# K-dee's and being left outside.



## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

I have noticed that when you leave some stock out (K-dee equipped) the dirt finds it way into every thing on the K-dee's. You know when you come back from the beach and you didn't even go on the beach, sand is were It's not suppose to be !







What are the Engineers / Maintenance personal doing to lube / clean up the couplers? Sean


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'd blow them out with compressed air and relube with graphite or white teflon powder. Oil will just become a dirt magnet. 

I'm pretty sure KD recommends graphite.... 

John


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## John Allman (Jan 2, 2008)

as an added bonus, the springs will rust and no amount of cleaning will make the couplers work well. So the moral of the story is either have lots of extra springs (and time) or don't leave them outside.


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## Gary Lantz (Feb 20, 2008)

that reminds me of a funny story. i backed up to a string of about 20 or so bachmann hoppers with 830 body mounts that had sat outside after a freezing rain storm. when i took up the slack i heard 20 or so snaps. you know the sound of plastic breaking...its not the correct sound of slack being taken up. when i pulled the drag away most the draft gear covers laid between the rails. they had just frozen enough to split open when the coupler draw bar moved forward. I left them the way they were. Confession time - I think i sold some to Stan C. so if your wondering why there was a smaller draft gear cover on some of those old hopper cars you bought off me on e-bay Stan thats why!


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

I love fresh new Kadees. 

However, even though we bring in everything at summers end (and we only run the layout for about 3 months) the summer monsoons can wreck havoc with Kadees. Once dirt, pollen, silt, or whatever else finds a way in the crevices it's pretty much over for self centering couplers. The coupler sticks and won't move much on it's own.


The best solution I've found is to clean out the really bad ones by completely disassembling the couplers. Once disassembled, I also like to stretch the centering springs a bit too. And sometimes water alone won't clean out all the dirt. When they are this bad, dish detergent is used to remove all the grime. A newer approach we've taken is to cover previously exposed rolling stock with plastic bins when not in use. This so far has kept the couplers free of most debris and sticky free.


But it seems once Kadees get really dirty they just never seem to work like brand new fresh Kadees.


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Darn








I guess I'll be taken some apart to really clean them!








As If I don't have enought to do!!!!!
Thanks 
Sean


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## Trainwreckfilms (Aug 19, 2009)

I just have a few extra sets of Kadee's for parts. I dont even clean them... i just wiggle the body mount coupler and its ready to go! if i do happen to break or snap a coupler i have parts on hand and will be up and running in 2-3 minutes flat. I have some kadee's still sitting outside and it has been 5 years now and they still will hold up to a long string...


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The new design looks to me to be more resistant to dirt, and definitely any corrosion with the knuckle spring, since it's now internal. 

It also appears to me that the new design should resist dirt or grit getting into the pivoting part. 

See the Kadee site for a small picture of the new coupler. 

I'm testing the new design, but it would be some time before I have long term data. 

Short term, I am delighted with the visual improvements, the hidden knuckle spring, the prototype casting "look" and the increased thickness of the shank behind the coupler. 

The design of the "loop" end of the 830 is likewise improved, I believe it will more completely control the internal spring in the draft gear. 


Regards, Greg


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

I agree, the new coupler looks far better than the old one, and the old one looked great to me..















..


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick you need to supply us with the LINK to that special place that you get the smilies. 
You could put down the bottem of your signature!
I want to steel some.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By smcgill on 05 Oct 2009 05:48 PM 
Nick you need to supply us with the LINK to that special place that you get the smilies. 
You could put down the bottem of your signature!
I want to steel some.










Sean, I do the same thing, when i find ones i like, i upload to MLS...The Holloween ones are from Jerry H.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By smcgill on 05 Oct 2009 05:48 PM 
Nick you need to supply us with the LINK to that special place that you get the smilies. 
You could put down the bottem of your signature!
I want to steel some.

They are from www.webfetti.com The Regal enjoy


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