Spectrum Heavyweight Sagging Couplers

[MKBLK]

Having several Spectrum 85' Heavyweight passenger cars  with sagging  couplers, I would like to hear from others as to some practical solutions. I run on very wide radius curves (club layout) so if I have to go to body mounts, that's ok. Of course, I'd rather save a lot of work (and money) and simply repair the existing panagraphic? type couplers.

If body mounts, what Kadees are recommended? 

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions! 

[RAM]

I body mounted them.  I think it was Kadees #5.

[Yampa Bob]

Easiest way to body mount is with the #148 Whisker coupler with snap together draft box. It's a modified #5.  Drill a 1/16" hole and attach with a self tapper, or tap with 2-56 and use a machine screw.  Cost $2 per car, and no sag as the box is very precise.

Before you start verify that the body/floor is 3/16" higher than bolster flat. Then the Kadee coupler will be very close to the correct height.

Check coupler height with a Kadee coupler gauge, or set center of knuckle 25/64" above top of rail.

[MKBLK]

Thanks for the great responses! Should I decide to switch over to body mounted kadees, I'll be able to do so with confidence.   

In the meantime, after very carefully removing the roof/window assembly from the body, I attacked the problem at its core: the little bit of plastic pin that protrudes through the hole in the metal linkage.

I removed the vestibule partition (slips right out) to minimize damage and applied a pencil type soldering iron BRIEFLY to the culprit while pressing the coupler pocket up with my finger. Voila! As good as new, no more sagging couplers for me. 

[Yampa Bob]

Smart move, congratulations on forward thinking. 

[WGL]

MKBLK,
  I'm having the same problem.  The first two Spectrum heavyweights I bought, a coach & a Pullman sleeper, worked okay.  I thought they were the solution to replace my uncoupling IHC passenger cars, which I had to wire together.  Today, I got a combine & another sleeper.  This sleeper's couplers sag so that they won't stay coupled to the first sleeper.  My curves are 22".

  I haven't taken any of them apart yet, & I was wondering if the wiring for the lights complicates removing the top. 

  Today, I also received 100 HO people.  I was hoping that half would be sitting but only 9 are.  I want to put people in the coach's seats.

[Atlantic Central]

When body mounting Kadee couplers on passenger cars it is advisable to use the long shank couplers, Kadee #26, #36, or #46. Longer shank couplers have a wider swing and when set further back on the car, will allow closer, more prototypical car spacing and still allow good performance on curves. I prefer the #26 because it has the smallest draft gear box for less interferance with truck swing.

All my passenger cars are equiped with Kadee #26 couplers and American Limited diaphgrams which touch and work. They will go through an Atlas #4 crossover with no problem, and run fine on 24-26 inch radius curves.

I don't have turnouts or curves that small/sharp, but have tested them on other layouts just to see.

Sheldon

[Tylerf]

If the seats on the car are low enough below the window sill, than you could begin the painful process of cutting off the figures bottom half.

[Bill Baker]

To WGL:
Try cutting off some of your people at mid-waist and gluing them to the seat.  I've tried it and it looks great. You don't even notice that they have no feet or legs.  Also, there is no blood letting and thus far I haven't hear of any complaints.

Bill

[WGL]

 Thanks, Atlantic Central.  I do find that the EZmate couplers that came with the Spectrum heavyweights barely hold the knuckles beyond the body of the cars.  I'll make a note of the size shank you got.

  I did remove the roofs to see about tightening the connection to the couplers.  The coach & combine have the plastic on which MKBLK used a soldering iron.  The Pullman sleepers have tiny screws.  I was able to tighten them enough to raise the couplers a little, but further tightening reduced the free movement of the coupler-truck assembly.

  Thanks, Bill Baker.  I will restrain my imagination so not to be squeamish about cutting the standing people in half!     I glued a standing couple on the back platform of my observation car.

  I am having another problem someone else had earlier.  He thought that the wheels were too high into the trucks.  Some part of the undercarriage of the combine car snags on a turnout, derailling it.  I'd find the front coupler turned far to the right & caught on a ladder.  I bent the ladder away, but the combine still snags some part underneath on the switch & derails.

  I almost had my passenger train:  Intermountain F7A-B, milk car, combine, coach, diner (Athearn 72'), 2 Pullman sleepers & observation car (Athearn 72') completing a lap.   

[WGL]

  Last night, I glued about 70 HO people into my coach & combine.  I cut a lot of standing figures in half.

  Tonight, my passenger train ran laps without derailing!  I saw a plastic piece on the floor & discovered that it had come out of the underside of a Pullman sleeper.  I suspect that it was the culprit, snagging on the turnout until it came off.  After I glued it back into place, the train still ran the turnout without derailing, so maybe the piece was loose & hanging low.

  I see from the diagram of the Spectrum Heavyweight Pullman cars that there are seats down the middle of the car.  When I removed the roof, I found the seats concealed.  The windows on both sides seem to be on corridors.  Do passenger cars have space for corridors on both sides with compartments in the middle?