# Aristo couplers for USA



## Truthman (Dec 13, 2008)

Anyone have any thoughts on which USAT cars are the easiest to install Aristo style couplers on?

Nate


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

You can install on most USAT cars just cut the small round tang off the USAT mounting pad and then mount the Aristo coupler. Notice I said most. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Body or truck mount? Sort of all the same, all USAT ultimate series cars have the same Kadee 830 mounting pad, same height, same location in reference to the end of the car. 

All the trucks are pretty much the same if you are going truck mount. 

USAT is pretty well all the same with thier stuff, I think only the cabeese are different. 

Regards, Greg


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

One side note. 830s on USA will limit your curve size. if you install 789s then they will run on 8' dia also. just redrill new holes.


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## Truthman (Dec 13, 2008)

Currently the smallest diameter on my "temp" road is 15 feet so I should have plenty of room for any coupler. in the future the smallest diameter will be 10 feet and that will be limited to certain sidings and/or spurs. Does that mean just about any coupler will do? I prefer body mounts.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Body mounts work fine on 10 foot, and down to 8 foot without mods in most cases. 

But Aristo couplers do not have draft gear boxes, so you may have to be more creative in mounting to give some side to side play. 

Marty, he wants to put ARISTO couplers on USAT cars.... 

No mention of Kadees at all (the 830 you mentioned). 

Regards, Greg


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

some folks assume 830s go on "830 mounting pads" as per instructions in the box. just sharing it.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, I resisted going into my Kadee sales pitch! I prefer body mounts and all 830's wherever I can fit them. I like the realistic coupler slack action. 

Regards, Greg


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## Truthman (Dec 13, 2008)

So you think 830's for everything possible? Most Aristo and USAT rolling will use a 787 coupler according to Kadee's site. For example, Will a Kadee 787 match up to a Kadee 831?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

All Kadees match to each other, the differences are in the draft gear, and that's why there are so many versions, to accomodate different mounting heights, and to a lesser degree space and swing. 

First you need to sort between truck mounted and body mounted. 

All USAT cars of the 1:29 "ultimate" variety take a Kadee 830 body mount, just screws in place, a perfect fit, 5 minute install. This is the coupler with the prototype "slack" action. 

The 831 is the typical truck mounted coupler. 

Now on locos (you said rolling stock, which normally means to me, other than locos) there are a lot of different ones, and you pick the one that is specified on the Kadee site. Many locos have a combination that just bolts on in minutes. 

To re-iterate, ALL Kadee G scale couplers mate, and the knuckle size and shape is IDENTICAL. 

I think you might want to go to the site and check the large scale conversion list again too. The tougher part is putting kadees on Aristo cars, a few of the latest cars have the 830 mounting pad perfect, before that, it was screwed up in height and where the screw holes were and you had to cut some plastic (see my Aristo covered gondola page)... and the rest will have to have a custom shim of wood or plastic made. 

I think Marty is way ahead of me on mounting Kadees on Aristo cars, but I prefer the 830's for body mounts, and I believe Marty does not like the realistic coupler slack action. 

(of course you really don't want this on locos, but the 830's are rarely listed for locos) 

Sorry to be so verbose, but your statement made me scared, the entire G scale line is the same knuckle. 

Regards, Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

One thing to remember all the newer USAT cars have the pad for brand X. When using older stock with truck mount couplers you do as I mentioned cut the round tang off and installed the Aristo coupler even true with the new style cars. Now for the folks replying here this thread was started as a Aristo to a USAT equipment. How did it all of a sudden go to brand X







I only mentioned the pad as its there for the use of the brand X for you die hards that like to spend extra cash. Been there done that and I can put my bucks elseway cause I do not run long trains. Later RJD


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

As Greg said, I have used 830s for years untill I started taking some strings of cars to visit other RRs, now I use 789 (straight shanks only) so I can run on their RRs which have tighter curves and take photos. 
I am now tring 820s on gunderson 5 pack cars simply to allow some play because they are not forgiving with 789s when visitors come and run them. 
I'm tring to make everything more people (visitor) friendly. 
I' a very friendly guy even tho I sniff sniff around sometimes. 
heheh bark bark... 

BTY I have even started using USAT shelf couplers in 789 boxes on their modern tank cars (it was a winter project) just in case of a derailment.
I cut the coupler shank down and drill a new hole.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

This kind of sniffing is fun, sharing how to do stuff and what works and what doesn't. 

Marty, do you have a SD-70? A friend is trying Kadees out and derailing the trailing car (not enough coupler swing I think). You might know the guy: Ted Doskaris. 

Regards, Greg 

p.s. RJ, the guy who started the thread asked about Kadees, so it's (as far as I'm concerned) his thread... yeah I was surprised too, but I'm a Kadee guy. 

(by the way, this isn't the Aristo site, you can say "Kadee" without getting hit with a bolt of lightning, or getting the thread locked... they locked the 44 tonner thread on the Aristo forum)


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## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Truthman on 03/06/2009 5:28 PM
Anyone have any thoughts on which USAT cars are the easiest to install Aristo style couplers on?

Nate 



I must be on a different page!









Running only Aristo and Bachmann I decided transition cars was my easiest (lazy) way out where I use an Aristo loco to haul stock. One thing I like about Bachmann couplers is that a car can be easily uncoupled using a vertical lift of the car: ideal when removing a car or packing everything away after running.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Truthman on 03/07/2009 5:06 PM
So you think 830's for everything possible? Most Aristo and USAT rolling will use a 787 coupler according to Kadee's site. For example, Will a Kadee 787 match up to a Kadee 831?


Alan: No you aren't on the wrong page, you just did not read the thread.

Kadees lift straight up and over each other like the bachmanns...

Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg and all read read his post . Not talking about brand X its's about Aristo to USAT equipment. Talk about not reading the guys post. Yikes. And the reason I mention brand X is I do not support it and never will. Later RJD


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## Truthman (Dec 13, 2008)

I notice many USAT rolling stock comes with hook and loop style couplers. I have an Aristo boxcar that had hook and loop couplers and all it took was one screw to remove the hook and loop and used that same screw to fit up an Aristo coupler. Even had the a groove on the Aristo coupler that fit over the "shank" of the old hook and loop. Is the USAT stuff the same if they come with hook and loop style? 

Nate


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Nope as mentioned you have to remove the small round button on the USAT coupler shank and then install the AC coupler. That's it. later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The shank with the button on the end is pretty universal with truck mounts on many brands. Often the button is partially or fully cut off to make the cars couple closer. 

Regards, Greg


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