how to i convert my freight cars to body mounted couplers, the truck mounted couplers suck for switching esspecially with knuckle couplers.[8)]
Step 1: remove the old trucks with talgo-mount couplers.
Step 2: if you plan on using the same trucks, remove the wheelsets and use a flushcutter to snip off the coupler boxes.
Step 3: build a Kadee coupler in its box, according to the directions.
Step 4: place the assembled Kadee box onto the end of the car, centered.
Step 5: using the center hole in the box as a guide, drill a #2 hole into the floor of the car.
Step 6: add a 2-56x3/8" screw through the center hole, into the floor. The screw should be tight, but not so tight that it compresses the coupler box, making the coupler unable to swivel freely.
Step 7: put the wheelsets back into the truck and reattach the trucks.
Step 8: place the car onto a straight section of track.
Step 9: using a Kadee coupler height gauge, check that the couplers on the car are at the correct height. Add shim pieces of plastic between the coupler box and the body if the coupler is too high, add washers between the trucks and the body if the coouplers are too low.
Step 10: repeat with the rest of your fleet.
Adding couplers in their own boxes is about the same with engine (most of which come with body mounted couplers these days anyway). Kadee makes conversions for most popular brands of engines and specialty rolling stock.
You can buy Kadee couplers with coupler boxes. These can be glued to the ends of the car. In some cases you will have to make a platform to glue the coupler box, which might mean cutting away plastic that is in the way. I either replace the truck or cut the coupler arm off the truck altogether. It is best to have a coupler guage so that you can shim the coupler box to get the knuckles at the right height. You can also use washers on the truck bolsters to raise the body to get the coupler height correct if needed.
Kadee makes offset couplers too so that you may not have to shim too much.
Rick
simon1966,
GLUE the coupler on? I can think of at least two bad things that can happen:
o- You break a knuckle, and how do you get the coupler box off? Also what if you did not get it shimmed right the first time?
o - You break off the entire coupler box because you just glued it on. It will not take too much ‘rough’ handling forthat to happen!
Our club BANS all cars that have ‘glued on’ coupler mounting - just common sense…
Jim
I always mount my Kadee coupler boxes with 2-56 screws - when I can. But there have been a few exceptions. The one that comes to mind is the tail-end car of my MOW train. In that case, the rear coupler falls under the rear balcony of the “caboose” car, and there just isn’t enough stuff to tap into for a secure hold. With great reluctance, I glued it on with styrene cement, and it’s been there ever since. If it has to come off, well, there’s the Dremel. Another draft gear box is cheap, and if the coupler is gone, I need to replace it anyway. (Yeah, right, like a Kadee is gonna fail. Gimme a break, dude.)
Seriously, I think you can glue Kadee draft gear boxes on without a lot of fear. They are extremely rugged. If you plan to run really long trains, like in a club situation, then you do need to consider the load-bearing capability of your coupler mounts, but for most home layouts, you won’t come close to the breaking point.
Good points, though I must say that the ones I have converted have all been cheap throw away type cars that were heavily weathered for practice purposes. I don’t think I have had one fail, certainly not the coupler. Maybe a box came off once, but nothing that I could not handle. Mind you, I don’t run very long trains so there is not a lot of strain being put on the coupler. So Shaun, revise my input to glue if you don’t plan on running long trains, otherwise use a screw as others have suggested.
nope i only run small trains , only a small switching layout here, so couplers and trucks that perform well under pushing and pulling cars are a must.