# coupling problem



## georgemc (Apr 8, 2014)

hi guy's 
can anybody help with this problem these cars both silver series bachman have coupler's at different height's not much but enough to cause derailment's I tried some packing under the reefer bit all this did was to highten the car George


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Kadee makes couplers that are offset high or low, depending on what you need. Look at their web-site to see what would work.

http://www.kadee.com


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## lovin it (Nov 21, 2012)

If it is the yellow car it needs and over shank coupler or if it is the orange then it need an under shank coupler. Bachmann and Kadee make both and it is usually good to have a small supply of each on hand.


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## georgemc (Apr 8, 2014)

thank's old hobo but I have decided to use ezmate as thats' what they came with and ive already bought a load more to convert my other us stock but both of these car's have there original coupling's and it seem's strange that ther is such a difference between them
george


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## georgemc (Apr 8, 2014)

hi lovin it yes its the yellow reefer that's the problem 
george


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## oldsarge218 (May 23, 2011)

I would suggest that you first buy a HO coupler gauge before you start to replace them. That way, you will know that the height will be at the NMRA standard. You don't want to start setting them to the height of a coupler that may not be at the standard. Kadee has them available.

God Bless
Bob


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Excellent suggestion Bob! :smilie_daumenpos:


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

Ummm, the coupler on the right is already an over shank coupler. If ya put a regular coupler on it, they would both be the same height.


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## alcoman (Nov 4, 2009)

Ken has sharp eyes. I think he spotted the problem with this car.

The coupler height gauge would still be a good investment and could save a lot of future grief.


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

Kadee also sells shims if the height difference is small, but large enough to have potential problems.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

This problem could also be solved by changing the wheels on the car in question.....standard wheel diameters are 33" and 36".......usually large, newer, heavy capacity cars use 36" wheels.....smaller, older type cars use 33", so if you decide to change wheels, they may not be the "correct" ones for the car......but should be almost un-noticeable.....

These sizes are in H.O. Scale, of course.....


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Those are all good suggestions to align your couplers.

It isn't clear to me, are the couplers truck or body mount?

If body mount, and the coupler is higher than it should
be, a shim between the draft box and the body would
lower it. You can use styrene or even the cardboard used
in such as cereal boxes as a shim.

If body mount, and the coupler is too low, you'll have
to file the body enuf to align correctly then reattach
the draft box.

If truck mount, the over or under shank would be your
easiest solution. My preferred remedy, tho, would be
to body mount the coupler.

And, yes, by all means get a Kadee coupler gauge. It'll
help you end those unexpected uncouplings.

Don


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## georgemc (Apr 8, 2014)

hi guy's thank's for all the replie's the coupler is attached to a frame that the truck's screw into and then into the body I tried the shim idea don but all that done was to raise the bodys looks like the height gauge will have to be bought but its very frustrating when both car's are from the same stable you would think the coupling would be the same height george


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

georgemc said:


> hi guy's thank's for all the replie's the coupler is attached to a frame that the truck's screw into and then into the body I tried the shim idea don but all that done was to raise the bodys looks like the height gauge will have to be bought but its very frustrating when both car's are from the same stable you would think the coupling would be the same height george


I don't know why you don't just put another #5 coupler in there. You can see that the coupler on the right is the over shank coupler. It's designed to put the coupler higher.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

Ditto that - it's clear in the photo. Replace with a Kadee #5 or other centerset coupler.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

georgemc said:


> hi guy's thank's for all the replie's the coupler is attached to a frame that the truck's screw into and then into the body I tried the shim idea don but all that done was to raise the bodys looks like the height gauge will have to be bought but its very frustrating when both car's are from the same stable you would think the coupling would be the same height george


I think you are saying the draft box is body mounted.
If so, you remove it, and use the shim between the
draft box and the body. That would lower the coupler.

If it is truck mounted, you would have to file down
the 'axle' point where the truck meets the body.

But, as the others have suggested, if your local hobby
shop has the over or under shank Kadees that would
be the easiest way to go.

Don


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## georgemc (Apr 8, 2014)

hi again don 
on the underside of the car you have the chassis that the truck's fit onto and then both are screwed onto the car I cannot put up a pic as ime away from home till the weekend but its looking like I need different coupling's
george


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## irishthump (Jul 1, 2013)

The left coupler seems to be at the correct height, but you really need a coupler gauge to be certain. The right hand coupler is WAY to high. It's also an undershank coupler so changing it to an overshank coupler should fix this. EZ Mates come in center, over and under shank models and replacing the coupler is much easier than performing surgery on the car.


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## fs2k4pilot (Jan 5, 2013)

Replace the coupler on the Reefer with a center shank coupler.


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

I don't think he is reading these posts about the under shank coupler on the right.


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## georgemc (Apr 8, 2014)

D&J Railroad said:


> I don't think he is reading these posts about the under shank coupler on the right.


hi ken I can assure you iam reading every post and am right now trying my different coupling's george


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## georgemc (Apr 8, 2014)

hi again guy's thank's for all the help with this problem so far so here is my latest try at solving the problem the only coupling's that I have are undershank medium's so I opened 2 fresh pack's and changed both car's coupling's as you can see no difference so I think the dremel will have to be employed the problem seem's to be with the car itself









george


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Again, a coupler height gauge will show you which cars are at the wrong height, and therefore which actions need to be taken to correct it.....


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

If you changed both couplers to undershank you effectively
maintained the misalignment but at a lower level. Seems
to me you should leave the left car with whatever it had and
use the undershank on the right (yellow) car.

Do you know which coupler originally was correct height?

Which car better aligns with your other cars that do seem
to have the right height?

Don


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Don, see post above yours for the solution.....


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## georgemc (Apr 8, 2014)

hi guy's the yellow reefer is the problem and ive just found out after going through my boxes the reefer is athearn not bachman as I thought so I will see if I can find the height gauge but these things are usually hard to find in the uk 
george


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

I'm with Hobo. Do what ever it takes to get coupler height gauge. One of the most important tools in the modelers box.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

If you can't find a coupler height gauge, all you need is a ruler......here is a link to the N.M.R.A. standards:

http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/pdf/S-2_2010.07.pdf


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

A ruler? Why not do long division while you're at it.


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

georgemc said:


> hi guy's the yellow reefer is the problem and ive just found out after going through my boxes the reefer is athearn not bachman as I thought so I will see if I can find the height gauge but these things are usually hard to find in the uk
> george


look on e-bay, they are there


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Old_Hobo said:


> Don, see post above yours for the solution.....


I'm with you 100%. I use my Kadee gauge to make sure the body mount
height is right before attaching the draft box. Then, check again when
the coupler is mounted.

But, when a guy does not yet have the gauge, there are the
back door ways to get 'er done.


Don


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Yes, such as the link I posted in my last comment.....you can use a simple ruler to measure, according to the table.....or, failing that simple exercise, you can always use a car that you know is the correct height, and simply use that car as your gauge.......pretty simple.....


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## jesteck (Apr 15, 2014)

Seems a little strange that no one has mentioned turning the car(s) around to see if there's a mismatch on the opposite end as well... just sayin'... could be just one wrong coupler causing all the mayhem. That said, a coupler height guage is a necessity in your tool inventory, not a luxury- especially if you can't see well enough anymore to count all those tiny little lines on the ruler. Besides, even with shipping it's cheaper than new glasses.


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## irishthump (Jul 1, 2013)

georgemc said:


> hi guy's the yellow reefer is the problem and ive just found out after going through my boxes the reefer is athearn not bachman as I thought so I will see if I can find the height gauge but these things are usually hard to find in the uk
> george


George,

Based in Ireland here and I get all my Kadee stuff from DC Kits, they have everything you need.

http://www.dckits-devideos.co.uk/shop/kadee_couplings/spares_and_misc_products/

Scroll down this page and you'll find the height gauge.


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