Why are all (at least based on my experience) Athearn cars too low to the tracks? To get the coupler to the correct height I have had to add two .15" spacers to every Athearn car. Has the NMRA coupler standard changed over the years or is this an Athearn problem?
Athearn Rolling Stock Height???
- Thread starter larrwill
- Start date
Coupler Height
To my knowledge the standard has never changed. As with a lot RTR cars they are set up to the old X2F couplers ( horn hooks) and not a lot of attention was given to the height by the manufacturer but this works to our advantage as we gain the "room" needed to adjust the coupler height to the correct level for use with operating couplers such as the Kadees.
In the case of Athearn cars the problem is usually at the coupler box which is cast as a part of the plastic frame. Even when properly installed the box tends to "droop" down towards the rails. What I always did was to make sure that the flat side of the coupler box fit flush against the carbody (floor casting). If there was any space between the box and the carbody then the coupler height could be too low.
Here's the fix
....Assemble the car in the normal manner and install the trucks. Inspect the car ends to see if there is any space between the coupler box and the carbody. If space is noted take a needle or a pin and apply just a small drop of super glue to the flat side of the coupler box and press it against the carbody until the glue "grabs:". Do the same on the other end of the car and the coupler height should be pretty close to correct once the couplers are installed.
Hope this helped out
To my knowledge the standard has never changed. As with a lot RTR cars they are set up to the old X2F couplers ( horn hooks) and not a lot of attention was given to the height by the manufacturer but this works to our advantage as we gain the "room" needed to adjust the coupler height to the correct level for use with operating couplers such as the Kadees.
In the case of Athearn cars the problem is usually at the coupler box which is cast as a part of the plastic frame. Even when properly installed the box tends to "droop" down towards the rails. What I always did was to make sure that the flat side of the coupler box fit flush against the carbody (floor casting). If there was any space between the box and the carbody then the coupler height could be too low.
Here's the fix
....Assemble the car in the normal manner and install the trucks. Inspect the car ends to see if there is any space between the coupler box and the carbody. If space is noted take a needle or a pin and apply just a small drop of super glue to the flat side of the coupler box and press it against the carbody until the glue "grabs:". Do the same on the other end of the car and the coupler height should be pretty close to correct once the couplers are installed.Hope this helped out
I have done what Vic does, with the super glue.
If the coupler box will not fit flush with the car body, check the supplied weight. Sometimes the weight is not flat.
Marty
If the coupler box will not fit flush with the car body, check the supplied weight. Sometimes the weight is not flat.
Marty
planeshavings42
Member
Great Question
Thanx for asking that question, I have all athearn cars, and never understood why they were all off, I'm going for the fix today.
Thanx again AT&SF Duey
Thanx for asking that question, I have all athearn cars, and never understood why they were all off, I'm going for the fix today.
Thanx again AT&SF Duey