hi everyone

i have quite a lot of easi shunts that just don't work properly (or at all!).

a few never worked properly out of the packet!

the ones with missing springs are obvious.

most have springs situated but still don't work properly.

any ideas?

or does anyone want to refurbish or repair them and in return they can keep half of them?

i decided to just use easi shunts on selected engineers and departmental wagons and a few domestic coal or scrap wagons, because these are the only ones I realistically ever shunt with anyway. everything else can be uncoupled with the hand of god as it's only a rare event!


cheers


tim

In what way "don't work" - coupling up or uncoupling?

The latter (assuming you have the magnets correctly orientated) is generally cured by adjusting the angle of the tail.

Compare the "tail" as stated - the actuating arm below the coupling against one that does work. They're just a friction fit and can move.

As above, check the angle of the "tail", but also the height/depth of the "tail". If it isn't just perfect, it'll be too tight/stiff for the magnet to operate it and for the spring to close it. The jaw should move freely (bearing in mind how small the spring is).

thanks everyone!

sorry should explain,

when i push open the jaws with my fingers it doesn't spring back to closed again.  even when i can see the spring is insitu.

the knuckles don't spring back closed, so remain uncoupled. sometimes they dont spring back at all, other times only v partial.

i have 25 easi shunts in my rejected couplings box!!

any suggestions?


cheers


tim

I've had quite a few do the same. There definitely seems to have been some poor batches.

I've had some success swapping for a new spring (there's spares in each pack). Also a few times I've intertwined two springs together to make them stronger.

Bit of a fiddly job with a cocktail stick, but not too bad once you're used to it.

Better to find out where the problem is though. Dismantling the coupling by removing the spring, then pulling out the trip pin, should reveal if it's the jaw or the trip pin that is binding in the body.

Quote from: bluedepot on August 18, 2025, 06:39:01 PMthanks everyone!

sorry should explain,

when i push open the jaws with my fingers it doesn't spring back to closed again.  even when i can see the spring is insitu.

the knuckles don't spring back closed, so remain uncoupled. sometimes they dont spring back at all, other times only v partial.

i have 25 easi shunts in my rejected couplings box!!

any suggestions?


cheers


tim

Only 25.  I must have c 30+ either poor workers though mostly having lost their spring.  Thankfully we have a guy in SE Herts MRS who is a master at fitting springs.  He runs a clinic for us M gaugers occasionally.  He typically refits around 15-20 in an evening.  It took me one afternoon and managed about5.

thanks everyone!

I think some just have a weak or slightly misaligned spring, but I'm not sure.

i think life is too short to mess around with a tiny spring on a cocktail stick esp with my vision.

i might post them back to dapol!!!

i'm pretty sure that some of them were defective from brand new.

does anyone want them??

cheers


tim

Quote from: bluedepot on August 20, 2025, 07:33:32 PMi think life is too short to mess around with a tiny spring on a cocktail stick esp with my vision.

Cocktail sticks are a bit large for this job. Very tip of a knife blade is my preferred tool.





All done while wearing my head mounted magnifier on almost maximum strength.

(This is my 3D printed T-shank back end rather than a Dapol NEM coupler, but the fitting's the same.)

As others have said, these can often be corrected by adjusting the angle of the tail or trip arm. By this I mean the curved steel part underneath the coupling that reacts to the uncoupling magnet.
 
If you have the Dapol NEM conversion kit, have a look at the jig provided. There is a coupling shaped recess in the middle.



If you look carefully you will see a groove running at an angle to the centre line. The trip arm should sit in this when you place a coupling in the recess.



If it doesn't, gently turn the trip arm (it will turn in the coupling) until it does.

If you don't have the jig, all is not lost.

It's probably best to mount the coupling in some kind of vice or fit it to a wagon just for easier handling.

Now turn the trip arm to point forwards. This is just the start position.

Turn the arm slightly towards the side where the groove is in the photo above, open the coupling and release. Does it close by itself?
 
If yes, congratulations: you've fixed it.

If no, try another small movement and test.

If the answer is still no, try again. Eventually you will get there. There may be the odd one that doesn't work, but you can always go back to the start position and try again.

This works for me, I hope it does for you.

Good luck,

Ali

thanks jim and ali that's really helpful

i do have a dapol jig somewhere so i will find that and try it!

cheers


tim