# Coupler conversion for Athearn Blue Box kits



## cboisits (Nov 22, 2015)

I have a lot of old HO Athearn blue box kit rolling stock with the horn hook couplers. They need to be switched to the newer style couplers. Can anyone recommend the best couplers to use? Can you provide a link as to where to get them? Thank you.
-Chris


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Kadees are perhaps the most popular and most widely available
brand of knuckle couplers. Most any hobby shop stocks them
or simply Google Kadee HO couplers and you'll have an array
of on line dealers.

The two standard length Kadee coupler models are # 5, which
uses the brass centering 'spring' inside it's draft box, or the # 148
which uses the 'whisker' centering spring attached to the
shank. It is the easiest to assemble. The 'top' easily snaps
on, but it's wise to put a TINY dab of glue on each side to
keep it from opening if you have a hard coupling jolt. Either
coupler will work for 90 plus % of your cars. Unusual ones
may need shorter or longer shank, over or under knuckle
placement. All available on line or at your local well
stocked hobby shop. 

Most of us will cut off the truck mounted couplers and
install the new Kadee draft box on the body.

You may need Kadee's fiber washers that come in two
thicknesses. These are used to raise the body on
the trucks when the car and coupler sits
too low for proper coupler alighnment

You should also get the Kadee coupler height gauge (plastic
version). With it you can predetermine that the car body
is the right height before installing the new coupler assembly.
Then measure that coupler is correct height after installation.

Most of use use graphite or the white lube powder in
the draft box to
lubricate the shank so it freely swings side to side.

Don


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

I totally agree. When I started my layout over 25 years ago the selection of freight equipment wasn't like it is today. The majority of my freight cars are the old Athearn blue box car. A number 5 coupler will drop right into the coupler box. Another thing I did was to replace the old plastic wheels with Kadee metal wheels. Now Intermountain also offers excellent metal wheels. I would also suggest replacing the wheels also. 

My 25+ year old cars are still operating like new today.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Kadee's also come in bulk 20 packs, a deal if you have a lot to convert.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Here is the link to Kadee's coupler conversion page:
http://www.kadee.com/conv/hocc.htm

Pretty much anything you wish to convert should be on there somewhere. Your local hobby shop (if you have one that knows about model railroading) should be able to help you as well.
I found for nearly all of my Athearn blue box kits that a Kadee #148 worked just fine.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

The KaDee #5 was a standard replacement on most Athearn, and MDC, and probably a lot of other HO scale. Also the #5 mounting came in different numbers with different length shank, and over or under set shank, so it was easier to get the coupler height correct The #4 was better but was discontinued several years ago, and it required it's own draft gear box, or an adapter plate for a few draft gear boxes.


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

Lots of people love their Kadees, and with good reason, as Kadee has been making knuckle style couplers the longest. But be aware that they are not the only game in town. I personally prefer Accu-Mates from Accurail. They are a simple, two piece knuckle coupler that will fit into any draft gear that a Kadee #5 will, and if you're mounting them to a blue box locomotive you won't need to isolate it from the frame as they are not metal. A metal Kadee will short the locomotive if doubleheading with another blue box locomotive equipped with Kadees. Or so I've read.....

Unfortunately for me, Accu-mates are a little harder to find as not many hobby shops stock them. There are less choices as far as over set or underset shanks, and only two shank lengths to choose from. But this simplicity is what appeals to me, and has never been an issue on any of my blue box or any other equipment, as well as looking better (IMO) than Kadees. No big goofy spring on the side of the coupler.... 
Fortunately for me, people are willing to sell me their unwanted Accu-mates so supply isn't really a problem. And I believe Atlas equips all their stuff with Accu-Mates as original equipment. 

Durability is not an issue, as I've strung together some 15 locomotives (all Blue Box Athearn, all Accu-Mate equipped) with no issues whatsoever. I've pulled 20 freight cars around the layout up and down grades, and handled the train relatively roughly just to see what they do. No issues whatsoever. They will break if you drop the loco off the table, but if you do that then usually a broken coupler is the lesser of your problems. They will couple with any other (operating) knuckle coupler on the market, but as with anything, they work best with their own kind...

As with Kadees, I set them up using a Kadee height gauge and use a puff of graphite lube to keep them working well... The biggest factor to success is proper set up. 

Lots of opinions out there regarding couplers, and mine is just that - an opinion. But for me, Accu-mates are just about perfect.


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

The easiest conversion is the Kadee #148. It's a "whisker" coupler which means it has little whisker springs that allow it to be dropped right in the existing coupler box with nothing else. But watch the coupler height. I've had to put a washer between the car body and the truck to get some to align properly. No big deal - just be aware of it.

I also agree with changing out the wheels to metal wheels. Makes them roll real smoothly.


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

I use the Kadees with the whiskers. So much easier than the bronze plate spring. I also will buy the over or under set as well rather than use the fiber washer. Metal wheels are the best! I have been swapping wheel sets using the Kato 31-602 70 ton Barber just to have the spinning bearing on newer rolling stock.


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## cboisits (Nov 22, 2015)

I'm just worried about the little metal cover that snaps over the coupler housing to keep it on there. From what I remember, they were a ***** to deal with so I can imagine them being even MORE of a ***** to put on after taking them off to switch the couplers.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

With those metal coupler box covers, sometimes you have to push pretty hard to get then to snap on. Also, sometimes they get bent and won't catch. But they can be reshaped with a pair of needle-nose pliers. I do recall one case where I had to use a small triangular file to raise the plastic "bump" that the box cover catches on just a tiny amount in order to get the cover to snap into place.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I like to "un-bend" one of the tabs of the metal cover with a small straight bladed screwdriver to get it of, then re-bend it tight with the needle-nose pliers before I snap it back on.....if that makes any sense....


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