I maybe need to clarify something. I mentioned that this particular problem has happened to me before, maybe it was even this particular coupler that gave me a problem. Over the past year, I have had this problem with 2-3 cars, one of them was a caboose, so it wasn't this one, which is a reefer.
Because I have never keep track of these problems, this time has prompted me to write down what car it was, so if it happens again with this car, I will swop out the coupler next time.
I agree CSXNS, Kadee couplers are the best! I feel what is going on here has more to do with conditions in my basement than any quality problem Kadee has.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
I see a lot of people asking if the op was sure it was a Kadee coupler. My question is how can you tell a Kadee from the other brands. I have a container with several compartments I have kept Kadee and other brand couplers . I have compared the various brands and don't see any distinguishing features. Is there a sure way to identify the Kadee? I would like to dispose of the other brands but not sure which ones they are.
My Layout Pics
ROERTHAT,
If it's hard for you,to tell the difference,between,Kadee's and other couplers,,,take a magnet and put it in your container of couplers and nine times out of ten,the couplers,you have on the magnet,will be ,Kadee's,for they are all metal....
Cheers,
Frank
zstripe ROERTHAT, If it's hard for you,to tell the difference,between,Kadee's and other couplers,,,take a magnet and put it in your container of couplers and nine times out of ten,the couplers,you have on the magnet,will be ,Kadee's,for they are all metal.... Cheers, Frank
Not all Kadee couplers are metal, some are plastic.
Rich
Alton Junction
Rich,
If what you say is true,,,For I havn't bought any couplers in years,still have too many left,unused,,#5'S,#58"S,SOME special ones....IF what you say,which I don't doubt,is true,,,I WOULD NOT BUY THEM ANYWAY,,,just my opinion....
Frank, The glad hands on all modern knuckle couplers are made of steel and will be attracted by the magnet, this is what allows the magnets on; or, under the track to uncouple cars, so a magnet is not a sure-fire way to determine if they are Kadees. Furthermore the body of Kadee Couplers are made from non-ferrous metals (Pot Metal?) which are not attracted to a magnet anyway.
With the Kadee Clones on the market, it has become difficult to determine what is a Kadee and what isn't. Accumate couplers are easy to tell as they come as two separate parts. Another tell-tale is the tiny spring on the side of the coupler; but, this doesn't eliminate all of the clones as some also have springs. Maybe the best way to tell is to hold one that you know for sure is a Kadee in one hand and compare it to the one in question. Here is a website that discusses the Kadee clones:
http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/clones.htm
Now that Kadee has come out with couplers with the whisker centering springs, it might be even more difficult to tell them apart.
Frank,
I am not sure why Kadee has plastic couplers in its product line, but all 9 of the standard head type couplers have plastic counterparts.
For example, the metal #5 medium centerset shank, Kadee's most popular coupler, can also be purchased as a #28 or #38 plastic medium centerset shank coupler.
zstripe NP2626, Before,I posted my statement,,I took a,screw driver,that has a magnet,on the end,a small one and it picked up at least,ten,#5's out of the plastic container they were in..Held by knuckles,shanks and trip pins. So,what do you want me to say??? Cheers, Frank
NP2626,
Before,I posted my statement,,I took a,screw driver,that has a magnet,on the end,a small one and it picked up at least,ten,#5's out of the plastic container they were in..Held by knuckles,shanks and trip pins. So,what do you want me to say???
Frankie, that's because all of the couplers in your container are #5 Kadees - - duh.
Rich & Frank, I think the reason they went with plastic, is to insulate locomotives from each other. This is only a factor where the chassis is used as a conductor for the DC operation negative side of the motor circuit. It's also why Kadee offers small plastic screws to mount the coupler boxes with.
Now that makes sense,,,I had completely,forgot,about that fact...
NP2626 Rich & Frank, I think the reason they went with plastic, is to insulate locomotives from each other. This is only a factor where the chassis is used as a conductor for the DC operation negative side of the motor circuit. It's also why Kadee offers small plastic screws to mount the coupler boxes with.
The only plastic shank coupler is the 30 series, why?, not sure if it had anything to do w/ electrical isolation as long as the coupler is mounted in a Kadee draft gear box.
I came to find out about the 30 series from adding Kadee #450s close coupling (3ft) to all my Stewart/ Kato Fs. The torsion spring and "odd" coupler box may need some patience and practice to install but gives the absolute best coupler action of any other installations. The 30 and 40 series allows for the greatest combinations of height installation (the 40 being metal shank) Short, medium and long shanks w/ overset, centerset (as in the #5) and the underset, This along with the box position (lid on top or lid on bottom) allows for greatest number of coupler height positions. The small 30 box works on installs where coupler box will interfere w/ truck
Never had any problem w/ the strength of the 30 (plastic) shank on any of the Stewarts and have pulled some very long trains.
I have come to use the 30 series on a number of locos for its great operation as well as the look of the projecting of the coupler box in relationship to the buffer plate (mainly older GP7-9 and RSs
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
bogp40 The only plastic shank coupler is the 30 series, why?, not sure if it had anything to do w/ electrical isolation as long as the coupler is mounted in a Kadee draft gear box.
Yes, and how many new folks would know not to use the old Blue Box Athearn coupler box, which gives no insulation what so ever?
bogp40,
I installed,the,close coupler, conversion from Kadee,on AB Stewarts,weird set up,,works great though..
NP2626 bogp40 The only plastic shank coupler is the 30 series, why?, not sure if it had anything to do w/ electrical isolation as long as the coupler is mounted in a Kadee draft gear box. Yes, and how many new folks would know not to use the old Blue Box Athearn coupler box, which gives no insulation what so ever?
This is the "beauty" of these Forums, now they would know there is a plastic (isolation) shank to solve the problem. Of coarse I used to cut of the frame lug and body mount, but not everyone will do this. Just makes pilot detailing and plow fitting far better on a BB loco. No need to remove coupler for shell removal and the ugly notch in the pilot can be filled in.
bogp40 The only plastic shank coupler is the 30 series
The only plastic shank coupler is the 30 series
Actually, both the 20-series and the 30-series are plastic couplers.
Some Kadee couplers are plastic or have plastic shanks because they were made for use on locos with 'hot' frames. If you have two such locos, Athearn blue box is a good example, that have all metal couplers mounted directly on the frames this could present a problem. Coupling them nose to tail there's no problem. However, coupling them tail to tail could produce a short between the frames at the couplers. There are three ways to solve this. Cut off the metal coupler pad and mount a Kadee draft gear box and mount the coupler in that. Cut off the metal coupler mount completely and body mount a Kadee draft gear box and mount the coupler in it. Install a plastic shank coupler. Whichever method is used it solves the problem of hot frames shorting each other out.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
jeffrey-wimberlyAthearn blue box is a good example, that have all metal couplers mounted directly on the frames this could present a problem. Coupling them nose to tail there's no problem. However, coupling them tail to tail could produce a short between the frames at the couplers.
Indeed..When I first started using KDs in '68 I french fried a pair of knuckle springs..Lesson learned..I isolated the coupler by using a KD washer between the coupler and frame..I wised up in the late 70s and started using the KD coupler box.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIEWhen I first started using KDs in '68 I french fried a pair of knuckle springs
Kadee's plastic couplers are also useful for locos with "hot" frames which have no room for the draught gear box. The pilots of most brass steam locos are normally fitted with cast brass dummy couplers, and a friend with quite a few such locos insisted that they all have working couplers on their pilots, as he often double- or triple-headed steam.Most such locos needed the dummy coupler removed and its draught gear casting un-soldered from the pilot, to allow enlargement of the pilot opening. Some, especially switchers, could easily accept a fully-functional Kadee, while others had only enough room for the coupler itself, with no way for it to automatically centre - metal couplers needed, of course, to be insulated, but an insulating washer and a Kadee Delrin screw usually did the trick. Some locos also required that the trip pin be cut off to clear the pilot.
He had at least a couple of locos where none of these techniques would work without drastically altering the appearance of the loco's front end. One had a drop coupler (with a fitted-dummy which could be installed in either the operating or dropped position) and another which had a swing coupler, also manually positionable. I used plastic Kadees (can't remember which) to re-fit both locos, simply shortening the coupler's shank to match that of the dummy's. After drilling the shortened shank to accept the screw which held the dummy in place, and removing the trip pin, the couplers were installed with no other visible modification to the locos. Because of the greater size of the Kadee coupler head, neither could could be swung out of the way like the to-scale dummies, but both were operable for coupling. When running behind another loco, the coupler swing on the lead loco's tender was sufficient to supplement the limited swing of the pilot-mounted ones - probably fortunate that his layout had very broad mainline curves.
Wayne
Going back to the original problem, I follow the same philosophy that the Air Force taught me.
If something is defective, replace it and get the asset back into service. Then, at your leisure, inspect, dissect and determine what caused the defect. If the part can be repaired, do so and return it to stock. BUT - don't spend ten dollars worth of time playing with a two-buck item.
Kadee couplers WILL suffer from excessive coupler impact - especially if the car landed coupler-down on a hard surface after an off-layout sky dive. Don't ask how I know this...
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Chuck,
I could not have said it better myself!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
This thread continues to have a life of it's own, which is fine by me. However, back on page two, I did post that the problem had been resolved:
"Snip" (Problem cured! A small dab of Marvel's Mystery Oil on the pin and some vigorous working of the action fixed the stickiness of this coupler.
I'm surprised at how most of you would have simply given up and replaced the coupler! Total time invested in the two failed attempts and final repair was maybe 5 minutes. Yes, the cost to replace would have been less than .80 cents. However, I just don't throw in the towel at the slightest inconvenience and I find pleasure in fixing things. I guess we truly are a throw away society!)
NP2626"Snip" (Problem cured! A small dab of Marvel's Mystery Oil on the pin and some vigorous working of the action fixed the stickiness of this coupler.
NP2626 This thread continues to have a life of it's own, which is fine by me. However, back on page two, I did post that the problem had been resolved:
I never have a problem with that. Often, even though the OP resolves his problem or gets his question answered, the thread inevitably takes twists and turns. So, it is natural to continue the thread to resolve tangential issues or address related questions. This thread continues to be interesting, so why end it?
Rich, Certainly I have no intentions of ending it.
Jeffrey-Wemberly, No one knows how long the fix will last. If i fails again, I will toss that coupler away. As I stated earlier, I have a log on this particular problem, with this car.
NP2626No one knows how long the fix will last. If i fails again, I will toss that coupler away. As I stated earlier, I have a log on this particular problem, with this car.
Hey, I hope the OP didn't include me in the group that "gives up too early"........ In my last post I stated that if it took me longer than 5 minutes to resolve, it gets trashcanned. With something as relatively simple as a KD, if it takes you longer than 5 minutes to determine if its fixable or not, well .....................
I was in,Viet Nam,1967, HQtrs,Btry,8 inch self-propelled,artillery,Radio Teletype Operator and Repair Tech..When the firing,Btrys,had a problem with their equipment,I had to board, a Huey Gunship and replace the unit,not repair it,not there anyway,,, As far as I was concerned,,5 minutes being there was too long....
My naturally inquisitive nature and deep interest in what makes things tick, doesn't allow me to have a quick and dirty rule about how much time I will spend investigating a problem. Doesn't matter what the cost of the item I'm investigating is, although if it is expensive, it certainly will get more time. I find these investigations, fun to do and isn't this hobby about having fun?
I couldn't agree more - the hobby is about fun.
And when doing something that turns from fun to frustration, I typically just "leave the room" and come back later on. If its something inexpensive, easy to replace, I MAY well take the easy way out and just replace it.
After all, its a hobby, not a job or career.