I’ve read that the actual Kadee couplers are stronger than the clones. Many Walthers, Intermountain, BLI cars come with couplers that ‘look like’ Kadee #5s: spring on the side, flat brass ‘spring thing’ in the back, body of the coupler looks the same, but the packaging doesn’t claim to have Kadee couplers. Are there any HO Kadee #5 coupler clones that look identical to the ‘real’ thing?
Grinnell Jones
No
I think that would constitute patent infringement. They may look pretty close though.
However, that is not the issue. Do you want proven reliable coupling and uncoupling or are you willing to gamble while maybe saving a few dollars? If you are a gambler then by all means invest in the clones (McHenry comes to mind-there are others).
I think the real truth has already been told on these forums. I have never seen a negative comment about Kadees. Somebody correct me if I am wrong.
What more proof do you need?
Respectfully,
Dave
Have you ever seen post about installing there springs? [(-D]
Other than that they are the best!
Cuda Ken
I am a regular shopper at a quarterly club flea market in my area and usually come home with 3-4 freight cars, some of which have clone couplers. I have never had any good experience with clones and always have a replacement supply of #5s on hand. That is always my first improvement to these used models! Kadee IS the standard and it’s good that some things don’t change! Cedarwoodron
I have got some Walthers plastic pallets covered hoppers lately. They have some kind of clones too but they are the only ones I did not exchange so far. Looks like they do really look and work as reliable as the real thing.
I haven’t seen any of the clones that look better. Some of them and some of the other Kadees are closer in size to the “real” thing. You might want to take a look at Sergents but they aren’t compatible with other brands. Generally, most people find the Kadees last longer than the clones. I haven’t seen reports on longevity of the Sergents.
Good luck
Paul
Those are the new Walthers Proto Max coupler that’s designed after the KD#5 and is completely metal like the KD#5…
I find these couplers equal to KD and will use them with my standard coupler choice-the KD 148.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/920-6001
No
I think that would constitute patent infringement. They may look pretty close though.
The patent on the KD coupler was allowed to expire…This open the door for KD wanna bes and the best of the wanna bes is the Proto Max by Walthers.
As pointed out the Kadee coupler patent has expired. Walther’s has released the Proto Max coupler which appears identical to the Kadee #5. Walther’s recently had the 20 pair bulk pack of Proto Max couplers on sale at which time I bought one pack. They have been installed on everything from Athearn BB 86’ Boxcars to Atlas Hopper cars to various passenger carsand have worked flawlessly. I grabbed another bulk pack before the sale ended I was that satisfied with their performance. If you are upgrading your fleet then you cannot go wrong with the original Kadee and now the Proto Max. Stay away from the others like easy mate, accumate, etc. which are made of plastic. They have not stood up well.
As always the coupler is only as good as the installation.
Good luck
John R
Hi!
Yes, I’ve seen some others that look like KDs, but on closer inspection they are not.
I’ve used KDs since the '70s, and have never had one fail. That is simply amazing to me, but others have reported similar experiences.
Over the years I’ve bought kits and rtr cars that came with couplers other than KD. I confess that most of the time I used what was provided, rather than to open my cigar box of KDs and use those. But once my latest layout was up and running, I found I had problems with a number of those “other” couplers.
Finally it hit me - practice what I preach !! I have since replaced them with KDs, and of course made sure the height was correct and the trip pins (hoses) were adjusted as well.
I’m not saying other couplers “don’t work”, but I am saying the compatibility among them tends to not be all that great. Soooo, stick with properly installed KDs and couplers will not be an issue.
Is that true for the whisker version too? I think Kadee needs some kind of “protection” or they are facing a hard time.
As a matter of practice, I put Kadee couplers on every loco and every piece of rolling stock that I purchase.
I also replace the wheels on every piece of rolling stock with Intermountain metal wheels.
Rich
Most of my cars do not have Kadees but as time goes on I am upgrading them. The Bachmann ez mate II (not the orginal ez mate)work OK on the short trains I run but as time goes on I am replacing them anyway.
I agree the ez mate II works on small trains as does the Accumates-will at least the ones Atlas uses-but,I still highly recommand either the KD or Walthers Protomax coupler over all plastic clones…
I do not like the “scale” McHenery coupler like Athearn uses.I find the knuckle spring is to weak and subject to fail.
I’m not saying other couplers “don’t work”, but I am saying the compatibility among them tends to not be all that great. Soooo, stick with properly installed KDs and couplers will not be an issue.
Interesting statemant at best since all plastic knuckle couplers will couple together and will work until the wanna be’s plastic springs fail…The McHenry plastic “scale” coupler is a fail at best because of the weak knuckle spring…
The Walthers Protomax and KD coupler plays quite well together and one should not be afraid to use the Protmax…
I too am a kadee user, and still have some of the old ones going back to the sixties, having a straight pin hanging down to uncouple. I have had less than .00001 percent failure with the Kadees. I do tend to still use the number 5 even oversize because I know they are reliable and I have spots on my railroad where a coupler failure could take “days” to get to.
I do have some of the smaller Kadees in operation, and again, so far they have proved most reliable. The Sargents are nice, but with a large car fleet like mine, it would be very expensive to convert and I still prefer Kadee. Any car I buy, kit or RTR get the “coupler examination” and if not Kadee, off they come.
Bob
The patents expired, as they are meant to do, which is why there was the whole raft of clones appearing in the late 90’s. Kadees have been the de-facto standard almost since they first appeared - at least after the current style Magna-Matic with delayed action was introduced (they previously had a mechanically operated version, using a diamond ramp to uncouple, and a magnetic version without the delay).
I haven’t found any of the knock off ones that I like, although they are getting better with actual metal springs in them. The older ones with plastic springs are absolutely worthless, the Proto 2000 ones being some of the worst. As a matter of habit, I repalce all non-Kadee with genuine Kadee. Never had one fail, every. Even a covered hopper that took a dive and landed on the cement floor - couplers came through unscathed.
They have a variation to fit any situation, although thankfully in more recent years models have gotten slightly more stnadardized as to coupler mounting height. They also have a more scale size variation that still mates reliably with the ‘full size’ ones.
–Randy
What has bother me of late is finding KD couplers missing knuckle springs straight from the package…
So far on my last 20 pack I needed to replace the spring on 3 couplers and still have about 14 pairs left.No big deal since there is extra springs included and I have adding springs down pat but,still one would expect the springs to be in place on new couplers…
OK, here is another version of my original question: If I open up the coupler box and the coupler looks identical to a Kadee #5 (same parts shapes, spring on the side, flat metal ‘spring thing’), can I assume it is either a genuine Kadee #5 or ‘good enough’? Or, should I replace it with one from a package that says Kadee #5?
If it looks different, I’m going to replace it. Otherwise, if it looks the same ???
We have one vote that if the box says Proto max couplers, it looks the same and is ‘good enough’.
Grinnell
Grinnell,If it is a Walthers Proto Max no…Any other KD clone coupler should be replace asap.
The protoMax is identical to the KD #5 coupler and just as good in every way…
Don’t like these KD coupler fans con you into tossing a perfectly good coupler.
We finally have a real choice of couplers KD or Protomax.
I’m sorry but,the KD only crowd will need to get accustom to a coupler that equals the KD.
We finally have a real choice of couplers KD or Protomax.
That being the case I would think price would be a consideration How do they compare price wise?