can kadee couplers be body mounted to athearn gp38-2’s? too scared to experiment, i have an idea but would prefer to hear how or if others have done it, thanks duane [tracsahead]
duane yes the kadee couplers can be mounted on athearn engines as theres a tab on both ends of the chassis for this purpose. kadee makes couplers that are appropriate for different types of locomotives. if you have the 2006 walthers ho catalog it lists what kadees are good for athearn blue box and RTR engines, also you can go the kadee website at www.kadee.com and they also list what couplers are good for different manufacters engines there.
the athearn blue box engines have a plastic coupler cover that slides over the tab on the chassis and insulates the metal to metal contacts.
hope this helps
tom
The question was can Kadee couplers be mounted on the body of an Athearn engine, not on the chassis. Older models only had the mount on the chassis; I don’t have any of the newer ones so I don’t know how they are mounted.
I’ve mounted couplers on many of the older models’ bodies. It’s a matter of building up a mounting area under the front walkway so the Kadee coupler box can be mounted.
Like this:
I’ve also filled in the gap in the front pilot. The back of the coupler box has been removed to allow clearance. To do this modification, the existing coupler mount on the front of the chassis must be removed, along with about 3/8" of the end of the chassis.
Good luck!
Bob Boudreau
KD recommnds #33 's for the RTR GP-38-2 and #37 for the old kit.
I’d recommend a pkg of 30 series springs, also.
bob, [fundy northern], thanks for the idea, thats what i was thinking, you made it very easy, again thanks, duane [tracsahead].
yes you can mount them but you better have a good dremel tool cut off wheel…here’s how i do it…grind (or if you are into slow, file) the bottom of the stud on the metal frame down enough for the kadee coupler and draft gear box to meet the NMRA coupler height…(and it’s a lot of grinding or filing)…once that is done, drill a hole with a #58 bit (i believe the bit is # 58)…it’s the bit that comes with the KADEE 2-56 drill and tap set dead center into the frame stud…(there is a small hole in the stud that denotes the center of it) …once the hole is drilled, run the 2-56 tap thru the hole and then mount the kadee coupler / draft gear box to the frame stud with a 2-56 screw…I would also use the KADEE # 26 long shank coupler because if you use the standard #5 kadee coupler, the coupler will hang up in the front of the locomotive shell and also you won’t be able to mount a snowplow either because the #5 coupler is too short for this application if you plan to further detail the locomotive…chuck
Lots of work, but as I mentioned in my previous post, the original poster asked about BODY MOUNTING the couplers, and not on the chassis.
Bob Boudreau
When I mount couplers on my my atherns. I just drill out the hole thats on the tab that athearn provides for installing their horn-hook coupler and that funky clip. Then pot a drop of 3n1 oil in the hole and tap it out.
Then I fiddle around with #20 series couplers until I achieve the correct coupler hight. I find that most of the clip from the bottom mounts take a #22. And a cip from the top mount takes a #27 (Because I mount the coupler box on the bottom) F units take a 28 in front and a 23 on a new hole drilled infront of the original in the rear and on B Units.
Hope this helps.
James
P.S. Lately I have been using #58 couplers on installations that have used a #5 or if it needed an overset shank, #58 with the needed shims for the right hight.
James
I always body mount. You end up with a better-looking installation as the under / overset shanks are not needed and the pilot gets filled in.
Jim
This is exactly what I do. There is a cast metal piece available to fill in that hole below the coupler too.
thanks to all for your help, let you know how i made out. duane