The other day i read the instructions that come with the kadee couplers, and noticed that it said to put the brass spring thing above the coupler, I have been putting it below it all these years. Does it really matter which way it goes in the coupler box?
Hi fourt:
Kadee is pretty specific about which way the bronze spring should be installed, which is above the coupler. By “above the coupler” they mean that when the car is sitting upright on the tracks, the spring will be on top of the coupler. However, when you are installing the coupler with the car up side down, the spring will go into the coupler box first so it will be below the coupler until you turn the car right way up. Confusing? You won’t be the only one who has had to think this through a few times, including me.
If I recall correctly, there was an explanation posted a while ago about the spring exerting slightly different forces from one side to the other. The stronger spring works to keep the couplers engaged with each other and the weaker spring makes uncoupling easier. I may be totally out to lunch on this but that is what I seem to remember.
Dave
Dave,
LOL…That’s probably why some people say, they don’t care for the bronze springs…they are too hard to put on…they are putting them on, the wrong way! LOL…
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Hi!
I won’t argue whether one way is better than the other, but if there is difference it must be miniscule. I’ve put KDs on hundreds of cars and locos since the 1970s and they all seemed to work the same - just GREAT!
When using the KD coupler box the centering spring goes on top of the coupler in this order coupler and then centering spring.
When installing them in a cast on coupler box its centering spring then coupler.
According the Kadee Coupler Instruction Sheet, the spring plate must always be placed on top of the coupler.
Note: The bronze centering spring plate must always be installed on the top of the coupler with the spring leaves (arms) facing down straddling both sides of the standard shank coupler.
That positioning is raised two more times in the instruction sheet. The reason for that positioning is to apply pressure on the coupler rather than having the coupler apply pressure on the spring.
Rich
Just another reason I’ve started using the “whisker” coupler. I don’t have to mess with that infernal spring. On some cars, the coupler pocket (draft gear) is so shallow, that I’ve had to trim the centering spring to keep them from binding.
KD 148s has became my coupler of choice.
Nothing but whiskers for me that piece of sheet junk is just a PITA to me and always has been.
Gotta give the KDs credit for longevity and success. What other product has been the #1 choice for 50 plus years?
I too prefer the newer whisker type, but once installed, the previous “bronze spring” powered couplers were workable for the “duration”. I have a good 100 freight cars (modified Athearns) that are from the early 70s and they have never given me a coupler problem.
Hello all,
Why start now!?![(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]
Hope this helps.
The coupler pockets always comein two parts, a box part with walls, and a lid which is mustly flat. I put the bronze centering spring into the box side, put the coupler on top, and then put the lid on.
Usually the box part is attached to the bottom of the car, which will give you a spring on top of the coupler, with the car wheels side down on the track.
Yes, I too had trouble following the instructions until I realized to install the Kadees upside down! I don’t know whether the orders matters provided the cars run fine! Being a visual person, watching videos of the installation process might help.
In a perfect world, it dose not mater but since our world is inperfect, spring should go on top, has to do with gravity and slop in our instalations.
Guess i will start to put it on top of the coupler. Though never had a probelm with below that i am aware of. Thanks for the answers.
The Robertson screw driver and screws.
Dave
I don’t remember the specifics, and there is no way I could find the car, but I do recall a tricky Kadee 5 installation where for strategic reasons the bronze spring had to be below the coupler, and as our OP says, it works. Maybe not optimal but it works.
Dave Nelson
For some reason, some models have that locating pin on the cover instead of in the top of the box. In these cases I always have a concern that the brass spring will not remain properly located within the coupler box.
The spring action is stronger in one way than the other. They work better when the spring is on the top.
I was naughty and broke the rules when I had a couple of kits which had odd coupler pockets, so I mounted the bronze spring the “wrong way”. Hey, I didn’t know any better at the time and guess what, the coupler centered fine anyway. Oh well!