COUPLER ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS #30 SERIES (#233 GEAR BOx)
Determine which coupler configuration and method of mounting the Draft Gear Box
that will be necessary for your particular situation. See Fig.10. Assemble the Coupler
and Draft Gear Box as shown in See Fig 10. Place the wire torsion spring over the
center post with the spring arm that’s on the bottom into the hole where the upper
arm points out & is outside of the gear box. Place your finger on the post Holding the
spring in place. With a pair of tweezers move the upper arm over into the open hole
uncrossing the arms. Make sure the spring arms are uncrossed and in position. Roll your
finger back and slide the spring lid under until it is holding the spring in place. Move the lid
around until it “POPS” in place. You can lift the box up & do this being careful not to release the
spring. If handled carefully the spring lid will stay in place. However, you can carefully cement
it in place by placing a small drop of styrene cement on the seam of the lid and center post.
Place the hole in the coupler shank over the center post and position the shank in between
the separated protruding spring legs. Slide the Coupler Lid over the coupler shank, center
post, indexing it between the two projections at the front of the Draft Gear Box. See Fig.11.
Testing coupler centering action by toggling back and forth. Coupler should move freely and
automatically snap back to center position.
NOTE: A thicker Lid has been added to aid in achieving correct coupler height. Use the
thicker Lid in place of standard lid or as a shim where needed.
If so desired, when the coupler functions properly & when mounted the correct coupler height
is achieved, the Spring Lid and Coupler Lid can be cemented to the Draft Gear Box with a
suitable glue or clear solvent cement. Use care not to saturate the Coupler Assembly as this
would prevent coupler from functioning. Only a minute dab of adhesive is necessary at the
indicated points. See Fig.12. Cementing, however, will prevent disassembly.
The coupler opening in the locomotive pilot beam must be enlarged to 5/16” (.312”) wide by
just over 1/8” (.134”) high to accommodate the Coupler Draft Gear Box. The Draft Gear Box
can be used as a gauge and should line up and be on center with the locomotive centerline
and be parallel to the track, for proper operation of the coupler. If there is no platform or
support area provided for coupler mounting, you will need to build one. The Draft Gear Box
mounting platform surface should be level, smooth, and even with the top of the Draft Gear
Box opening when mounting from the bottom side or level with the bottom when mounting from
the top side of the platform. Slipping coupler assembly into the coupler pilot opening so that
the Trip Pin of the coupler will just clear any part of the locomotive pilot when swinging from
right to left. Mark a pilot hole centerline, crosswise to and on the locomotive centerline. Drill a
tap hole for a 2-56 screw with a #50 drill, and then tap hole. If the area will not accommodate
this size screw, cement a small plastic dowel, for a bushing, into the Coupler Draft Gear Box
hole. Drill a 1/16” #52 clearance hole in the center of the dowel for an 0-80 screw. Then, drill
a tap hole for the same screw with a #55 drill on the previously marked pilot hole centerline.
If there is an existing mounting hole present, fill it by cementing another plastic dowel in the
hole. This plastic dowel is to be drilled as above, for a 0-80 screw size tap hole. Be careful,
in either case, not to fasten the screw so tight that it will prevent freedom of movement of the
coupler’s operation. Small washers are included for use with 0-80 screws.
CHECKING MOUNTING
Add a puff of Kadee
®
#231 Greas-em on the insides of the Coupler Assembly. Work the
coupler back and forth to lubricate and evenly distribute the graphite. This will greatly enhance
the coupler’s performance. Use our #205 or #206 Height Gauge to check for the correct
coupler height and trip pin clearance. The HO-Scale N.M.R.A. standard for coupler height
is the centerline of coupler at 25/64” (.390”). Use our #237 Trip Pin Pliers to carefully adjust
the trip pin clearance if necessary.
Note: The Knuckle Spring used on Kadee
®
“SCALE” couplers are unique and should not be
interchanged with the standard #622 HO-Scale Knuckle Spring. Replacement springs for
“SCALE” couplers are sold as the #625 Knuckle Spring.
We include extra knuckle springs in a small capsule. To replace the knuckle spring, use our
#241 Dual Tool (Manual Uncoupling Tool & Spring Pic) and insert it between the last two coils
on either end of the spring. Then slip the end of the spring onto one of the retaining cones
in the knuckle and compress the spring until you can slip the other end onto the opposing
cone then withdraw the pick.
NOTE: To secure the knuckle spring more durably carefully dip the last two coils in DUCO
®
(or similar type of glue) or a thick slow drying CA glue (“do not” use the thin CA glue because
it can easily “wick” into the knuckle and ruin the coupler). Then slip the end of the spring
onto one of the retaining cones in the knuckle and compress the spring until you can slip the
other end onto the opposing cone then withdraw the pick.
For Non-Delayed Uncoupling use our #312 Between the Rails Permanent Magnet Uncoupler.
For Delayed Action Uncoupling use our code 100 #321 or code 83 #322 Between the Rails
Permanent Magnet Uncoupler, #308 Under the Track Permanent Magnet, or our #309
Magne-Electric (Electro-Magnet) Under the Track Uncoupler.
Kadee
®
coupler conversion lists are available in the Walthers Reference Book. Kadee
®
coupler
conversion list & coupler conversions are on the Kadee
®
web sight for your convince.
www.kadee.com/conv/convpl.htm
Inverted
Lid
Bronze
Centering
Spring
Manufacturers
cast-on draft
gear box
Coupler
Bronze
Centering
Spring
#234
Draft
Gear
Box
Lid
Coupler
FIG.1
FIG.2
FIG.3
TYCO
®
LIFE LIKE™/
AHM
®
/
MODEL POWER
®
IHC
®
.055" &
.100" Id.
Sleeve
Adaptors
Talgo Truck
Adaptor
#232 or #234
Gear Box
and Lid
Bronze
Centering
Spring
Coupler
#213
Universal
adaptor
plate
(Gear Box)
20 SERIES COUPLER
FIG.4
Remove areas
shown with a
sharp knife
FIG. 11
Lower Arm
Upper Arm
Center post
30 Series
draft Gear Box
Spring in Position
Spring Lid
.130"
.308"
FIG.9
Remove amounts
shown from top
and front
Trim mounting
lugs
Use Kadee
®
#230 Insertion Pic.
Set Adaptor crosswise into hole.
Turn 90
°
and press down until it
snaps into place.
FIG.8
FIG.7
Insert and twist Coupler down
Slide
spring
forward
FIG. 1
30 SERIES COUPLER ASSEMBLY
TOP
Coupler
Spring Lid
Torsion
Spring
draft Gear Box on bottom
Lid on top
BOTTOM
draft Gear Box on top
Lid on bottom
Spring Lid
Torsion
Spring
Draft
Gear Box
Coupler
Standard Lid
Draft Gear
Box
Standard
Lid
Washer
for 0-80 screw
Optional
Thicker
Lid
FIG.10
673 Avenue C • White City, Oregon • 97503 -1078 U.S.A.
© 2009 Kadee
®
Quality Products Co.
013009
Quality Products Co.
#
241 “Dual Tool”
to bend up
to bend down
Kadee
®
#
237 Coupler Trip Pin Pliers
wARNING:
CHOKING HAZARd - Small Parts
Not for children under 14 years.
