Couplers: To Kadee or not to Kadee.

[joecool1212]

Im with orsonroy. the metal kds hold up the best. Ive tried everything else and they either break bend or warp. When I find a good thing I stick with it. Joe

[Anonymous]

Kadee couplers are great, but stay away from EZ-Mate. I have several cars with EZ-Mates, and 9 out of 10 of the car have their couplers broken by the end of their first run. Luckily, the one EZ-Mate-equipped engine that doesn't have any broken knuckles is my K4.

[AggroJones]

EZmates and Mchenrys(spelling?) require a shim in the coupler box to make them stand correctly.

[Anonymous]

I don't replace the Accumate, EZmates or other knucle couplers. I use them as they are compatable with Kadees. If there are horn hooks, they get replaced with Kadees. I will continue to buy Kadee couplers for horn hook replacement as I feel Kadees are still the best. However, I think EZmates are very close!

[orsonroy]

Nothing runs on my layout unless it's equipped with ah Kadee coupler (I'm standardizing on the new semi-scale 58/78 series, but I still have a few 5's running around). I tried EVERY plastic coupler that's come out, up to two years ago when I made the decision to stay with the 58. Plastic couplers are cheap.....and you get what you pay for. They break, they stretch, they warp, tey don't work as well as Kadees, and they're not as good with taking a blow to the head. The Accurail couplers are solid and work well, but don't like to couple to Kadees. Kadee also has the largest line of couplers available, meaning that you can solve any strange coupler problem with a Kadee product.

I don't care what coupler manufacturers add to their stuff, since I'll be replacing it. What gets me ticked off is when I get a RTR car and the coupler box and cover are glued on, and I have to spend 20 minutes trying to pry it off, inevitably breaking something else in the process.

[Anonymous]

Since it seems that just about all kits and R-T-R models come with a much better coupler then the old "horn hook" style, do many people still replace the coupler that comes in the box with a Kadee coupler.



Jim