Kadee coupler ???


jayl1

jayl1

Member
Are the Kadee #5 couplers (and clones) compatable with the new whisker (#148) couplers? Thanks!!
 
Sure the are, as long as you have them properly installed adn at the right height. Use their handy little gauge.
 
Thanks - I thought they would be but wanted to know before buying a large pack - sure beats the metal spring with the #5. And yes - the height gauge is a must have as is the NMRA gauge.
 
I just wish my LHS would get bulk packs of 148's......once he does, i'm switching from #5's. I do have some 148's, but i can't justifying buying the small packages over the bulk packs.
 
My LHS has bulk packs of 148s....

All Kadee couplers and kadee clones are compatible with each other. Sergent Engineering couplers are compatible with Kadee scale head couplers although you will have to manually couple and uncouple them by slipping the couplers over each other.
 
ST214 -

You've got Shepaug right there in Leominster. If he doesn't have bulk packs he'll get them . I get stuff from him all the time at shows. He's a nice guy to deal with and he has good prices.
 
Yeah....i just have to get around to asking Mike to order them for me......Every time i forget and end up buying something else anyway.:D
 
Jay another plus for the whiskers is the coupler box height space on some applications. Not quite enough room for a number 5 with the copper centering spring and when the cover is screwed back on the coupler will bind and not swing freely. Since the 148 doesn't use the copper piece it takes up a little less vertical space and there isn't any binding. I've run into this with some Bachmann Spectrum diesels and an occaisional piece of Atlas Trainman rolling stock.

Bulk packs are the way to go since all you get are the couplers and not a pile of draft gear boxes you'll probably never use. There are some very tiny burrs where the whiskers are staked onto the shanks. I go over the shanks lightly with a fine jeweler's file to remove any burrs and then burnish them before installing.
 
I first used a Kadee Whisker coupler about 2 years ago. I never looked back and you wont either.

I buy the bulk packs of #148s, Kadee #14s...Now that is all that is all that is on my trains unless they come with Proto-Max as they are nearly identical to the #5/whisker/kadee.

The only thing I can fault kadee couplers for is that sometimes the little spring comes loose in the package for the couplers. To put that back on, youve got to have some patience, good eyesight (or some jeweler lenses), a steady hand, and a confined space so that if it springs off it doesnt go flying into oblivion.
 
jeffrey-wimberly said:
All Kadee's are compatible with each other and the knuckle clones. They are not compatible with Sergents couplers.
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As I said before, the scale head kadees are compatible with Sergents, but you will have to manually couple and uncouple by slipping the knuckles over each other.
 
bigB said:
I first used a Kadee Whisker coupler about 2 years ago. I never looked back and you wont either.

I buy the bulk packs of #148s, Kadee #14s...Now that is all that is all that is on my trains unless they come with Proto-Max as they are nearly identical to the #5/whisker/kadee.

The only thing I can fault kadee couplers for is that sometimes the little spring comes loose in the package for the couplers. To put that back on, youve got to have some patience, good eyesight (or some jeweler lenses), a steady hand, and a confined space so that if it springs off it doesnt go flying into oblivion.
Click to expand...

Takes me about 20-30 sec to change that spring. For an unknow reason, they always jump away in busy OP session and not when playing alone
 
I don't agree w/some of you about the Kadee's being compatable w/all kadee's. I had started using the small Kadee scale coupler on a lot of my engines. I found that they didn't always line up w/the #5's or the old style #47's, 147's & the whisker. because of the small heighth of the scale coupler they have a tendency to uncouple on a slight bump in the rail & in turns. So, this week I took all of them off of everything I have & went back to #5's or the McHenry's w/the springs. Now, I've got a mess of the McHenry & kadee scale couplers that I'm not going to use.
 
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