and the spring onto my cars...
 
#13 ·
The short tilt coupler has no spring. It is held level with the weighted side. I noticed that the twist in the tab has to be in a specific direction to allow the tilt.

You could twist the tab to remove and install a coupler or change the whole truck.
 
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