couplersfor on30 cars

[rwiseha]

I am converting Ho bobber cabooses for logging cars.  I need Bachmann easy mate couplers for them.  Will the ho be the correct size?  I can't seem to find any in ON30, and don't want to replace all of my stock to kaydee's at this time.
Also, there seems to be about 5 or 6 different types to buy.  long shank med,shout and others. Anyone have any suggestions for me?
Thanks,
Rex

[rwiseha]

Thanks for the info.    I will give them a try.
Rex

[mhampton]

Bachmann's HO E-Z Mate couplers are the same ones they use on their On30 equipment.

[rwiseha]

Thanks, Mike.  Thats good t know.
Rex

[railtwister]

The problem with using Kadee couplers in the Bachmann draft gear, is that the Kadee shanks are thicker than the EZ-mates, and will bind if the coupler box lid is properly screwed down. Leaving the screw loose may work for a while, but then it will be likely to work loose and fall out over time. If you want to use Kadees, I would recommend using the whisker couplers with their latest draft gear box (#242-std, or #252-short) which snaps together. This will require that you remove the draft gear box that is cast on the Bachmann frame and file or shim the mounting area as needed to attain the proper height. I'm not sure that this is worth all the extra work, because the Bachmann EZ-mates seem to work just fine (as long as they are the ones with the coiled metal knuckle spring). The original style EZ-Mates with the plastic leaf knuckle springs could easily develop a set on the plastic leafs and allow the knuckle to stay open.

Regards, Bill

[NKline]

The problem with the regular #5's in the Bachmann cast on draft gear boxes could have been the thickness of the #5 coupler shank but I think the main problem was the fact that the coupler box design crushed the Kadee #5 centering spring at spots which in turn caused the coupler to bind plus the centering spring added thickness at the shank as well. I just checked and the new whisker couplers do fit in the Bachmann cast on draft gear boxes and do not bind with the lid screwed on correctly, the only problem is the whisker couplers are only available in 2 of the 3 different configurations. there is the medium center and medium underset shank but no medium overset shank yet like is used on most of the Bachmann On30 equipment but if you have a car with a center or underset shank coupler on it already, and if you really wish to, then it can be replaced with a Kadee whisker coupler with no modification required.

-Nathan

The problem with using Kadee couplers in the Bachmann draft gear, is that the Kadee shanks are thicker than the EZ-mates, and will bind if the coupler box lid is properly screwed down. Leaving the screw loose may work for a while, but then it will be likely to work loose and fall out over time. If you want to use Kadees, I would recommend using the whisker couplers with their latest draft gear box (#242-std, or #252-short) which snaps together. This will require that you remove the draft gear box that is cast on the Bachmann frame and file or shim the mounting area as needed to attain the proper height. I'm not sure that this is worth all the extra work, because the Bachmann EZ-mates seem to work just fine (as long as they are the ones with the coiled metal knuckle spring). The original style EZ-Mates with the plastic leaf knuckle springs could easily develop a set on the plastic leafs and allow the knuckle to stay open.

Regards, Bill

[railtwister]

Hi Nathan,

i checked the whisker coupler when it first came out, and you are right, it does have a slightly thinner shank than the #5 (about .005", if I recall), but mine seemed to bind anyway. Admittedly, I was working on a very old Bachmann car at the time (one with the original plastic leaf knuckle springs), so maybe B'mann has changed the box ever so slightly (and quietly). I'l have to check again. I know that using the new lowered frame in conjunction with the standard archbar trucks, requires a centered shank coupler, so if if fits without binding, that would make the medium length, center shank whisker coupler the perfect combination!

Thanks for mentioning this,
Bill

[NKline]

Hi Bill,

I checked out the whisker coupler, right before my last post, in an On30 passenger car coupler box (tightened properly) and the whisker coupler did not bind for me, maybe you were over tightening the lid? it's pretty easy to do, just a thought. I've lowered my cars before using just the #29904 trucks and cutting off the factory coupler box and replacing it with a Kadee box and standard #5 but for changing over to Kadees without modification to the car then the whisker coupler would be the way to go, all they need yet is to bring out the medium overset shank version and you can switch over any of the Bachmann On30 equipment although some steam loco pilots may have a form of long shank coupler on them for clearance purposes, I'm not 100% sure on that.

-Nathan

Hi Nathan,

i checked the whisker coupler when it first came out, and you are right, it does have a slightly thinner shank than the #5 (about .005", if I recall), but mine seemed to bind anyway. Admittedly, I was working on a very old Bachmann car at the time (one with the original plastic leaf knuckle springs), so maybe B'mann has changed the box ever so slightly (and quietly). I'l have to check again. I know that using the new lowered frame in conjunction with the standard archbar trucks, requires a centered shank coupler, so if if fits without binding, that would make the medium length, center shank whisker coupler the perfect combination!

Thanks for mentioning this,
Bill