Old 80's sets coupler replacement.

[Alexraptor]

I just took and dug out my old CN and CP Rail bachmann sets that we bought when i lived in Canada(living in Sweden now) in the 80's after having been tucked away in the attic for years. Over the years many of the couplers have broken, and when looking for replacements i found that the old X2F Horn couplers have been replaced with knuckle couplers.
So the question is, how do i go about replacing the old X2F with modern knuckles? And which kind of knuckle couplers should i use? I see bachmann makes their own, but i have heard a lot of good about the Kadee couplers.

[SteamGene]

Go Kadee.  I've replaced horn hook couplers on Athearn, Rivarossi, and IHC passenger cars and have used a #5 on all of them.  The other would be the  #148 which is a #5 with a whisker instead of a metal spring box.
Gene

[Yukonsam]

Hi

Living in Sweden? In Stockholm you have Scandinavia´s largest Model Railroad Store.
Very friendly staff that will help you.

http://www.mjhobby.se/mjhobby/default.asp

And they sell Bachmann products too (and Kadee couplers).

Regards, Yukonsam

[Alexraptor]

So would installing a Kadee #5 be as simple as removing the screw, lifting out the X2F, plunking in the Kadee and putting the screw back on?

[SteamGene]

Almost. If you use the 148, the whisker replaces the spring box.  If the 5, put the spring box in first, then the coupler. 
Before installing the Kadee I always take a file and remove the paint from both sides of the shank.  I also add a small bit of graphite or other solid lube.  In addition, I take a small needlenose and bend the tip of the gladhand up a bit. 
Total time is normally about five minutes per car. 
Gene

[Alexraptor]

Ok, will the default screws holding the X2F's in place be large enough or will i need new ones?

Also another question on the side, is Bachmann track compatible with Roco tracks?

[Yampa Bob]

I need to make a pdf on replacing talgo trucks and/or horn couplers and updating to Kadee.  I have rebuilt about 100 old cars friends gave me.  It will never happen, but I wish companies would do away with molded in coupler boxes, and install 148 sets, or a separate box of their own design, with a 2-56 machine screw.  Another reason I like kits.   

Sometimes it's a simple drop in replacement, you may have to make a cover out of styrene.  You definitely need a Kadee coupler height gauge.  I usually end up rebuilding the bolster with styrene tube and replacing with a modern bettendorf and metal wheelsets.  If the old coupler is truck mounted, you often end up with improper height.  Of course you have to decide if the old car is worth the cost of updating.

Cut, chop, add pieces, glue, whatever it takes to get the correct height, and minimize vertical slop to prevent "camming", where one coupler tries to ride up over the other.

Bob

[grumpy]

McHenry makes a coupler that is a drop in for many of the Rivarossi cars. With the addittion of a bushing the McHenry coupler becomes a drop in for many other cars.
Don

[Alexraptor]

What is the mounting height for the Kadee couplers? I don't want to have to waste money just to find that the trucks are too low to mount Kadee's

[Yampa Bob]

The Kadee couplers should be mounted on the body/chassis, not on the trucks. With the trucks off, if the bolster flat is 3/16" lower than the body or bottom of floor, you will be pretty close to the correct height after you mount the #148 box.  Then you can shim to fine tune.

The correct height for HO couplers is  25/64 inch, or .391, from top of rail to center of coupler knuckle.

Cut a piece of styrene or card stock exactly 25/64" wide, stand it across the track and the top of card should be at the knuckle center.

If you plan to stay in railroading, the gauge is very handy, only costs about $6.00.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXNLH6&P=SM

Bob

[Woody Elmore]

Micromark also had a coupler  height gauge for HO. It may still be available.

[Alexraptor]

Does anyone know if the Kadee "Bachmann-Plus F7 Conversion" kit would be compatible with my old F7's from the 80's?

[James Hail]

Bachmann Plus chassis is different than the old "80s" chassis........not even close.

The plus chassis is a chassis mounted plastic bracket(inserted into cast metal chassis via a slot/tab retention) with the coupler held in by a removable retainer clip.

Old 80s chassis is truck mounted twist in horn hook coupler with whisker spring molded on it.

As to a kayde part i have no info sorry.....I just cut the hornhooks so they mate with the new knuckles........Yes it can be done, dremmel and knife away at one and bingo.

Kinda like a magic mate from IHC they mate with hornhooks or knuckles.....handy little fellas.


Jim

[Alexraptor]

mmmm, i was going to go back to just using the old x2f's, until i found that my layout im building has two sharp curves for the x2f's since they do not stay centered and want to push off to the side causing the cars to derail when i am running the train the opposite direcion.

What to figure out for the loco's, the cars are pretty straightforward, ive decided to simply just replace the boggies on them with Bettendorf trucks w couplings.

[James Hail]

Don,t overlook car weight as cause for derail........the pushing side force issue can sometimes be fixed with more lead in the car.

Just an idea .....not the rule.

Jim