I am thinking about replacing all the couplers on my HO locomotives and cars. I have read that it is best to put the couplers on the body of the cars rather than on the trucks. But there are so many types of couplers, what should I use?
Body mounted couplers usually work better. However, you will either need to cut the current couplers off of the trucks or replace the trucks also. Replacing the trucks can cost more than some cars are worth. That is your decision. You need to decide if you want to replace the plastic wheels with metal ones. Metal wheels usually roll better and create list crud on the tracks.
Kadee couplers are usually considered the best replacement couplers because they are rugged and the have many variations to fit different cars and locos. If you go to the Kadee web site they have a tab called “Coupler Conversions” which lists the couplers which work on different cars and locos. Most cars will use a Kadee #5 coupler or the whisker spring equivalent. Since these are the most common they are sold in bulk packs which will save you money.
There are other companies that make knuckle type couplers out of either plastic or metal. I would stay away from the plastic ones. Some are more or less compatible with Kadees, but it you are replacing couplers it would be best to standardize.
Body mount couplers permit longer backing operations than truck mount. With truck mount couplers there is always a little bit of misalignment, which creates a twisting force on the truck which will lift a flange over the railhead, and then the car is on the ground. Body mount couplers push on the chassis of the car and don’t twist the trucks. Long cars, passenger cars will work better with truck mount couplers if you have sharp (18") curves. On curves, the long car body (and its body mount coupler) swing far out from the centerline of the track. Too much of this and one car will pull the other off the track. Short cars (40-50 scale feet) work fine with body mount.
Kadee invented the model train knuckle coupler back in the 1950’s and they still make the best. Kadee’s patents finally expired sometime in the 1990’s and competitors began to market Kadee “clones”, couplers that looked like Kadee, would intermate with Kadee and sometimes last a good long time. The early clones replaced the Kadee coil knuckle spring with a plastic finger which swiftly lost its spring, letting the knuckle flop open and uncouple the train. Newer clones have coil springs on the knuckle. Most clone production goes on RTR or kit rolling stock. The few times I see clone couplers sold a replacements, they are as expensive as genuine Kadees. So why mess around? Kadee is the best, why settle for less? There are a few limited production oddball couplers, Accurail has one, Pelle Soeburg did an MR article on converting his fleet to a new coupler that I had never heard of. Far as I am concerned, for the year 2015, there are Kadee’s, and Kadee clones. Everything else is obsolete, limited production, and not worth considering.
The standard Kadee coupler is a #5 coupler. Most freight cars take a #5. Locomotives and other cars can be trickier. K
Should You decide to use Kadee coupler’s, here is a link to Kadee’s coupler conversion chart and more Info:
http://www.kadee.com/conv/hocc.htm
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
Make sure you get the coupler height gauge and the coupler trip pin tool. Might get some "Grease-Em also.
Drill and tap for 2-56 screws and some 2-56 machine screws for mounting couplers.
The Kadee website says it all.
Rich
There are many coupler brands but Kadee are the only ones you should buy - end of story.
I tried some of the clones of Kadee thinking I could save some money. Now I am replacing the clones with Kadees. So it cost me a lot more.
Stick with Kadees.
South Penn
I have removed the McHenry couplers, plastic, from Bachmann products and replaced them with Kadee.
FYI. #5 couplers are over size if you count all the rivets. Kadee does sell versions that are more to scale.
My old time late 1800’s shorter cars looked like a boy wearing his father’s shoes with the #5. I had to go with the old time coupler before Kadee came out with the more scale version.
Rich
On my rolling stock I have noticed that on long trains Kadee’s are stronger and last far longer than the clones.
However, on short trains I do not notice much of a difference as the clones are not subject to the same amount of weight. So on a bunch of rolling stock that I more or less keep confined to short trains I do not bother to replace the clones.
I use KD #148s and Walthers Protomax coupler which is the same as the KD #5.These couplers come equipped on Walthers RTR cars and I see no need to change them out since they work as well as the KD.
Great answers to my request. Thanks for your replies!