# Kadee Body Mount for U25b?



## noela (May 22, 2008)

I have been trying to find info on body mounting Kadee Couplers to an Aristo-Craft U25b.
Does anybody know where there is a source for this? Or, even better, actually did the install?
Thank you.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, start at the Kadee site, always, because sometimes they have special parts to make the conversion easier.

This time they do... 

On the main Kadee site, there is a horizontal "band" of menus, and one is "conversions"... there are 2 links for G scale... try the first one first (ha ha)..

You will get a pdf file that shows what kadee number is recommended and if there is a conversion kit... yep, for the U25 there is a conversion "spacer" made just for this loco, Kadee number 884 "conversion platform"...

The second link shows a limited number of conversions, usually where you have to modify the loco. (the U-25 is not on this one)


Now, on that same menu select "products" and then "G scale"...


Now select "couplers" and you will see a complete list of the Kadee numbers, and you can click on the part number.

Scroll down to your 884, and click on it and you get to see a picture of how the part looks and how it mounts, and which coupler to use on this "conversion platform"...










This is pretty much what you want to do on every new loco, at least see how Kadee recommends to do it.

Regards, Greg


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## noela (May 22, 2008)

Hi Greg,
I had seen this on the Kadee site, but was just fishing to see if there had been other methods of attaching body mounts, as all of my rolling stock will have body mounts (wherever possible), as my mainline is 20' diameter minimum and the yards and sidings are 10' diameter minimum.
Thank you again for your help.

Noel


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I don't have a U25b, but this looks like a body mount on a swiveling arm. They use the 830, with the slack action. 

Seems pretty simple, any other mount would require fabrication of a fair-sized shim/block it looks like. 

Regards, Greg


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

I have not worked on a U-25 but I own an SD-45. It was very simple to put a solid body mount. I cut the pivot post off level with opening in the pilot. Then, I made a plastic plate that reached from the pilot to just behind the pivot post. The plate should be the correct thickness to set the coupler height. Then, I fastened the plate to the pivot post with a self-tapping screw. Last of all, I mounted the coupler on the new adapter plate. I used a straight shank coupler with no offset.


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## noela (May 22, 2008)

Greg and Bill, 
Thank you so much. 
I have gone ahead with the 884 adapter and it it very easy, although I did have to shim the front end coupler 1/16", nothing on the rear. 

Noel


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## peteshoulders (Apr 10, 2010)

_*I have fitted a # 820 to a 25b*_

I used the original fixing points but as I had lowered the whole unit the effect was in my opinion worth it, I ditched the original swivel idea as my radius is over 10ft plus. this made the top area of the pilot the correct height for the Kadee.

I have had no issues with derail /uncoupling or frog fouling,

cant see how I can add pics to this reply,, in fact I can barely see the script, is this normal?


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## peteshoulders (Apr 10, 2010)

_*I have put some pics on my profile showing what I did to the u25b I cannot work out how to do it any other way*_


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## cj and m (Feb 6, 2010)

I'm in the process of rebuilding and painting a U-25B right now . The conversion to Kadee's looks straitfoward to me and should be easy . Will be using the 830 coupler and box . Will have to build up a mounting pad for it and then I use 440 screws and nuts to finish it up .


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

By the way, Kadee now sells 1/32" and 1/16" shims with the 830 outline and holes, makes it very easy to shim, #841 & #941, a bag of a number of them is cheap. 

Regards, Greg


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## noela (May 22, 2008)

Have those shims, and they are VERY convenient to use.


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