Fiber washers.

[onequiknova]

As I tune up my freight car fleet, I often find myself needing to adjust the ride height to get the couplers at the right height. Of course I have the Kadee washers, but I can't remember a car where they actually fit over the bolsters, and opening the holes in the washers is a PITA. Does anyone have a source of fiber washers that fit cars like Tangent and Exactrail?

[fishbelly]

Sorry I cannot help you with a source for fiber washers.

This is where a 3D printer comes in handy. I have to do this all the time because I have a lot of the older cars. AHM, Tyco, Roundhouse, Atlas and so on. The trucks I use rarely fit these cars. When I was using Shapeways I made a bunch of these. I made them thicker than I needed. I would figure out the height I needed for the washer, tape them to the top of the vise and trim them on the mill. I run into a diameter issue all the time too. I bought a series of drill bits to take care of that.

Brian

[Mr. Trainiac]

I have a hole punch set that I use to make styrene shims sometimes. It has different sized threaded inserts to change the hole size. I first punch the center hole, and if you're accurate, you can line up the outer punch concentric to the inner one to cut out the washer. Other times I leave the outside square or trim the corners to make an octagon shape.

Here is something similar at Harbor Freight: www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-hollow-punch-set-3838.html

[riogrande]

Jan 4, 2024 10:39:20 GMT -8 onequiknova said:

As I tune up my freight car fleet, I often find myself needing to adjust the ride height to get the couplers at the right height. Of course I have the Kadee washers, but I can't remember a car where they actually fit over the bolsters, and opening the holes in the washers is a PITA. Does anyone have a source of fiber washers that fit cars like Tangent and Exactrail?

I have had the same problem. Kadee needs to up their game and offer fiber washers with bigger holes. In some cases I've been able to enlarge the hold with a round needle file, but sometimes even that isn't enough.

[onequiknova]

Jan 4, 2024 10:52:39 GMT -8 Mr. Trainiac said:

I have a hole punch set that I use to make styrene shims sometimes. It has different sized threaded inserts to change the hole size. I first punch the center hole, and if you're accurate, you can line up the outer punch concentric to the inner one to cut out the washer. Other times I leave the outside square or trim the corners to make an octagon shape.

Here is something similar at Harbor Freight: www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-hollow-punch-set-3838.html

I actually have a set of these. It never occurred to me to make shims with them. This may be the way to go.

[onequiknova]

Jan 4, 2024 11:46:09 GMT -8 riogrande said:

Jan 4, 2024 10:39:20 GMT -8 onequiknova said:

As I tune up my freight car fleet, I often find myself needing to adjust the ride height to get the couplers at the right height. Of course I have the Kadee washers, but I can't remember a car where they actually fit over the bolsters, and opening the holes in the washers is a PITA. Does anyone have a source of fiber washers that fit cars like Tangent and Exactrail?

I have had the same problem. Kadee needs to up their game and offer fiber washers with bigger holes. In some cases I've been able to enlarge the hold with a round needle file, but sometimes even that isn't enough.

That what I've been doing. The problem with that is the file usually rolls the edge over, then the truck doesn't sit right, or tighten down properly.

[canrailfan]

Just a reminder, washers for shimming car height don't have to be made of fibre. I've used nylon and metal washers as well.

[riogrande]

Jan 4, 2024 12:49:53 GMT -8 onequiknova said:

Jan 4, 2024 11:46:09 GMT -8 riogrande said:

I have had the same problem. Kadee needs to up their game and offer fiber washers with bigger holes. In some cases I've been able to enlarge the hold with a round needle file, but sometimes even that isn't enough.

That what I've been doing. The problem with that is the file usually rolls the edge over, then the truck doesn't sit right, or tighten down properly.

If that happens, I just rub it flat on a bigger file.

[nebrzephyr]

Washers

[tom]

Jan 4, 2024 10:52:39 GMT -8 Mr. Trainiac said:

I have a hole punch set that I use to make styrene shims sometimes. It has different sized threaded inserts to change the hole size. I first punch the center hole, and if you're accurate, you can line up the outer punch concentric to the inner one to cut out the washer. Other times I leave the outside square or trim the corners to make an octagon shape.

Here is something similar at Harbor Freight: www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-hollow-punch-set-3838.html

I use that method too! Works great and I have used the hole punch to make washers from 0.005" thick up to 0.020" thick. Also if you need the hole to be a little bigger in diameter then that is easy to with a round file but use it before you use the outer punch. The styrene washers then can easily be glued onto the plastic bolster.

[danpik]

I found fiber washers at McMaster Carr. 100 for about $5.00 in both .015" and .030" thickness. They look suspiciously like the washers that kadee sells. .250" outside dia and .125 hole

[grabirons]

I use my exacto blade to slightly widen the hole by carefully holding a washer bewteen two fingers, then giving the exacto blade a few turns until the washer fits on the bolster/screw hole.

[thumper3751]

Sorry to get to this post so late. I use black polyslider graphite nylon flat washers found on Aliexpress.com. Various outside diameters; an assortment of inside diameters available; and the best thing is that they are offered in multiple thicknesses - very useful for shimming cars to just the right height for coupler adjustments.

Mike Mc
Pahrump, NV

[riogrande]

Jun 27, 2024 8:57:38 GMT -8 thumper3751 said:

Sorry to get to this post so late. I use black polyslider graphite nylon flat washers found on Aliexpress.com. Various outside diameters; an assortment of inside diameters available; and the best thing is that they are offered in multiple thicknesses - very useful for shimming cars to just the right height for coupler adjustments.

Mike Mc
Pahrump, NV

Would you mind providing a link? I've done some searching but not really sure if I've found the right thickness and a washer with a significantly larger hole. Some of my cars like Atlas 89' flat cars and Athearn Genesis auto racks have metal underframes with significantly thicker bosses on the bolsters. I've tried reaming out Kadee washers but the the hold needs to be a bit more than a little bigger to fit over that metal lip.

[tony]

Please explain why you need to adjust the heights for couplers on the best made HO freights cars to come out of China? $60 cars and they are not up to standards? Really?

[edwardsutorik]

Try a search on McMaster for "shim washers".



Ed

[tom]

Jun 27, 2024 10:03:08 GMT -8 tony said:

Please explain why you need to adjust the heights for couplers on the best made HO freights cars to come out of China? $60 cars and they are not up to standards? Really?

Probably the real reason it that there is no real industry standard on coupler height even though there is a NMRA standard. Anyhow my standard is my Kadee gauge and I do not get too worked up if I have to add a washer or two raise the coupler height a little. Since I punch out my own using evergreen styrene my cost is less than a penny.

[riogrande]

Jun 27, 2024 10:03:08 GMT -8 tony said:

Please explain why you need to adjust the heights for couplers on the best made HO freights cars to come out of China? $60 cars and they are not up to standards? Really?

Well, coupler height seems to be an issue with ALL brands. If you watch some of the reviews, Tangent and Moloco also often fail the coupler height gauge. For some reason the stars have to align to get correct coupler height out of the box.

So I assume your "Please explain" is a rhetorical question.

[jslean]

I use a paper punch and sheet styrene to make washers. The styrene comes in various thicknesses from .005 to .040 The paper punches come in 1/16,1/8, 3/16, 1/8 and 5/16 diameter. I got mine at a craft store. if the hole is too small use a round file to enlarge it. After the hole is the right size use a larger punch to punch it out You can stack the washers together and glue them if you need a washer thicker than.040. In some cases the mounting boss for the truck will too low after you make the washers the right thickness. There is an easy fix for this. Punch out the center post in a Kadee coupler box and use this as a combined washer and boss. If you need more thickness put a suitable washer between the center post and the bolster.

[packer]

I tend to not use washers and instead stick a scrap of paper in bottom of coupler boxes to eliminate the couplers dropping. This doesn't really work in some swinging boxes though, and sometimes I do have to put a washer under the truck. I've always just free-handed a square washer to go over the bolster and didn't think of trying paper punches.

Now if there was a tool I'm not aware of to lower the bolster on metal frames cars like the genesis F89s that doesn't involve a lot of filing. Maybe a really small hole saw?

[edwardsutorik]

Jun 28, 2024 5:47:43 GMT -8 packer said:

Now if there was a tool I'm not aware of to lower the bolster on metal frames cars like the genesis F89s that doesn't involve a lot of filing. Maybe a really small hole saw?

A piloted counterbore:







Ed

[thumper3751]

Here is a link to the washers I bought from AliExpress:

www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832836420786.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.103.6a451802FYERc9&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt

Being that they are a nylon graphite, they are slick enough that trucks will rotate with no problems at all.

Mike M
Pahrump, NV