Does anyone know how to cure coupler droop? I'm trying to set up my Kadee couplers using a Kadee height gauge, but I have trouble with them drooping, mostly with locomotives, but occasionally with freight cars.
Jeff
If you can use KD's coupler box, do so. You may have to cut the supplied box away, though.
If the droop is caused by excessive vertical play, or insufficient support (eg, the head of a screw or pin doesn't give enough support), adding a thin washer under the coupler usually helps. KD sells two thicknesses (actually intended for adjusting bolster height), or you could make some out of paper. (Burnish with a soft pencil to make it slippery.)
I sometimes glue a small sliver of plastic at the fron edge of the coupler box underneath the shank. Just don't do this with the coupler in the box... :-)
HTH&GL
in article Q4hDd.27593$ snipped-for-privacy@news20.bellglobal.com, Wolf Kirchmeir at snipped-for-privacy@sympatico.ca wrote on 1/6/05 15:22:
Actually, you could also use Kadee's own shims, which fit inside the coupler box.
Alternatively, since they?re sagging, you could use a ³coupler bra.² :-)
Dieter Zakas
All good suggestions. USUALLY, the real Kadee box gives good service. Boxes on various cars are usually inferior, and often don't fit the couplers well, which contributes to 'coupler droop'. Shims, or the fitting of a Kadee box, usually cure this problem.
A bigger problem I find is flexure of the frames/floor holding the coupler box. This is especially true of tank, hopper, and 'spine' cars (trailer train, log, etc. cars) of any form. Athearn cars with (usually) separate frames beneath the floor are also prone to this problem. Many early atlas Diesels also exhibited this problem. It's insidious, since the cars often test well when buy themselves. But, put them in a train, and either pull or push on them, and the coupler mountings will shift up or down causing problems. The greater the strain, the more the deflection. Some form of frame reinforcement (metal plate or shank) is often the solution.
Dan Mitchell ============
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Sorry, but if I see just one more of those stupid commercials...
Mike Tennent "IronPenguin" MRR Electronics Special Effects Lighting
It's probably no help whatsoever, but I make a spring washer to go under the coupler out of shim brass or clear plastic such as that which cam on shirt boxes. Once you have your washer, fold it in half across the center-line, unfold gently and then fold it across at 90 degrees from the first fold and then gently unfold again. The result is a wavy spring washer, which when mounted under the coupler will push it against the top of the coupler pocket.
I drill the inner hole of the washer first while the sheet of shim or plastic is large, and then cut the outer diameter using an Xacto punch. (probably long gone from their range, but I have a few from a defunct shop sale)
Regards, Greg.P.
LOL!
```````` Jeff,
Micro-Mark also sells these shims, if you're so inclined:
Paul - "The CB&Q Guy" Modeling 1969 In HO.
Hi.
Coupler droop is very common, even when couplers are mounted in their own boxes. Shank thicknesses and box heights vary drastically, as shown on my site under Coupler Measurements. Metal couplers are the worst offenders due to knuckle weight.
Unfortunately a wide range of shims is required for optimum operation. These may be placed above or below shank to adjust height. Evergreen etc. strips or plastic tags are good sources.
Be sure to deburr and lube with graphite.
For more details with methods and extensive discussion of problems and solutions, see first site below in couplers.
Hope this helps.
Thank you,
Budb
Author of:
MODELRAILROAD TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Jeff Stant> Does anyone know how to cure coupler droop? I'm trying to set up my Kadee
The Micromark shims are for positioning (lowering) the entire Kadee coupler BOX, *NOT* for insertion inside the box. They have no part in eliminating 'couper droop', but are useful for what they are intended to be.
They are made from a compressed fiber material, and are quite thick (0.040"perhaps?). They are punched, or more likely laser cut, to match the template of the Kadee coupler box, with clearance holes for the #2-56 center screw and the two #0-80 side screws.
Dan Mitchell ============
While a metal coupler's weight can contribute to 'droop', I find this a MINOR problem compared to flexure of most plastic coupler shanks. Even when shimmed or otherwise fitted to eliminate droop, the plastic shanks will flex under load, allowing the couplers to 'pop' up or down and release the adjoining car. This can be confusing, as the couplers return to their proper position as soon as the load is released. The train breaks in two, and you go to check coupler heights, and all looks fine.
The true Kadee plastic couplers are more resistant to this than any of the clones I've seen, except perhaps the Accumates. The Kadee plastic couplers use a reinforced plastic that is ALMOST as stiff as their metal shanks. Still, I've had them act up in this manner.
Dan Mitchell ============
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