Ever put Kadee's on MTH Hi cube?

It's tricky. You end up having to shave off parts of the truck to clear the Kadee 804/805-series draft box. I haven't checked, but I suspect the MTH cars are set up with the 806 short box/short shank coupler in mind.

David

 

Rather than carving up the MTH 3 rail trucks I recommend putting 3 rail wheel sets in MTH 2 rail trucks. 

I have many of the MTH 50' High Cube boxcars.  They do make for a nice scale wheel conversion as Ted noted. I will take some photos of the one I have done for 2R.  I use the full Kadee gearbox from and 805 or 740/745 if you want scale coupler heads.

 

I agree the removal of the trucks is a pain since you have to remove the 4 small screws for the door guides, slide the door guides out, remove the doors, and finally remove the 4 screws holding the underframe to the body. 

 

Once the body is off the underframe I typically use Atlas trucks and the bolster/screw that is provided with the Atlas trucks.  Makes the car have a prototypical ride height.

Mike is correct the car has to come appart to install 2 rail[I use Atlas] trucks, taking off weight plates allows you to put 10/24 nuts in well[just fits with touch of super glue] and matching 10/24 screw 1" or longer neatly mounts truck, I don't use supplied spacer but mount Kaydees to body using 2MM screws [tap existing holes]. These are the only MTH cars I own and IMO the most scalelike of the line [technicaly they are a scale 6"narrow in body width] air hoses and cut levers and in some cases aluminum roofs and light weathering complete the job. Not all paints schemes are accurate check Railroad Pictures Archive.net if this is important to you. These cars are hard to find today, a testimony to there popularity and probably more limited Premier runs from MTH.

So here are some photos of a CP 50' High Cube I just converted this evening.  HIgh level steps I performed are as follows

 

1. remove the 4 screws which hold the two door guides on
2. remove the 2 door guides and the 2 doors
3. set the door guides, doors and 4 screws a side
4. remove the 4 screws (2 at each end) which hold the underframe to the body
5. set aside the screws and the body
6. remove the 2 screws which hold the MTH 3R trucks on the underframe.
7. set aside the 3R trucks and screws
8. Install Atlas 100T roller bearing trucks using the provided bolster and screws
9. tap the 4 holes to mount the kadee gearbox using a 2-56 tap
10. Assemble the Kadee gearbox, coupler, spring
11. Install one MicroMark O scale Kadee Shim on the top plate of the Kadee gearbox
12. Use 4 2-56 3/8" long screws to attach the assembled Kadee couplers on each end
13. reassemble the car

 Maybe he has the older ones without the predrilled KD mount?? I've done some of those.

On the newer High cubes the couplers fit right for me too?

 

Are you running on very tight 3r curves?? That's what you're talking about the box affecting the truck's swing? I would use the plastic and dremel the sides. Just mark where the wheels hit. If you have the older cars, maybe you could adjust where the box gets placed to help??

This is a good thread as I want to convert some MTH cars to Kadee and for the likes of me can't figure out how to gut the trucks without destoying them.  806 short box got it.  Possible 2 rail trucks with the 3 rail wheels.

 

I have the same question. What do you mean by "gut the trucks"?

 

I have found that MTH freight cars are among the easiest to up-grade to Kadee. Yes, Atlas 3-Rail trucks are the easiest to remove the claw from, but you then have to drill & tap new mounting holes for the 2-56 X 1/2" screws in order to body mount the Kadee box. 

 

Personally, I'll take the MTH latest freight cars any day.

Unless you're running really tight curves, the wheels rubbing the draft gear box will not be an issue. 3RS shouldnt have that tight of a curve anyway!

I have converted many and it is not too bad.

 

1. go here and find the 4 part video on installing Kadees on mth http://www.ericstrains.com/video/index.php

 

this will teach you how to carefully "gut" the mth trucks

 

2. Tack apart you high cube car

 

3. Gut your truck to remove the old claw coupler

 

4. Install kadee # 743 short shank couplers on mounting pads that came with your car

 

5. Put put truck back together 

 

6. Put car back together