I have been switching over to Kadee couplers and have run into a couple of unexpected problems and I am looking for suggestions on a way to adjust the problem. Here is the problem on some of the cars when the existing coupler is removed and I have installed the prescribed coupler (#5) some of the couplers are too low. On the couplers that are to low I installed the spacer under the coupler to raise it to the correct height . This solves the height problem but then the coupler is to stiff to move freely. Can raising the coupler height be accomplished by installing a spacer at the top of the truck , there by raising the entire end ? Is there a better way?
Raising the car a little by adding a washer on top of the truck is the an accepted, convenient way of adjusting coupler height. Kadee sells washers for this purpose. They come in two colors - red is the thicker of the two and grey is thinner. Get a pack of each and that should handle your problems. If you need more of a change Kadee makes couplers with the head offset up or down.
Joe
Thanks.
So using a spacer in the coupler box is not the way to adjust these at all ?
I insert a metal washer between the truck and the car body. I get them from the local Lowe’s store. They come in several thicknesses from 1/4 millimeter to 1 millimeter.
I use washers on top of the truck my self. You can all so use Kadee #27 couplers. There knuckle is raised higher on the shank than #5’s. They all so make drop knuckle couplers as well. i don’t have there number handy.
Ken
Right. Use a washer or two (I use the Kadee ones also) to raise the height of the car above the trucks. If the coupler is too high, that’s when you want to put a spacer in between the car body and the Kadee draft gear box the coupler goes in. You shouldn’t put anything in the coupler assembly but the coupler and the spring, if you’re using #5s or #58s without the built-in whisker springs.
contrary to popular practice, i don’t like to put washers on the body bolsters unless the car is already riding too low. (rarely the case in my HO models)
the prototype railroads had this problem when a carrier iron became worn or loose and the results were about the same as we experience in our models.
i have had good luck using a sliver or styrene or even heavy paper poked into the draft gear box, just inside the end, under the coupler shank. this tilts the coupler up on the pulling face end and does not cause any problems with binding if you use the proper thickness.
a dab of neo-lube will disquise the paper or plastic sliver and add to the smoothness of the coupler operation.
if you are ambitious, you can also file the coupler shank down on the top side and add a shim of equal thickness to the amount removed under the coupler shank to raise it up in the box without causing any binding.
grizlump
I had a few that were way low, i used the offset shank couplers to solve the problem
Thanks all
One more question if the coupler sags and the spacer is not supposed to be used in the coupler box what is a good fix for a saggy coupler ?
A Kadee coupler box.
It’s not that you shouldn’t put a shim (spacer) in the coupler box (aka draft gear), but the shim must be of a thickness that still allows the coupler to swing freely.
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