I just purchased my first scale wheeled MTH engine. I just completed replacing the scale wheels with hi-rail wheels and now I'm trying to install the #805 Kadee couplers, but I've run into an issue.
The coupler gear box is making contact with the truck. Does Kadee make a smaller gear box that I can use? Will it still mate up with hi rail claws?
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1) If I remember correctly, Kadee offers a "special" shorter gear box coupler in O Scale for such applications. I think it may be the 806, but you should probably double check the Kadee website.
2) Yes, I have found the the Kadee 800 series couplers will couple with many brands of "claws". However the newer 700 series, will not in most cases. I have been using the newer #740 Kadee since they came out.
If that's a six-axle diesel (or GP35 rear), you can use a Kadee 806 or 743 short box/short shank couplers. They mount with 2mmx8 metric screws.
You can also file/grind off about 1/8" from the rear of a Kadee 805 or 740 box to clear the coupler mounting boss on the power truck in most cases with the six-axle diesels. The GP35's rear clearance is so short that only the Kadee short-box couplers really work well.
I've used both with success. You should also get a Kadee coupler height gauge and make/buy some shims in case the couplers sit too high.
Thanks guys!
805 will couple up to the claws. I don't use the short couplers because the shank is different than the standard coupler and has a little less side to side pivot. With body mounted Kadees in 3R, you need all the side to side movement you can get. I just assemble the coupler and grind it down to the coupler shank and round off the corners.
You can also take a Dremel and cutoff wheel and cut off the tab on the truck block. Done that many times too.
Thanks LOS, I'll look at it again but I don't think I have enough room in there to even modify the 805. Going to try the 806 but if that doesn't work for my 72 and 81 curves then I'll modify the truck.
How hard was it to cut the truck block?
It will fit, done it myself many times. The truck block is easy to cut off with a fiberglass cutoff wheel. Cut 3/4 of the way thru it, and snap it off with some pliers.
Thanks Doug and Matt,
The 806 fit perfect but like you said it didn't like my 72 and 81 curves, so I modified a pair of 805's like your pics above and they just fit. I had to take some metal of the drawbar but they work fine now around my curves.
For reference this was for a SD45.
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