# Problems with Kadee couplers?



## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

A couple years ago I converted all my rolling stock to body-mounted Kadee #1 gauge couplers. They have worked fine until recently. Now it seems that some of them just won't stay coupled for more than a few minutes -- and backing up makes them uncouple right away. I suspect that exposure to weather and humid conditions has affected them somehow. I tried putting some graphite lubricant on them but it didn't help. 

Has anyone else had this problem? Will it help to oil them or is there some other solution?


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Ray 

Is the spring located on the side of the coupler knuckle still there? 

Alan


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Or is this happening in one area ??? *
*When Kadee couplers are over a magnet, such as a sound trigger magnet they will uncouple. check for that and as mentioned, check to see if the knuckle springs are missing. **There could be a possibility that the other springs are bad or missing too.* 

*Rocky*


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Are the knuckles sticking in the open position when backing up or when the slack runs in? The steel "air hose" knuckle pins could be corroded or gritty within the coupler body, causing enough friction to overcome the knuckle return springs 
. 
I paint my Kadees, and if paint gets inside they will jam open. A bit of hard moving back and forth loosens them up. For us largescale guys who operate outside, stainless pins would be a good idea. 

Larry


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

look at the coupler just in front of the pin, there will be a small crack running up and down. I have replaced over 2 dozen with this problem of the years.... ( this is with the 820 coupler )


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

I have about 150 cars with either Kadee 1789 or 820's and have never had that problem. My cars are all stored indoors. Good to know though if I ever have any problems.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Years ago I got a bunch of HO cars from a friend that had Kadees. Not sure whether he just launched the springs, or if he did it to prevent accidental uncoupling, but on one end of each car the spring in the knuckle had been replaced with a short bit of rubber tubing. 
It might be a cheap and easy solution for your problem children.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Larry

Stainless steel pins are fine if you don't use the magnetic uncoupling feature with the Kadees. Stainless steel in nonmagnetic. It would be OK with me because I don't ever use the magnetic uncoupling. In fact I have cut off the "air hose" on many of my kadees.


Chuck


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Sounds like something's keeping the coupler's knuckle from springing closed as freely as it should. Look around the pin for signs of rust, especially if the car has been stored outside. You can usually just move the knuckle back and forth to free that up, then add a drop of oil to keep things in check. Otherwise, you may have some luck tapping the pin down then back in place. Tapping the pin down is easy--just take a small punch or something, place the coupler on a vice with the pin hanging between the jaws, and give it a quick few taps. Tapping it back in place is a bit harder because unless you cut the pin off near the base of the coupler, then you're tapping on the end of the pin, which is bent and may not transfer the force of the tapping to the coupler. I've had better luck using a pair if vice grips clamped to the pin near the base, then tapping on the jaws of the vice grip. (I've always just cut the pins off, since I don't use the magnetic uncoupling and prefer to use "real" air hose details where applicable, so the pins don't look realistic anyway.) One thing--the pin is knurled to attach firmly to the knuckle. When you tap the pin down, that knurling also catches on the coupler itself, so make sure you push the pin all the way back into position so the knurling is back only in contact with the knuckle, and can rotate freely. 

Paint or debris getting lodged into the workings will also cause stiffness. Paint is often a problem straight off, not something that develops over time. Debris may be able to be cleared by just opening and closing the knuckle repeatedly and/or lightly brushing the innards of the coupler opening with a stiff brush. 

I've not experienced the cracks Jeff mentions, though I have no doubt it's an issue. Reportedly, Kadee switched to using metal knuckles on their #1 scale couplers to combat this problem. I don't think I've ever bought a Kadee #1 scale coupler with a metal knuckle, though, so I'm not sure when this change was made. I stopped buying Kadee couplers two years ago in favor of the Accucraft 1:32 couplers (which have their own issues with rust when left out in the elements). 

Later, 

K


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Upon closer inspection it does appear that rusty pins are to blame. The knuckle springs seem to be ok.


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

I have spent considerable time with oil working frozen or sticking Kadees to get them to work for a meet. 
NOT my cars, NOT my meet. 
If it's attracted strongly by a magnet, it will rust. 
The rust gets bad enoigh it will split the movable jam 

Here in the PNW, out-of-doors, a very poor choice....unless you keep them indoors all winter. 

Oil the pins regularly. 

So much for maintenance-free. 

Oh, and our "symptom" was bunch a train on a downgrade, and when the track levelled out, you leave part of your train.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

TOC, haven't you heard of the famous "delayed uncoupling"? 

Well there you have it. 

Seriously, seems that oiling them at this pivot point is better than trying to get dry lube into them. 

Maybe they should be oiled from the get go? 

I have them on all cars, never oiled them, never stopped working, and yes, some of my "air hoses" are rusted. 

But I don't leave cars outside in the dew. 

Sounds like too much moisture Ray, are you leaving them outside? Do you get high humidity in the evenings like I do? You are not as close to the ocean as me, but weather patterns vary. 

Regards, Greg


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

They're parked in a tunnel at night. No direct rainfall but they are exposed to moist and humid conditions. I have no room to store them indoor and no desire to manually haul them back and forth everyday anyway.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I was getting severe rust on my RS-3 wheels, even under the deck. You've been to my house, that track that runs right at the back of the house. 

Couldn't figure out why the rusting so quick 

Then got a remote temp/humidity sensor... was getting to 80% humidity and above in the evenings when the dew hit... so maybe you are getting a lot of humidity at night. 

Greg


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