Kadee or McHenry?

which couplers do you prefer? kadee, mchenry, or other brand?

Kadee #58. Not even close!

Tell us why!

i prefer mchenrys. i was just wondering what everyone else thought.

"Kadee #5's; Standard Coupler Of The WORLD!". Funny they never adopted that as a slogan.....

I like Kadee's until that little spring comes out and you have to battle with eyesight to install a substitute, and you have to admit, kadee is most generous in providing extra springs.

I still use Horn Hook's on older equipment that hasn't been through "The Shop" in a while. I will admit though that in purchasing recent passenger equipment that comes with McHenry's, I'm upgrading the passenger couplers with McHenry when I get the chance. I'm going with McHenry's on the passenger gear to check it out, more than anything else.

McHenry's cost less which is a major factor now as well. With a sizeable stockpile of Kadee #5's for any future freight aquisitions, I can't see making the change in that department.

D/

McHenry, Accumate and other "generics" just don't seem to be as durable or precise as Kadee's products. I haven't had any actually "break" but I have had a number of the "generics" be bent out of shape without much effort on my kids' 4x8. So newly worked items get #5s or #58s.

In addition, there is no line of couplers that is as broad or deep as Kadee's in HO Scale.

It was a good thing, in general, that "generics" enabled the retirement of the horn-hook aka the X2F coupler (with certain extremely low-end exceptions), but I think Kadee is reaping the benefits to an extent that they probably didn't anticipate when the patent expired on their magnetic knuckle design.

Durability, I chose Kadee #5's, and have some #58's. I normally change everything out, just because I have had a few of the cheap knock off types break.

Kadee 5s and 58s. Same reason as above.

I prefer #5s or any of that size KD line (4,26, etc.). I've used EZmate and McHenrys with various results. Mostly weakened knuckle springs (ones that have the little plasitic return spring for the coupler itself). Those that haven't stood the test of time are replaced with the old dependables. I'll still use the newer 'knuckle spring' versions of the EZ and McH's on worktrain cars and cabooses. I recently bought some of the new whisker centering spring KDs but haven't had a chance to try them out. I know several modelers who have switched to 58s but I just can't justify the expence of changing over. Another modeler I know has gone over to Sargent Engineering scale couplers. Has anyone else experience with these? Once again for me they look nice but I'll stick with the 5's and there varients.

Just back from out of town... same reasons as above. Stretched knuckles and other issues due to being plastic.

I'm switching over to 58s due to the better look. Got a friend who is happy with Kadee 5s so he is getting my take-offs.

As far as I am concerned Kadee's are the only couplers. Everything else I have found to be junk. The plastic couplers just don't hold up through out regular operation. Anytime I get a new piece of equipment the first thing I do is to toss the plastic couplers it comes with. As far as the worst coupler, well, I 'd have to give that honor to Accumates, I hate those pieces of garbage. They look horrid, you can't do any type of back up move with them, and forget about shoving on a train that has a car with one of these wastes at the back. The helper will spread the coupler and "lock" it open so that when you go to pull away at the top of the hill you leave anything behind that car sitting. I would have said horn hooks are worse but I don't even think that I can give them the decency of being called couplers.

Scooter

After reading these entries, I've changed my mind about trying anything in plastic. Who needs the grief if they're that bad?

Thanks to all for the priceless info so far!

D/

Metal shank couplers simply perform better than plastic. That's why I prefer Kadee couplers.

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:Metal shank couplers simply perform better than plastic.

This cannot be understated. We have Kadees on some of our club-owned equipment, and the aesthetic wear on some of them reflects 2-3 decades of use. Most of the equipment with plastic couplers is relegated to sitting in a yard or siding until one or both of the inevitably bent couplers can be replaced by a #5.

I've had knuckles pulled from plastic substitutes so now just about everything is Kadee 58.