Coupler and wheel question


Thanks Mr.SP for the description, but mostly I wanted to know how the KaDee #5 couplers can be uncoupled with magnets?? I tried putting a large magnet under the rails, but this didn't help to uncouple. How can the uncoupling be done?

I also noticed another thing, that when I changed the couplers on some of my boscars' trucks, the coupler was too short, when attached to the truck, and the cars almost touch each other. Are there any longer KaDee's which are similar to #5 but longer?

Thanks
 
Maxitrains said:
My KaDee couplers #5's arrived about a week ago, and I only changed a few couplers so far. But the problem now is HOW the heck do these couplers work to disengage, I tried to put a magnet under thte track, but still no action, I also tried a SPEAKER's magnet 5" dia. and still no go. Could someone kindly explain to me how this should work?
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On a kadee uncoupler magnet is a thin piece of steel that makes the magnet delayed so you can uncouple & then push the car to a dock & pull away w/out it coupling back up. Even the between the rails magnet has a thin pc. of steel molded into the bottim of the magnet. Try taking a small magnet & putting a small 22ga. pc. of sheetmetal on the bottom & you will see what I'm talking about.

Larry
Click to expand...
 
Well I tried putting a magnet under the rails with a metal plate on it, but the couplers seem not to be opening!!! what am I doing wrong?
 
Maxitrains said:
Well I tried putting a magnet under the rails with a metal plate on it, but the couplers seem not to be opening!!! what am I doing wrong?
Click to expand...

How close to the bottom of the rail is the magnet? It can only be a thin magnet. The magnet has to be right up against the ties. Hope you don't have dummy couplers.:confused:

Larry
 
Well I bought the yellow bag No.5 Magne-Matic Metal Couplers KaDee HO scale. The magnet I'm using at the moment is a cupboard magnet the ones sandwiched with thin metal plates, and I'm trying to place it under the tiesmaybe it has to be a more powerful magnet?
 
Maxitrains said:
Well I bought the yellow bag No.5 Magne-Matic Metal Couplers KaDee HO scale. The magnet I'm using at the moment is a cupboard magnet the ones sandwiched with thin metal plates, and I'm trying to place it under the tiesmaybe it has to be a more powerful magnet?
Click to expand...

The Kadee magnets are pretty strong. Do you have the magnet against a board under the ties? The metal plate can "only" be under the magnet, not on top or in the middle. A frig magnet is not very strong. A magnet on the back of a badge is real strong, like the one that you put on a shirt that has the attaching magnet that goes inside your shirt.
any more questions? I'll keep giving U idea's until we/you figure it out.

Larry
 
Thanks Larry, I will try to find a magnet powerful enough to do the job, or else I will try to make a sort of celonoid for a temporary magnet with a push to make switch, this way it should be very strong.
 
Forgot to say something. Do you stop the connected cars over the top of the magnet, so they will unhook?
 
Sure I do, I actually stop them over the magnet and leave them there for about 5 mins or more. I think its not that delayed though :)
 
Thanks, I went to visit it, I mainly had the idea of how they work, the problem is that mine are not working like that, but I think its because I'm using a wrong method and a weak magnet. I will try to find a better magnet. or try with a coil temp. magnet.
 
I don't use magnets. I use shish-kabob skewers. Put the pointed in inbetween the knuckles and twist the skewer. The lever action will open the knuckles.

Here in the states, a package of 100 skewers is a couple of bucks. Take about 50 for yourself and tell the wife that it's fondue time. Score a few points to distract her from the $$$ you're spending on the model RR.

Yes, you can get longer shank #5s. The Kadee site should tell you what number to buy.

Kennedy
 
Kennedy, thanks for your suggestion, but my layout is 5ft x 9 ft and cannot go under the table at the furthest point with a skewer to uncouple a car or 2 :D. electronics were invented to make life easier, more over simple magnets will make uncoupling easier :D I think I only have to find the right ones yet, or the right system to make it work remotely.

Anyway I will keep your suggestion in the library in the eventuality that I cannot work with anything ( without offence ).
 
OK I am still working on teh couplers, unfortunately while I was working on the truck of this gondola I broke part of the clipping pin which holds the truck in place, is there any way how I can repair this, Nothing came to my mind so far

Gondola3.jpg


I also would like to know if the couplers lenght is good as shown in the pics or if it is short.

Box-60.jpg

Gondola2.jpg
 
First, those couplers look way to close to the car bodies. What kind of Kadee are you using and are the couplers truck or body mounted? I suspect they are truck mounted and you are going to need a long shank coupler if you want to stay with truck mounting. I'd change them all to body mounting using the Kadee coupler mount box and some 2-56 screws.

The snapped pin problem looks like it's from an AHM car. There are several ways to fix this but, assuming you don't want to (or can) swap out trucks, you can use a small wood screw as a self tapping screw in the plastic. The head has to be small enough to fit in the cavity left by the pin in the truck. I would get rid of that truck and replace it with a cheap Athearn truck. You can then fill the hole in the body with putty and drill and tap for a standard Athearn truck screw.

Unless I'm looking at the picture of the truck sitting on the track wrong, you've got the brass centering plate upside down. The flat side should be at the bottom of the coupler box when looking at the coupler right side up. You need to review the Kadee instructions to make sure you understand how to install a coupler correctly.
 
Those couplers are mounted to close in to the bodies. Take his advise and cut off the boxes from the trucks and use the boxes that came with the couplers and body mount them.
That truck is an AHM, and finding one for replcaement is gonna be almost impossible, unless someone would be nice and send you one.

UP2CSX said:
Unless I'm looking at the picture of the truck sitting on the track wrong, you've got the brass centering plate upside down. The flat side should be at the bottom of the coupler box when looking at the coupler right side up. You need to review the Kadee instructions to make sure you understand how to install a coupler correctly.
Click to expand...

Actually the centering spring is installed on top of the coupler, so he does have them installed correctly.
http://www.kadee.com/html/5ins.pdf
 
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Well I was thinking actually of body mount the couplers but there is little space from the trucks to the end of the car, so I don't know if these will fit correctly.

As you can see from these pictures, the trucks are placed very near the end of the trucks, with little space left to work

Coup_1a.jpg


Coup_2b.jpg


Coup_5a.jpg




BTW those cars are ROCO
 
The problems you are having with uncoupling might be solved easier by getting the proper uncouplers from Kadee. Under track magnets sell for $4.25 and the electric uncouplers are $15.95. It would probably solve your headaches. Ron
 
I am already working on making an electric uncoupler myself, will post again when I have results.

I'm mostly concerned about the couplers on the trucks, which are short, and when trying to fit them directly on the car, there seems to be no enough space, the truck might hit the coupler box and not turn as it should.
 
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