Hey guys, I just bought some new duke 1.5 coil traps and was wondering if there is anything I need to do to them before the season starts. I will be using them for coon this year. I added a swivel to them but was wondering about pan tension. And also what is the best way to remove all the grease before dying them? Thanks.

What I usually do is pressure wash them with detergent/car wash. I set my pan tension at 2lb. Coon are not fussy, but I would still level the pan. Clean up the dog and pan notch with a file, which means squaring them up for a crisp release. I also do something different than most I paint my traps with ultra flat or rustoleum(sp). Hope this helps some happy trapping and the archives are your friend.

So how do you tell what two pounds of pan tension is? Right now they are really stiff from the manufacture so I might just loosen them up a bit. Thanks.

(Nobody gets to say "Archives". A little review is never harmful. )

Hal

Loosen the pan bolt all the way to have a floppy pan. Then tighten up slightly until you have some drag on the pan. Now set and check with Hals trap tester or find something that is 2lbs to see if it goes off. I use a hammer, I set it on the pan holding it slightly then release my grip. Trap should fire as soon as full weight is on pan or in other words as soon as you let go of the weight. Keep adjusting pan bolt until your happy with the outcome.
I am thinking that Ric did some pictures of how he adjusts the pan holder legs with a vise grips. What this does is puts even pressure on the pan allowing easier adjustment and smoother action.

With new coon traps I file the bur off the dog where it was cut in the manufacturing process, loosen the pan bolt so it falls freely and level the pan. As for degreasing new traps, I give them a soak in a bucket of vinegar and water.

Vinegar is good to remove grease, file the dog, and I prefer to use an commercial grade dip on coin traps due to all of the moisture they are exposed to. I also spray them with fresh earth cover scent before setting them really seems to make a difference. Good trapping adam

Most new traps have floppy dogs and misaligned pans; close the dog eye with chanellocks until side flop is minimal but dog still rotates, this will lengthen the dog and the pan won't work so bend the dog post until the pan does work. Then file the dog end square and square up/night latch the pan. When you have achieved a clean crisp break on the pan, bend the dog post til the pan sets level. Test it a time or two the trap should fire when the pan moves 1/16" to suit me.
For coons I don't do much more. Folks already told how to set pan tension etc.