BATMAN Thanks, Rob I'll take a look and maybe bend his ear as well.
Thanks, Rob I'll take a look and maybe bend his ear as well.
BATMANDo you think the #148 whisker coupler will do the trick?
Can't hurt to try. Even if they get a little "snug" on the curves, as long as they don't put too much lateral stress on the carbody. Switches and S curves you'll have to keep an eye on, though.
Most of my brass passenger cars have the long shanks, too. Don't recall ever seeing any kind of swing-type draft gear ever used on those.
Some modelers use a long shank on one end and a short on the other to split the difference, if you run the cars as a group and don't plan on truning them around.
Good Luck, Ed
Hello All,
The first thing I do with any of my rolling stock; including locomotives, is swap out the stock couplers to Kadees.
BATMANI want to stay with scale size and shank length...
If you are considering Kadees then the #158 would be more appropriate.
That depends on the coupler pocket or draft gear box.
As has been mentioned Kadee has an extensive list of coupler conversions.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Ed, Most of my curves are 34" or above sneaking down to 32" in a couple of 30 degree turns. Do you think the #148 whisker coupler will do the trick?
BATMAN Talk to rapido Brent . They have made many of their 'rapido bits " available over the years you might just be able to purchase the same couplers from them as a replacement piece. Looking at their later and current car kits it looks like the same couplers are still being used. I was always battling with the stock couplers and kept swearing to replace them. Now a couple have actually broken the time has come for an upgrade.
Talk to rapido Brent . They have made many of their 'rapido bits " available over the years you might just be able to purchase the same couplers from them as a replacement piece. Looking at their later and current car kits it looks like the same couplers are still being used.
I was always battling with the stock couplers and kept swearing to replace them. Now a couple have actually broken the time has come for an upgrade.
rob
Hi, Brent
I have four of the Continental-Line coaches I bought for my Erie-Lackawanna commuter train. They were awful as far as operating "qualities". Finally, out of desperation I decided to "tune them up".
The first thing I did was remove the trucks and shave away much of the piping around the truck-swing area. Then I replaced the trucks with later version Rapido trucks, which have electrical pickup
https://www.rapidotrains.com/products/ho-scale/accessories/ho-scale-41-bno-11-outside-swinghanger-passenger-trucks
I think I bought a pack of five. THEY made a big difference in running quality. I also carefully cemented the walls to the car floor using mini bar clamps and a thicker-bodied styrene cement.
Finally, couplers. Since they werent in a swing-style draft gear I went with the 146 long-shank Kadee whisker coupler (IIRC).
They now run fine. I have 32" radius curves. Maybe a few short runs of 30". If your curves are tighter, I would go with these 451s:
https://www.kadee.com/ho-scale-couplers-c-272_230_231/451-extended-swing-gearbox-and-whisker-metal-couplers-p-359.htm
trolleyboy Talk to rapido Brent . They have made many of their 'rapido bits " available over the years you might just be able to purchase the same couplers from them as a replacement piece. Looking at their later and current car kits it looks like the same couplers are still being used.
The Kadee site has an estensive list telling you which coouplers to use on most rolling stock. Since you know the maker, it should give you a match. If not, give them a call.
Good luck,
Richard
I need to replace the couplers on my Rapido Super Continental Line as I think the old ones are just worn out from all the miles I have put on them. What Kadee's do people recommend as the replacement. I want to stay with scale size and shank length as I have not had any issues with what they came with until now.
I have had these coaches a long time, can't remember what year they came out but the coupler plastic seems a little brittle as a couple have broken.
As always thanks.