In a blind holes, tank cars, and hopper cars, I use 1/4" long screws. In all other situations I use 3/8" or 1/2", it does not really matter.
In most gondola cars the coupler screw goes through to the inside of the car, but the load hides it.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Duplicate post. Sorry.
Concerning the 2-56 screw to hold the coupler box on, how long should the screw be? I'm assuming the length is measured from the bottom of the head of the screw, right? I was thinking 1/4 inch but would 3/8 inch be more secure?
maxman PC101 A tap can be bought, called a plug or bottom tap or one can be ground down. Probably would be a good idea to screw a 2-56 nut onto the tap before grinding off the tap end. That way if the tap threads gets buggered up, loosening the nut will help restore them.
PC101 A tap can be bought, called a plug or bottom tap or one can be ground down.
Probably would be a good idea to screw a 2-56 nut onto the tap before grinding off the tap end.
That way if the tap threads gets buggered up, loosening the nut will help restore them.
Your end nut idea but also with a stop nut behind it is a good idea to keep the ground tip perpendicular to the shaft. The tap I used was a broken one. Wouldn't you think with the tap being harden and the nuts not so, they would not de-bugger the threads? The grinding of the tap was done very slowly while wet and never got hot.
PC101A tap can be bought, called a plug or bottom tap or one can be ground down.
If you get in to a job that requires a shallow screw hole like going into a thin frame and you do not want the screw to come through the flooring like on the end of a caboose, flat car or gondola.
A tap can be bought, called a plug or bottom tap or one can be ground down.
Now you can make full threads to the bottom of that hole in thin material if you cannnot run a tap clean through.
PC101 fisker4jc SeeYou190, For a slightly different project I plan to use the #252 coupler box with #148 whisker coupler,. Question what size screw do I use? Also I'm not sure what you mean by "use a #50 to tap the hole and #44 for the clear hole". Would yoou please explain how each is used. Thanks fisker4JC @fisker4JC, this is some infomation that is on the back of a GENERAL #1251 MODEL RAILROAD REFERENCE RULE. The TAP DRILL will make a hole so that a tap will cut threads in that hole for a screw to be threaded in to it. The CLEAR DRILL will make a hole larger then the screw's diameter so that the screw will slide in/through the hole. Edit; I do like the #44 as said above and below as a CLEAR DRILL for the 2-56 screw. Makes for a perfect sized CLEAR hole. I need to go through my 2-58 tap and drill box and make adjustments for the CLEAR DRILL if they are #42 bits. @doctorwayne I sent you a "message" and I ment to say #44 not #40.
fisker4jc SeeYou190, For a slightly different project I plan to use the #252 coupler box with #148 whisker coupler,. Question what size screw do I use? Also I'm not sure what you mean by "use a #50 to tap the hole and #44 for the clear hole". Would yoou please explain how each is used. Thanks fisker4JC
SeeYou190,
For a slightly different project I plan to use the #252 coupler box with #148 whisker coupler,. Question what size screw do I use? Also I'm not sure what you mean by "use a #50 to tap the hole and #44 for the clear hole". Would yoou please explain how each is used.
Thanks
fisker4JC
@fisker4JC, this is some infomation that is on the back of a GENERAL #1251 MODEL RAILROAD REFERENCE RULE. The TAP DRILL will make a hole so that a tap will cut threads in that hole for a screw to be threaded in to it. The CLEAR DRILL will make a hole larger then the screw's diameter so that the screw will slide in/through the hole.
Edit; I do like the #44 as said above and below as a CLEAR DRILL for the 2-56 screw. Makes for a perfect sized CLEAR hole. I need to go through my 2-58 tap and drill box and make adjustments for the CLEAR DRILL if they are #42 bits.
@doctorwayne I sent you a "message" and I ment to say #44 not #40.
That was fun, I counted my little drill bits and have 217 of #42s' through #80s'.
Now this is interesting, my CLEAR DRILL for a 2-56 screw is a #44 and not a #42.
Then looking at this GENERAL TOOL #15 we see for a 2-56 screw to use a #50 for the TAP DRILL and a #44 for the BODY/CLEAR DRILL.
Interesting how the same Manufacture (GENERAL) on two different tools has different infomation for the same size screw.
I have a lot of Tyco cars from the 1970s. At first I tried using the adapter which includes a Kadee #26 long shank coupler. And as most people discover they work fine going forward but derail when going backwards because it is a truck mounted coupler.
So I now cut off the coupler box from the truck using a pair of wire cutters. Then I glue a piece of sheet styrene onto the bottom of the body using super glue and the glue a kadee #5 in the box onto the sheet styrene. I see a lot of people drill holes and use screws to mount the coupler boxes but I never bothered to do the extra work. Super glue really isn't that super and if needed you can break the bond fairly easily to fix it.
You can't really see the couplers but all of these cars have body mounted Kadee #5 couplers in boxes.
My old Tycos are really old, like late 50s and early 60s. They all have solid metal frames and screw-mounted metal trucks. So, replacing trucks was a simple job of taking off the old ones and putting in new ones. For the couplers, I drilled and tapped the metal frame and used a Kadee draft box and coupler.
I really noticed the improvement in free rolling with the metal wheelsets. My old plastic wheelsets actually had pizza cutter wheels that chattered on Code 83 track.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
fisker4jcSeeYou190, For a slightly different project I plan to use the #252 coupler box with #148 whisker coupler. Question what size screw do I use? Also I'm not sure what you mean by "use a #50 to tap the hole and #44 for the clear hole". Would you please explain how each is used.
It looks like the question was answered already.
The #50 drill is slightly smaller than a 2-56 screw, so there is "meat" for the tap to cut threads into.
The #44 drill is slightly larger than a 2-56 screw, so the screw clears the hole and slips right through it. A #42, or even a #40 which are both larger will also work for clearance holes. They will just have more clearance.
I body mount a #5 coupler.
Then plug the large Tyco hole in the truck mount with a plastic rod.
Place the top of a #5 draft gear box over the hole.
Drill and use a 2-56 screw to hold on Athearn BB trucks.
At first I used to tap the threads but then started to just let the screw self tap. This basically turns the car into a Athearn / MDC car.
Jim
fisker4jcQuestion what size screw do I use? Also I'm not sure what you mean by "use a #50 to tap the hole and #44 for the clear hole". Would you please explain how each is used.
A number 50 drill bit will drill a hole .0700" in diameter, and the #44 tap will cut a thread in that drilled hole.
The screw to secure the draughtgear box should be a #2-56.
It's more likely that many modellers will have a wider range of drill bits, than they will have of taps, for creating threads. I have a fairly good range of both, but for model railroading purposes, there's usually not much need for the bigger taps.
Wayne
fisker4jcThanks for the info.
I hope it helped.
If you have any follow-up questions please do not be shy about asking.
jjdamnit I tried the Kadee TALGO coupler adapter on Tyco 34-foot operating hoppers. Backing them up, running through the crossover made of Atlas Snap Track turnouts, and pulling them up the 3% curve proved unreliable and a headache. I then converted the cars to body-mounted couplers and have had no problems.
I tried the Kadee TALGO coupler adapter on Tyco 34-foot operating hoppers.
Backing them up, running through the crossover made of Atlas Snap Track turnouts, and pulling them up the 3% curve proved unreliable and a headache.
I then converted the cars to body-mounted couplers and have had no problems.
My testing methodology was a bit simpler:
1. Read what people suggest.
2. Believe it.
I've done Tyco hoppers, tank cars, box cars and gondolas, and body mounting the couplers is the way to go.
Hello All,
The cars pulled well on straight and level track.
Just my observations.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
doctorwayneAs far as I'm aware, the snap-together draught gear boxes are made from engineering plastic, and while it's now possible to cement them in place, I like the screw-mount version better, whether it's the snap-togethers or the older ones.
Yes, experience has shown me that gluing coupler boxes in place is a bad idea. A screw is easy to install and the right way to do it.
As far as I'm aware, the snap-together draught gear boxes are made from engineering plastic, and while it's now possible to cement them in place, I like the screw-mount version better, whether it's the snap-togethers or the older ones.
If you're replacing a stock draught gear box on almost any HO scale car, using one from Kadee, it's easy enough to use a couple of suitably-sized drill bits to countersink for a flathead screw that won't be visible unless the car happens to roll over...
This is a Tyco (or perhaps Mantua) gondola, with a Kadee coupler, in a Kadee draught gear box, screwed in-place. Another option would be to cement it in place, but that may limit your ability to remove it, if necessary....
As you can see, I've also modified the original clip-in truck and the original large hole which accommodates it, in the underframe.This allows the original truck, which works perfectly well (I'm not a fan of metal wheels, although they could likely be used, too) to be screw-mounted. The sideframe detail is well-rendered, so no need to buy completely new trucks.
With fresh paint and lettering, and a few added details, Tyco rolling stock can fit in fairly well on most layouts...
BN7150 The products I struggled with most were the 50-ft plug-door boxcars.
The products I struggled with most were the 50-ft plug-door boxcars.
It looks like you and I ended up with similar solutions. Nice work.
I am sort-of looking for the set of DC cars myself. I have not bought any yet, but the Superman seems to be the one that is most expensive.
LastspikemikeBefore you buy #5 couplers take a look at the newer replacement #148 whisker coupler. These newer design couplers are easier to use. Same gearbox.
I have found that the whisker couplers, 40 series and 148, do not work perfectly well in the #232 coupler box that is standard to #5 couplers.
The whisker couplers work perfectly in the #242 universal snap together coupler box. They are also good in the #262 narrow coupler box and the #252 small coupler box.
On a couple of older freight car kits I have, the floor was designed for a #232 coupler box using the ears as mounting locations. I found that if I shimmed the sides and bottom of the #232 coupler box with 0.020" styrene, the 40 series whisker coupler worked well. Ultimately, the easier solution would be to use a 20 series coupler in the #232 box.
The #148 is all I have ever used, even on the Talgo adaptor method.
Mike.
My You Tube
I do the same proceedure as BN7150. I have tried the Kadee #212 talgo adaptor, using the Kadee #230 insertion pick:
https://www.kadee.com/ho-scale-couplers-c-274_276_284/212-ho-scale-talgo-truck-adaptors-p-320.htm
https://www.kadee.com/ho-scale-tools-and-accessories-c-274_282_316/230-ho-talgo-truck-adaptor-insertion-pic-p-322.htm
They worked pretty good, but most of them I ended up using a body mounted coupler.
The products I struggled with most were the 50-ft plug-door boxcars. You can see the method adopted in the photos (click to enlarge).
See below for other models I have experienced.
http://hoscrape.seesaa.net/tag/articles/TYCO
You didn't describe the cars very well. Are these Talgo trucks, with the couplers mounted to the trucks rather than the frame? I had a bunch of them. I decided that coupler replacement would include upgrading the plastic wheels to metal. It quickly became obvious that these old metal trucks weren't going to allow me to swap wheelsets, so I tossed the trucks, bought Kadee coupler boxes, and replaced the wheelsets with Intermountain and the trucks with inexpensive plastic Tichy trucks.
I used rusty brown primer to paint the trucks.
dstarr Drill for a 2-56 machine screw to hold the lid on the coupler box. #44 drill to tap the hole, a #50 drill for a clear hole.
Oops... it is #50 for the tap hole and #44 for the clear hole.
Here is a better picture of the coupler box mounting pads I build up on my freight cars. I don't think this one is a Tyco car, but the method is identical.
Kadee publishes a massive what-fits-what list giving the Kaded coupler to fit every piece of rolling stock ever manufactured over the last fifty years. It is on the web, at the Kadee website, printed in the big Walthers catalog, lots of places. For older cars with truck mounted couplers it will steer up to a truck mounted replacement. If you like, you can convert your truck mounted couplers to body mount. Body mount looks better and will back up a train with fewer derailments. Conversion is easy enough, start with a pair of #5 couplers with coupler boxes. If necessary glue a thin piece of styrene to the bottom of the car to support the coupler box. Glue the coupler box to the bottom of the car or to the styrene piece you added. Drill for a 2-56 machine screw to hold the lid on the coupler box. #50 drill to tap the hole, a #44 drill for a clear hole.
I had the clear drill and tap drill numbers reversed. SeeYou190 (Stratton and Gillette) clued me in and I updated this post.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
fisker4jcI have a number of older TYCO frieght cars that I would like to put knuckle couplers like Kadee
I prefer to cut away the Tyco underframe and install a piece of 0.100" by 0.250" plastic styrene drilled and tapped for 2-56 to attach the Kadee couplers to the body of the freight car.
You can see this modification on the Tyco 40 foot gondola below.
I also have a few sentimental Tyco freight cars, like this PURINA car, that I have modified to run on my layout with Kadee trucks/wheels/couplers and better weight.