I have a Super Weight F-7A but have a pocket question. My older BB's coupler pockets are part of the chassis and will not move. My PK's pockets move, they have a coupper strip that acts as a spring. So coupler box moves and so does the coupler.
F-7A Super Weight Box is help on with a screw (much better than the older BB's Athearns) but should it move freely like the PK's or be ridged like the older BB's?
Just had a nasty derail and found the box kicked to one side. It was pulling horn hook trucked mounted cars that are 95% good pullers.
I had it pretty tight, but still it moved. Should I make it free moving or glue the coupler box so it will not?
Idiot Ken, but not throwing stuff again.
I hate Rust
I have never heard of the American Limited close coupling kite. Is that something a good LHS shoould have in stock?
Anyone eles?
Cuda Ken
I need to add, there is a washer under the box to lower the coupler so it would hook to the power B unit.
Ken
cudaken wrote: I have never heard of the American Limited close coupling kite. Is that something a good LHS shoould have in stock? - Cuda Ken
I have never heard of the American Limited close coupling kite. Is that something a good LHS shoould have in stock? - Cuda Ken
You aren't there yet.
TRY a Kadee #246 tap, drill, and a Pin Vise to 'mount' your coupler like the F-7A Super.
MOST of you problems are caused by your buying USED equipment
Cars with Talgo (truck mounted) couplers are more prone to derailing. 1. especially when backing up. 2. also when 'mixing with regular cars. Bad!.
Don. this is the one of the few Engines I bought new. Coupler height was a from the off set. Ken from K-10 Trains added the washer.
I turly hate beeing so dumb but what is a " Kadee #246 tap, drill, and a Pin Vise"? Might as well be Greek. Guess that is the hard part for me and skilled people that are trying to help me. I don't know the names of the makers or the terms for the parts.
Cuda Ken, still stupid but getting better.
cudaken wrote: Don. this is the one of the few Engines I bought new. Coupler height was a from the off set. Ken from K-10 Trains added the washer. I turly hate beeing so dumb but what is a " Kadee #246 tap, drill, and a Pin Vise"? Might as well be Greek. Guess that is the hard part for me and skilled people that are trying to help me. I don't know the names of the makers or the terms for the parts. Cuda Ken, still stupid but getting better.
You ain't dumb at all, just new to this stuff. I understand that you have a hard time getting over to K-10, but take this in as a shopping list. That is the best thing to do instead of trying to order blind. But in the meantime, here are some references....
http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page164.htm
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=21105
cudaken wrote: Don. this is the one of the few Engines I bought new. Coupler height was a from the off set. Ken from K-10 Trains added the washer.
An Athearn F-7A Super is not necessarily new, Athearn BB engines came in kit form, and the 'horn hook' couplers were held in place by a sprung piece of 'U' shaped metal.
Installing a Kadee coupler with the Kadee box and spring secured by a 2-56 screw was somebody's modification. To do that, a pin vise, #50 drill bit, and 2-56 tap drill is needed. Tap drills need to be worked back-and-forth.
It's called 'Modeling'. If you want equipment to run with minimal efforts on your part, you should have purchased better equipment, and stayed with a single brand
First things first. If the track is bad, EVERYTHING will be bad. Sound familiar? Priority I should be getting track that works.Until then you are wasting everyones time - including your own.
emdgp92 wrote:To add to what Don has said, mounting Kadees on an Athearn F unit is pretty straightforward. When I did mine, I drilled out the coupler pad with a #50 drill bit in my Dremel motor tool. Then, I used a 2-56 tap on the hole. "Tapping" means that you're going to put screw threads inside the hole. Whenever I use a tap, I turn it forward a turn or two, then back it out a turn. This way, the metal chips can fall out. If you don't do this, you risk breaking the tap...which is a royal pain to remove!With that out of the way, you can then install a Kadee coupler on either end. When I did mine, I put a #27 on the nose, and a #7 on the rear of the A unit...and #7s on both ends of the B unit.
Actually, this is closer to machinist type work. One thing not mentioned above that will save you LOTS of headaches with broken taps in metal parts: USE CUTTING OIL on the tap. The forward and back action listed above is a must, and I'll add "back it off any time you feel the tap getting harder to turn." This is what they feel like right before they break. (Yes, that's the voice of experience). Also, with the tap, be careful that you keep it perpendicular with the hole, don't wobble it side to side.
BTW, to break down the numbers above: a 2-56 screw/nut/tap is a number 2 (diameter) with a 56 thread (threads per inch). The number 50 drill is .070 inch diameter and is the pilot drill for a 2-56 tap. These should also be available at a good hardware store. 2-56 screws of all lengths and head types should be available at most hobby shops. If all else fails, check the model airplane (flying) section of the shop. For example, a 2-56 x 3/8 RH is a 2-56 size screw with a 3/8 inch long shank and a round head.
Csmaith, thanks for the Micro Mark link! Boy I wished I had know about them before. My rails would be a lot better is I had knowen about the tools that are made for laying them! Never knew there was a tool you could lay on flex track to keep it straight and 1 to keep them 3" a part. I all so wonder why I got extra springs with the Kadee couplers, thought I needed to train ants to replaces the spring.
On my needing to drill, tap the F-7, why? My coupler box is all ready held on with a screw, is the factory screw and hole no good? I don't think there is suffcent room to added a second screw.
Cuda Ken, want tools again.
cudaken wrote: On my needing to drill, tap the F-7, why? My coupler box is all ready held on with a screw, is the factory screw and hole no good? I don't think there is suffcent room to added a second screw.
Why switch the coupler box? A Kadee should just drop in right?
PS, as far as drilling and tapping the older Atherans, that I understand. Plus they fit badly. Have to use glue to keep them hooked to the chassis.
cudaken wrote: Why switch the coupler box? A Kadee should just drop in right? Cuda Ken PS, as far as drilling and tapping the older Atherans, that I understand. Plus they fit badly. Have to use glue to keep them hooked to the chassis.
A couple reasons come to mind. First, the frame of the Athearn engine is hot, as it is electrically connected to one of the rails. If you put a metal coupler in the cast on box, it's hot, too, and double heading engines can cause a short through the couplers if they're coupled back to back (facing opposite directions).
Second, before the offset head couplers were introduced, the height had to be adjusted by trimming or shimming the mount, not possible with the cast on coupler box.
cudaken wrote: . On my needing to drill, tap the F-7, why? My coupler box is all ready held on with a screw, is the factory screw and hole no good? I don't think there is suffcent room to added a second screw. Cuda Ken, want tools again.
.
Cuda:
Athearn engines DON'T come with Kadee couplers. If you have one that HAS, it's been modiffied. One brand's modfications's do not necessarily fit another's. If you want to play 'Shortcut city', count me out.
SOMEWHERE, you have to start with a common denominator. You haven't.
How old are you?