Something is not right...

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D

Dougget

Member
My loco hitch is too low to connect to my rolling stock. It also catches on my rerailer track when going in reverse.
hitch2.png

hitch1.png


What would it cost to fix it myself vs the shipping to send it back to Model Power?
 
Check that the truck frame is snapped all the way onto the truck. It looks like that might be the problem.

Rotor
 
you might want to try and body mount that coupler box. Even though your still using the X2F couplers, it would be easier to back up and line up the couplers.
 


Is that a microtrains coupler? To me it looks like the bottom half of the coupler is installed upside down, which is the plastic piece that appears too low. But I don't see the trip pin, and it still looks like it would be low. However I've never seen a MT coupler with the knuckle offset to the bottom. Your picture isn't the clearest, but to me it looks like if the coupler was flipped so the offset was to the top, it would be at the right height. I'd figure out if the coupler is installed correctly.
 
Check that the truck frame is snapped all the way onto the truck. It looks like that might be the problem.
Click to expand...

I checked the truck and everything seems to be tight. If the truck frame wasn't snapped on completely, I assume it would be loose.

The hitch itself has some up/down play to it. Could the coupler box be loose?

Very strange, I may need to send it back to Model Power. Bummer.

Has anyone dealt with them? Fair, quick, will they throw in something for the inconvenience?

Thanks,
Doug
 
Model power seems to have coupler issues on a lot of models...somewhere today I was reading of a height problem with a 4-6-2, and a few weeks ago I had a 4-4-0 at an NTRAK setup that wouldn't couple to anything due to a height issue. Hmmmmm....I don't think I'll be shopping at Model Power any time soon.
 
my model power GP9 seems to work fine, other than it's alittle noisy, and seems to run at like, a scale 150 mph at full throttle....
 
Looks to me like the coupler box itself is way too low compared to the engine body. I also shouldn't be able to see through the top of the truck with the shell on. Take off the shell and make sure that the truck is really attached securely to the body mounts. If that doesn't solve the problem, contact Model Power.

Model Power makes some fine product (their Metal line of F units is really nice) but they also make some junk. Unfortunately, the F-2 falls in this category. Assuming you can fix what I think is the truck attachment problem, the least I would do is body mount some Kadee coupler to it. It will look better and you can make a conversion car with a Kadee at one end and an X2F coupler at the other end so you don't have to change all your freight car couplers at once.
 
I still think the sideframe isn't completely installed. You shouldn't see the TOPS of the wheels.

Since the coupler is mounted on the sideframe assembely, the coupler will also be low.

Rotor
 


Rotor is right, the wheels look to be high in the truck and the truck itself looks low to the rails.
Compare it to the front truck, how does it look and how is the coupler height?
 
Thank you for all of the feedback and suggestions. I checked all recommended solutions and even called ModelPower. They asked me to send it to them for repair. Before paying the shipping to took it to my LHS and they fixed it for me. The coupler installed by MP was the wrong one. A simple swap was all it took.
The coupler box has a small pin, but the coupler had a large hole, so when installed, it was loose causing it to hang lower than it should.

"Despatch Junction" in East Rochester, if anyone is interested. (they have a website, just google them)

Later,
Doug
 
Doug, glad to hear the problem had an easy fix. Did you buy that engine new? It's pretty unusual for the manufacturer to install wrong couplers.
 
Yup, it was new in a set from Model Power. So much for quality control.
I will say that every other Model Power item I have works great, the loco included. In fact, while I was at the hobby store having the engine fixed, I picked up a MP DuPont tanker car.

Doug
 
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