What's the Trick to Assembling Kadee Couplers?


diburning

diburning

AlcoHaulic
What's the trick to assembling Kadee couplers that have the centering spring (a coil spring) between the coupler hole and the bolster?

(This kind, for those who don't know what I am talking about)

38072.jpg


I have an Atlas Thrall Gondola with narrow scale width coupler pockets. I had to transplant a pair of Kadee #78s (they come pre-assembled) into the Atlas pockets. Half an hour and 20+ missing springs later, I finally got them in. (They use the same springs as the knuckle springs on the #5 couplers)
 
Wow, I've never seen that model before. Looks like a major pain in the rear to assemble!

I would start with putting the coupler on the lower piece, then put the centering spring around a thin piece of wire, sticking the end of the wire into the spring pocket, then hold the spring compressed in place with a small knife while you slip the wire out of the spring. Hopefully it will drop into place.

Alternatively ... Put the coupler on the lower piece, then using a tiny pair of tweezers compress the spring and pick it up. Place it, compressed, in the pocket and hold it down with a tiny flathead screwdriver. While holding the spring down with the screwdriver loosen your tweezer grip slightly and lift the tweezers out.

Get the lid on before it pops out!
________
Wendie 99
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I haven't seen that model previously either, but if I were to tackle it, this is how I would:

1. Assemble the bottom and the coupler together
2. Put the top on only 1/2 way from the back so that 1/2 the slot for the spring is exposed (or a little more). Keep this assembly squished between fingers.
3. Slide the spring in and compress it so that it will drop into the slot.
4. Slide the top forward to cover the spring slot.
5. Secure to car.

Having never tried this, I have no idea if it would work. I'd probably end up here asking exactly the same question ;)
 
I used a flathead screwdriver in my right hand to pick up the spring and compressed it into the area where the spring belongs (theres no notch or anything like that the hold the spring in) while my left hand is holding the coupler steady in the pocket so that it doesn't pop up/out/sideways/etc and shoot the spring out. The trip pin didn't allow for me to assemble it on a flat surface (the lid goes on TOP of the coupler, and the Atlas coupler pocket is also attached to the bolster so I can't just flip it)

After slipping the spring in, my right hand had to drop the screwdriver quickly to grab the lid and snap it on before the spring flew out.

The tweezers idea sounds like a good one. I gotta try that.
 
Eric, PM me & I'll send you a bunch of those old Kadee's if you want them. Haven't used any of those since the mid 70's. Also, have some w/the straight shank instead of the rounded body where the spring goes. Stopped using that type a long time ago. I now use the Kadee Whisker coupler that has the snap-in lid.
 
Put a tiny drop of walthers Goo on one end of the spring and let it set up in the coupler shank....then you can slip the spring in with a flat screwdriver. any contact cement will do, we're talking a tiny dab, just enough to keep the spring from escaping.

Dick
 
I use an Xacto knife with a #11 blade to slide into the spring and hold it in place. Get the spring on the blade, hold the lid on top of the coupler, just behind where it goes as described above, slide in the spring, push the lid forward, and slip the knife out of the way.
It sounds harder than it is.
 
yea an xacto blade works wonders to grab the springs . I use them to put the springs back in the knuckel. Also when your putting them in on the work bench. put down a new clean paper towel across the bench. it makes it easy to find the brass colored springs on the white towel when the shoot out.
 
Kadee also makes a nice spring picker that works really well, and it's not expensive. The old #11 blade works almost as well.
 
I pin the coupler arm to the draft box with a small allen wrench stuck to a large magnet. One end of the magnetic spring sticks while I simply push in the other end with a toothpick. The magnet then holds it in place while I put on the lid.:)
 
Why even use those archaic couplers. Use the new Kadee whisker couplers that just drop in the coupler box w/o anything else required. They even come in scale sizes vs the Kadee standard sizes.
 
Larry said:
Eric, PM me & I'll send you a bunch of those old Kadee's if you want them. Haven't used any of those since the mid 70's. Also, have some w/the straight shank instead of the rounded body where the spring goes. Stopped using that type a long time ago. I now use the Kadee Whisker coupler that has the snap-in lid.
Click to expand...

No thanks, these things are a pain! I want to stay away from them as much as possible :D

bnsf971 said:
I use an Xacto knife with a #11 blade to slide into the spring and hold it in place. Get the spring on the blade, hold the lid on top of the coupler, just behind where it goes as described above, slide in the spring, push the lid forward, and slip the knife out of the way.
It sounds harder than it is.
Click to expand...

I've tried that. I have feel that I have better control with a screwdriver.

Espeefan said:
Kadee also makes a nice spring picker that works really well, and it's not expensive. The old #11 blade works almost as well.
Click to expand...

Now that I think of it, I have one, but I'm not sure where it is :D

hamltnblue said:
Any chance of changing the coupler pocket and using a numbe 5 or 148 instead?
Click to expand...

The car I was changing the couplers on, an Atlas Thrall gondola had the coupler pocket attached to the bolster where the truck screws into. If I cut off the coupler pocket, I'd have a hard time gluing in a new one due to the underbody detail. The stock coupler pocket also has the air hose detail attached so if I replace it, I'd lose that.

cajon said:
Why even use those archaic couplers. Use the new Kadee whisker couplers that just drop in the coupler box w/o anything else required. They even come in scale sizes vs the Kadee standard sizes.
Click to expand...

They won't fit the narrow scale width coupler pocket. A 148 was the first thing I tried ;) Kadee DOES make a #178 whisker coupler that should fit, but none of the stores have it yet. I don't think Kadee has released them yet. I haven't seen any on ebay or elsewhere.
 
I already looked it up. All of the narrow-mount couplers that fit scale coupler pockets will do, and Atlas recommended the #78
 
You must log in or register to reply here.



Back
Top