How to Fix Coupler Height HO Scale Couplers

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In this episode, we talk about how to achieve a standard coupler height for your rolling stock, demonstrating a method for raising your coupler and one for lowering your couplers to match NMRA standard. This will help your trains stay together, especially on steeper grades. We also discuss reasons to use specific wheels on certain rolling stock. This is one you will not want to miss - lots of good info!
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[@martinguyat9828]

Hi guys, I live in England and i am 64 years of age. After a 40 year break from model railways i am building a layout once again. Goes to show you are never too old to start in this great hobby. I am a great fan of Kadee couplings and think they are really good quality.All my rolling stock is being converted at the moment.I am using Kadee NEM plug in couplers and 140 series "whisker" couplers. Many model railway builders in this country are turning to Kadee. Happy modelling Martin Guyat

[@tsgmultimedia]

We like Kadee too! Thanks for watching!

[@blainedunlap4242]

Three 27 gallon tubes full of cars just came out of storage about 600 or so. They all need the treatment. Thanks for sharpening the pencil for me. To work on cars, set up a simple camera to a laptop and put it on the side view like this video. I have worked on a lot of cars, but when you see them closeup like this video, the details of height, pin height, wheel size, wheel space, etc. really make correcting a science. Thanks, great work.

[@OhioCentralModeler]

If the coupler's too high, you can always try an underset coupler instead of shaving stuff off. For some like Dan, they'll probably look off, but if you're working with a large fleet of hundreds of cars, they won't stand out. It's going to be one of those things that has to be decided by the individual within their constraints; if you're building a super-detailed shelf layout, you'll probably want to go all-in on each car, but if you're angling for a basement empire or a large club layout with hundreds of cars, you're realistically going to have to make some compromises somewhere.

[@UrMomsChauffer]

This is exactly why I'm okay with running cheaper rolling stock like Bachmann mixed in with kits. Some of these minor upgrades can make a huge difference on those cars, and you can't point them out on a layout or moving train, without really looking for it.

[@hansfriess]

Finally a video explaining how to adjust coupler height when it’s to high. Thanks

[@riogrande5761]

There are really only two ways when it's too high. One is to remove material from the truck or bolster, as shown in the video or you can buy Kadee couplers that have an over-set shank, which will make the coupler lower. I've mostly done for many many years what Dan discusses, add shims and kadee fiber washers or remove material when too high.

[@metalmicky]

I find it amazing that manufacturers are very quick to advertise the scale accuracy of their product and then the purchaser finds that it is not compliant with other makes of so called accurate rolling stock ,why can't they make wheels the correct dimensions if they are so keen to push all the other aspects of the so called "correct" scale.

[@markhayes6407]

Atlas always goes the cheap route and the pins are crap. I like the change to screw and adding the larger semi fine scale wheel. Looks like the flange is taller.

[@michaelwhitfield9922]

Nice work on your details and like the coupler gauge

[@hythesailor]

Thanks so much for that. I was about to abandon all hope with my Kadee couplers but this has sorted things right out for me!

[@tsgmultimedia]

I'm glad you found it and glad it helped!

[@russellloomis4376]

I was always told that 33" wheels were for freight and 36" were for passenger cars. So I learned something other than how to raise lower couplers.👍

[@CentralJerseyRailfan]

36 inch wheels are common for heavier tonnage (100ton) modern freight cars, especially hoppers. 70ton or less cars such as transition era cars and some modern boxcars and intermodal cars sometimes have 33in wheels. 28in wheels are mainly found on some autoracks

[@retrainrun]

I just came across your channel!! and what a great job you do.!!! I also subscribe cause I want to see more of your technical stuff.

[@tsgmultimedia]

Thanks for watching!

[@bbrockRailFan]

Very informative video! I went to ebay and bought a Kadee coupler height guage and two shim packets. I notice their is always a height difference between Athearn and Walthers now I can just standardize all my rolling stock coupler heights great!

[@tsgmultimedia]

If you run long trains, you will be glad you did... Especially if you run long trains on grades.

[@bbrockRailFan]

I agree and I truly learned allot on this video.

[@flanker23]

This was just great conversation, lot of use full info, many thanks for taking your time producing this, happy RR!

[@tsgmultimedia]

Thank you for watching!

[@joshwuebbles7609]

So when you're adding shim under the knuckle you're basically adding a wear plate just how they are in real life. I know this from when we swap out wheels lifting whole car end and rolling them out.

[@gmcliff555]

To I B Trippin, you are right about the size of the inner hole. I also have found it too small

[@MrTeabow1958]

The rational behind truck pins vs. truck screws is that sometimes novice modellers when building a kit will over-tighten the truck screw which can strip the threads or crack the bolster area of the model. With a push pin type of truck fastener, it becomes more difficult to break, strip or destroy the freight car. Nowadays few kits are being offered for sale and most cars are R-T-R, so this argument is a now a moot point. Hopefully I have shed some light on the pins vs. screws history. Good Video

[@tsgmultimedia]

Thanks for watching!

[@UrMomsChauffer]

The pins have to be cheaper on RTR. Especially older, cheaper, mass produced cars like Bachmann and Life Like.

[@wobblinwheel]

It's amazing to me that you modify the CAR to fix the COUPLER! I have found if you remove the COUPLER, you can easily modify (or just bend)the coupler shaft to raise or lower the coupler. Shims can also be added under the coupler box (between car and coupler box) to lower the coupler. ALSO, almost All manufacturers offer "upper set, center set, and lower set couplers. Bachmann, for example, makes pretty much all of their coupler styles in THREE heights!

[@chuckgilly]

Gotta love them Kadee bolster washers, they almost never fit without reaming out the hole. If only Kadee gets a clue, they might start making them with a larger hole, nahhhh.

[@w.rustylane5650]

Yeah, and cabooses generally prototypically have 28 inch wheels. How many cabooses have you seen in HO scale with 28" wheels? I've converted over 100 pieces of rolling stock from truck mounted couplers (talgo trucks) to body mounted Kaydee couplers and took the time to weather most as I went. Took me several months. I also converted to all metal wheel sets--33" & 36" where required. I also changed all incandescent lighting to LED illumination (coaches, engines and cabooses). Scale tire tread is not very forgiving. I only use code 100 track and code 100 wheel sets. Never have derailments. Cheers from eastern TN

[@amtrak706]

Usually putting one of those Kadee shims in the coupler box fixes drooping. Personally I view raising or lowering the whole car as a last resort method.

[@towcat]

Another thing you can do with a high coupler is lower the coupler box. If the box is not permanently attached, then you can just take it off. Usually works on Kadee, Walthers, and certain Athearns, but most bluebox Athearns and similar have permanently attached boxes and cannot be ajusted...

[@Michael-fi3uu]

I just got a blue box and it’s to high

[@choochoo3985]

Of course you can use couplers with center, high or low bar to achieve height requirements.

[@tsgmultimedia]

Of course, but they are never as precise as the way Dan fixes this issue, and they look funny like the cameraman.

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

I try to paint all my couplers when I change them

[@jeffreyrule8143]

Very helpful. Thanks.

[@tsgmultimedia]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tandybarr6294]

Good video on coupler height

[@tompica3884]

Thanks

[@rickieslider3925]

Great video thanks

[@tsgmultimedia]

Thanks for watching. Hope it was helpful.

[@abrahamhernandez5977]

Thank you

[@Trashman702]

Nice video. How do you adjust coupler height on a locomotive ? Thanks

[@raineradler5652]

Gut erklärt. Liebe Grüsse from Bavaria

[@abrahamhernandez5977]

Gracias

[@kgeorgeson]

nice video. thanks for the tips

[@JohnCrellin]

Why wouldn't you use kadee underset or overset couplers to adjust height without cutting up the bolster or raising the car height with washers?

[@jaistorey6839]

It is a fantastic video*******************

[@tsgmultimedia]

Thanks, Jai! You might also enjoy the Model Railroading 101 episode about standards: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIKshYdqYt6Sbck

[@bufordhart730]

My Superliner cars ALWAYS ALWAYS UNCOUPLE , what couplers are best

[@louisvillenashvillerailroa8532]

What’s the trip pen?

[@bufordhart730]

I have that problem with my Walthers Proto Superliners , how would you fix that...

[@slevinshafel9395]

damn why have that problem :S ... thanks for give me the solution.

[@michaellerner1369]

Are the weathering DVDs still available?

[@tsgmultimedia]

tsgmultimedia.com/shop/

[@TheSkipinatorVids]

Why don't you use a Kadee coupler with a higher shank to "lower" the coupler?

[@tsgmultimedia]

The high or low shank couplers look weird and don't always get you to "exact" either. Shimming allows for smaller adjustments to be made and look more prototypical.

[@wobblinwheel]

"Look weird"? Are you KIDDING?

[@owyntg570]

did you know that some bachmann train cars couplers have screws at the coupler and you can screw them tighter if they are to low and looser if they are to high

[@owyntg570]

never mind i just will use kato trains they are better than all n scale trains

[@218422100]

How do you fix an Atlas GP40-2 with low couplers on both ends?

[@tsgmultimedia]

The easiest way is to use an offset shank coupler. If you don't want to do that, you need to add material or remove material from where the coupler box attaches to the frame/chassis.

[@218422100]

@@tsgmultimedia thank you very much for the response. I really enjoy these video's, they're very informative.

[@louisvillenashvillerailroa8532]

I had to retire a m St. Louis car for this reason

[@dwightatnorthernstar1820]

shaft length is a issue also...no standards between mfg.

[@tsgmultimedia]

Is there a standard from the NMRA?

[@dwightatnorthernstar1820]

no idea, but I doubt it....I only know Fox Valley fits Micro Trains well, and Intermountains are pretty good.

[@elighbutler6036]

Wot coupler is that 😁😁😁

[@rushylvanianorthern]

The most natural couplers

[@kamalapatel5303]

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