changing to knuckle couplers

[psychobeagle12]

I have a question about changing between hornhook couplers and knuckle couplers. I have a bunch of rolling stock that has all hornhook couplers on it and I want to convert the couplers to magnetic knuckle couplers. All of my couplers are currently mounted on the trucks but I want to body-mount the knuckles. Is this going to be particularly hard to do? I also plan to change the trucks so that won't be an issue unless I can't change the couplers. Can anyone give me any advice on doing this, and also are there any tutorials that anyone knows about? Did a google search but didn't get many results so any info is appreciated!

 

[bigB]

In a nutshell, no, the conversions are not hard, but some will be harder than others and some, depending on the quality of your rolling stock, wont be worth converting.

When you buy your couplers, try to buy in bulk packs when theyre on sale. Make sure to shop around!

Here's a great place to start...

http://www.kadee.com/conv/ho.htm

Best of luck,

Brad

 

[psychobeagle12]

thanks for that link! it was very informative. I think that most of my stuff is worth converting; if i run into problems i will most likely just refrain from converting the problem cars. thanks again!

 

[tooter]

I buy a lot of old stuff and convert them all to knuckle couplers, and my hands down favorite is the Kadee #148 "whisker' coupler...

There are very few old cars you can't convert with these. Some don't need the Kadee box. On many cars you just take the hornhook out of the existing box and put in the Kadee.

The #148 is also the perfect scratchbuilding coupler because you simply put the coupler in the box, snap on the lid, and glue the whole assembly onto the underside of the deck. I also buy in bulk for a good deal, because I use a lot of them.

Greg