Has anyone tried to glue the coupler box onto the bottom of a car? I have a Lionel Caboose that I want to install Kadees onto but I would have to drill and tap though the vestibule floor, making the screws visible from the top. I was thinking of using an Atalas O adjust a coupler box and gluing it to the bottom of the car. Has anyone tried this? What type of glue should I use?
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I have indeed done Lionel cabooses that way, because I didn't want to drill a hole up thru the end platforms. I used J-B Kwik (sp); it sets in 5 to 10 minutes, and cane be trimmed with a file when finished (it is THAT hard). It is the fast acting product from J-B Weld, and can be purchased at any True Value or Ace Hardware store.
I have indeed done Lionel cabooses that way, because I didn't want to drill a hole up thru the end platforms. I used J-B Kwik (sp); it sets in 5 to 10 minutes, and cane be trimmed with a file when finished (it is THAT hard). It is the fast acting product from J-B Weld, and can be purchased at any True Value or Ace Hardware store.
Hot Water
What kind of coupler box are you using? I do not think the Kadees will work well because they are 2 peice but the Atlas O look like the will work. If so are you able to change the coupler out to a kadee one or do you use the atlas one?
For virtually ALL of my Kadee up-grades I have used the #805. I have just begun to use the #740. Both have the metal Kadee "gear box", as they refer to it, thus the J-B Kwick sticks to it extremely well, for cabooses.
Just my opinion, but I wouldn't use ANY of the Atlas O couplers! I eventually removed and trashed every single pair of Atlas couplers due to breakage.
For virtually ALL of my Kadee up-grades I have used the #805. I have just begun to use the #740. Both have the metal Kadee "gear box", as they refer to it, thus the J-B Kwick sticks to it extremely well, for cabooses.
I have only used the ones with the plastic box. It comes in 2 pieces. How do you get both pieces to stay together or do you glue them together also?
For virtually ALL of my Kadee up-grades I have used the #805. I have just begun to use the #740. Both have the metal Kadee "gear box", as they refer to it, thus the J-B Kwick sticks to it extremely well, for cabooses.
I have only used the ones with the plastic box. It comes in 2 pieces. How do you get both pieces to stay together or do you glue them together also?
Except for a VERY few specific cases, I screw thru the center hole on the Kadee "gear box" assembly. Thus, they NEVER "come apart". What ever you do, please DO NOT try to glue the covers on the box. Any amount of glue that COULD capillary thru to the inside of the coupler box, will affect the movement of the coupler shaft.
With the metal boxes, you can take a round punch, and give it a good tap with a hammer in all 3 holes after the coupler is assembled. This will strectch the holes in the top cover and hold the 2 piece box together pretty firmly. The cover will then snap on and off if needed. It makes it easy to handle during the installation so you're not putting it back together over and over.
In some cases where the mounting platform is very thin, I'll cut the end of screw off with the dremel, add a tiny drop of CA to the end of the threads, putty over it (optional) and then sand smooth.
What I've had good luck with when putting Kadee's together is to take black electrical tape and cut it into very narrow strips, then wrap one time around the coupler assembly to prevent it from coming apart when putting it on a car or engine. Works very well and the tape is thin enough it does not alter the coupler height in any way.
I pull this short train with KD's glued (JBKwick) to the under side of the car. I will not put these cars in a long consist as I bet the KD's will pull off. BF
go to the drugstore in your town...buy some superglue gel......a dab will do ya.....and your problem is solved..i can pull 20 cars for openers and the kadees dont come off the car!!!!!!sincerely conrail john
go to the drugstore in your town...buy some superglue gel......a dab will do ya.....and your problem is solved..i can pull 20 cars for openers and the kadees dont come off the car!!!!!!sincerely conrail john
1) Are your cars weighted, say to NMRA specifications?
2) Since I/we run 25 to 65 car trains, I don't think simply glueing Kadee couplers to freight cars is the way to go.
Just because it works, does that mean thats how we should do it? Come on now, how hard is it to drill a hole or 2 and put a screw in. That's like towing a car with a rope.. yeah it may work if you're careful, but how far are you gonna make?
Make a rough joint and see if it don't pop right off. 
I've had a super glued coupler pocket shear off when I accidentally reversed direction of a 25 car (NMRA weighted) train. IMO only screws will assure a positive coupler pocket mount. A compromise that will work is to mount the pocket with one screw in the center hole, and a film of super glue between the pocket and body to hold the pocket in alignment. The single 2-56 screw will be strong enough to keep the pocket on the car under longitudinal force while the lateral force on the coupler/pocket will not be sufficient to break the super glue bond fixing the pocket's orientations to the centerline.
Ed Rappe
Guys, the flat car pictured above only has a wood floor on it. There is no place to drill and screw. The floor is about 3/32 thick with no steel plate under it. The screws will poke thru the wood deck. LJ
When you operate heavy trains with super glued kadee coupler pockets..proper train handling rules apply.just like the real thing..to much throttle and your gonna have a problem...stretch the slack first then apply power......when you do rip one out its ultra realism.....conrail john
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