Replacement couplers for Spectrum Heavyweight passenger cars

[jeffe82095]

I have 5 Spectrum heavyweight passenger cars with horn hook couplers.  What coupler set do I order to replace them with the EZ Mate couplers?  Is it the same replacement coupler for all the heavyweight cars?

[ebtbob]

Jeff,

       I am surprised to hear you have Spectrum heavyweight passenger cars with hook and horn couplers as I have never seen them equipped that way.   I am going to suppose that the couplers are in a box with a screw on lid.   If that is true,  simply take the box apart and put in the knuckle coupler of your choice.   If you choose Bachmann EZ Mate couplers be absolutely certain to get the EZ Mate II,  the ones with the springs on the knuckles.   If it were me,  I would think about trying the newer Kadee 158(think that is the number)  It is the Kadee coupler that is basically a KD #5 with metal wire whiskers at the back of the shank to keep the coupler centered in the box without having to use that brass centering plate.  In the new line,  Kadee offers different shank lengths so you may want to consider the medium length first to see how close the cars will be coupled.  I can almost guarentee that the short shank with be too short.
        One other thought.    If your heavyweight cars have that pivoting coupler box,  find a way to mount it to the body as those boxes have a tendency to droop,  causing coupler mismatches that become very annoying.

[Mike]

You obviously have the earliest version of the cars. (I have a few of those sets, too.) As Bob has said, the boxes tend to droop. This can be fixed with a couple of spacer washers. But, budy mounting is better, providing you stick to wide radius curves.- Mike S.