REPLACING D LINK COUPLINGS IN SECONDS at Chadwick Model Railway | 196.

Fed up with D Link Couplings? Let's replace them, it doesn’t take long, with help from Chadwick Model Railway 196.

Bachmann Couplings 36-026 (Type Long)

M2 x 6mm A2 Stainless Steel Machine Screws - Slotted Pan Head Bolts DIN 85.

M2 Crinkle Washers A2 Stainless Steel - Wavey Wave

M2 Hexagon Half Lock Nuts thin A2

Accurascale affiliate link.

West Hill Wagon Works & Hunt Couplings

My Amazon Shop

My Amazon Links.

Video Gear
Adobe Premier Elements.

DCC Shortcut Sheet

Scale Train Length Calculator

Helix Geometry Spreadsheet

Latest Chadwick Videos Spreadsheet

[OOElectronics]

To hide the nut, use matt black nail varnish (hides a multitude of stuff) and does not require brush cleaning; it will also act as a form of loctite. Great video as always. Tom.

[DennosManCave]

"I dont want to drill thru me mat. So I'll drill into my finger

Love this video. I have some Hornby RR teaks I want to change the couplings on. I may attempt to follow your guide here. Good video

[ernesttucker]

Charlie, I have worked in the aviation industry for over 46 years and may have some ideas that would make the coupling appearance a little cleaner.
If you were to countersink the heavier plastic and use a countersunk flat head screw and on the other side, use a tinnerman nut, it would be almost unnoticeable. A touch of flat black paint and it shouldn't be noticed at all.
I really enjoy your channel and look forward to each release. Thanks for sharing.

[delphjunction]

Hi Charlie.
Going back to some of your older vlogs.

Found this one very helpful as are all your tutorials.

Got an assortment of couplings on my rolling stock. You have made it look nice and easy, thank you Charlie.

Stay safe buddy.
Pete.

[williamgunning]

A lot of scary sharp tools in this one Charlie! The small black bachmann coupling fixing screws or the ones that hold Oxford cars in place etc. can be used in place of the bigger nut and bolt method, drill a smaller pilot hole and use the screw's self tapping properties to hold the coupling in place.

[howardwitt]

Hi Charlie re your D Lunk coupling conversion. Given your not needed to break up the DMU. You could use magnetic coupling. They work brilliantly on rakes that run in either direction and can’t ride up. I also found Porter House are good value vs some others and look better. Just a thought.

[robertbage]

A 20 minute swift for the price of 10? Great value.
Nice one Charlie.
Thanks,
Bob

[martinputman]

Thanks Charlie, as some one whos just found you I've spent far too much time of the last 2 weeks watching your videos. Great stuff.

[chrislockerby]

This is great I’m getting on Amazon as soon as I get home
I might try my mini heat shrink gun to see if I can warm the boggie flange to sit level
But having the description of the required screws etc is Great
Keep up the great work I will try this modification see what the spacing between wagons and maybe fit nem pockets so I can swap out to magnetic couplings

[roystudds]

A reply useful video. I’ve bought some new couplings, now I know how to fit them. Thanks Charlie. Roy.

[OlivierGabin]

Superb work ! I take note from you because I have bought some Parkside and Dapol wagon kits, and I want to put Kadee no. 5 on them. You put forward some issues you can have while fiddling with couplers, and some clever solutions. I have thought first to simply glue my Kadee boxes below my wagons, but I will certainly take your nut and screw method in action. It seems mechanically sounder than simply glueing, and you can replace a faulty/badly dimensoinned coupler (shank too short for instance, common problem while choosing the right size for a Kadee coupler).

[edwardwaltonbespoke]

Spot on Charlie! Thanks a million 👍 I've some pressed metal D couplings too, so I'll see if they can have similar treatment.

[fightersweep]

Hi Charlie! I'm new to the hobby and have been binge watching you're videos for a while now. I've found so much useful information that the hobby doesn't seem quite so scary now (shame it doesn't make it any cheaper though!). I'm currently building up a batch of Airfix/Parkside vans and wagons and these couplings look ideal. Will be loosing those nasty large D ring couplings from my other rolling stock too. All the items you listed in the video now duly ordered....and have another subscriber! Cheers! Steve

[TATICMOOR]

Bloody good stuff, Charlie as usual. Many years ago I did some mods like this. I drilled a hole slightly smaller to use with the tiny Black Computer screws to bite into the plastic without having a nut attached. Though if weathering the rolling your M2s will hid better too. For me, with them being a smaller screw I found it helped to blend them in with the coupling and bogie while still holding the coupling in place. If you want to make it permanent, then after all the work and testing is done, is to finish off by adding some superglue and then remove the screw fix altogether. Hopefully this will help as well to anyone that wants to do this mod on their own rolling stock.

[josephparkinson]

Charlie love all the videos some I have tried.But don't have much space. Used cardboard from cereal boxes great fun. Kept me safe in lock down Keep up the great work Joe

[terrygee]

Hi Charlie, if you drill an under sized hole and use self tapping screws you could do away with the the nut and washer. I have done this loads of times and never had a problem.

[johngibson]

Hi Charlie, , great video to help us get better connections happening and for ease of running trains.
I remember when i was a kid that any derailments would never ever happen in front of me but would always be in a tunnel or at thee furtherest point of my layout at the time.
Cutting these old plastic D couplers off will be a pleasure as i know they will always in my eyes see a cheap way out from hornby but when it comes to business and i suppose 10 cents times a billion can add up quite nicely tidy sum for the company.
You done a great job with the nuts and bolts and yes the nuts look best on the top filed down a tad and painted matt black you hardly even see them. Again good work and gr8 video.
Cheers from John in Australia

[scottmarsden]

Enjoyed that one, really interesting way of altering old couplings and addressing the gap. Thanks Charlie

[eastmidlandparkway]

Morning Charlie I watched your video about changing D link couplings on your DMU and I thought I would give it a try on my hornby class 55 dcc loco I have trimmed the D link down and have glued a nem pocket to one end to see how it goes before I tackle the other end thanks again for all your ideas I really enjoy your tips to make things look better on our model railways
Kind regards
Kev swift Beighton Parkway Sheffield

[peterm]

With the Lima ridge you can also leave it, level off with a 1mm piece of plasticard cut to size glued behind it and then glue and screw in a Bachmann cranked coupling. Both methods work. Very helpful video Charlie.