Kadee Magne-Matic HO Scale 31, Magne-Matic HO Scale 21, Magne-Matic HO Scale 23, Magne-Matic HO Scale 24, Magne-Matic HO Scale 33 Assembly Instructions Manual

BEFORE ASSEMBLY ALL COUPLERS:

The 20 or 30 series coupler lines are insolated plastic shanked couplers. Af ter removing the draft gear
box from the sprue file off the break away point and any flash, making sure the inside of the box is smooth.
Burnish the coupler shank on both sides. Note: On 20 series couplers the bronze centering spring plate
must always be installed on the to p of the coupler with the spring leaves (arms) facing down straddling
both sides of the standard shank coupler. Note: Fig.2 & Fig.10 represents a listing of parts only, at no time
would all these components be used in a single mounting situation.

COUPLER ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS #20 SERIES (

NO.5®

TYPE GEAR BOX: # 232 or #234 GEAR BOX)

To assemble/install the coupler follow the illustrations in these instructions. See Fig.1 You can cement the
lid on the b ox using a small amount of solvent cement c arefully place d along the seams if you wish. Fasten
assembled coupler on mounting platforms’ centerline with a # 2 or 2-56 screw through the center hole or
with two 0-48 or 0-8 0 screws through e ach of the two outer h oles. Where the use of a screw is n ot possible
a solvent cement can be used on a styrene mount and a “CA” glue can be used for other mounts.

COUPLER ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS #20 SERIES

(“DROP IN” CAST-ON DRAFT GE AR BOXES &

MANUFACTURERS CLIP ON DR AFT GEAR BOXES )

To assemble/install the coupler follow the illustrations in these instructions. See Fig.1. Test fit the spring, it
must have room to flex the arms without binding. Some center posts may be too small, allowing too much
coupler play and will hinder centering action. Compare the play in the supplied draft g ear box to the cast
on draft gear box and check if the spring functions properly. Make a small bushing (or sleeve) to slip over
the post. We include two sizes of sleeves in our 20 series coupler packages (.055” ID and .100” ID) and
they also are marketed separately as produ ct #213. Place the spring and coupler into the draft gear box,
again making sure the spring is on top of the coupler. Place the lid on the box and secure according to the
manufac turers instructions. Do not over tighten for some lids may bind the spring. On Athearn and other
types of clip on lids you may need to file the edge of the tabs the lids clip onto to relieve any binding.

COUPLER ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS #20 SERIES ( UNIVERSAL ADAPTOR PL ATE: # 213 GEAR BOX )

To assemble/install the coupler follow the illustrations in these instructions. See Fig.2, is used in applications
that require a lid with a centering boss. Raised sides forward, spring on top of coupler. Fasten assembly
to centerline of coupler mounting platform with a 2-56 Screw.

COUPLER ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS #20 SERIES ( TALGO-TRUCKS: # 212 TALGO ADAPTORS)

Fig.3 Represents the common talgo -trucks. Remove Talgo-truck from underframe and twist horn hook
coupler out of coupler box. With a sharp hobby knife, remove areas shown in Fig.4 from the existing
coupler box. The opening must be just wide enough to hold the Bronze Centering Spring without binding
or distor ting it. Remove any obstructions which may interfere with the coupler operation & burnish inside
coupler box. Set coupler in position and check coupler height before inserting talgo adapter.

TYCO® STYLE TALGO-TRUCK:

Insert Bronze Centering Spring, see Fig.5. Bend down coupler pivot pin just far enough to slide spring
past it from the front. Push spring back against center post to make room for Coupler. Pull pivot pin down
once more and insert Coup ler until hole in Co upler Shank rest s directly above c oupler pivot pin. N ow, slide
centering spring forward, aligning spring hole with both coupler hole and pivot pin, see Fig.5. Proceed to

INSERTION PIC below to completion of this assembly.
LIFE-LIKE™ & MODEL POWER® STYLE
TALGO-TRUCK:

Install Coupler from the front at an angle and slide Coupler Shank underneath one lip of coupler box,
see Fig.6. When the coupler hole is centered over pivot pin, twist Coupler down over pin, letting both lips
capture Coupler Shank. Insert Bronze Centering Spring from the rear, bringing it forward over Coupler.
Align holes in both the Coupler and spr ing over the pivot pin, see Fig.7. Proceed to INSERTION PIC to
completion of this assembly.

INSERTION PIC:

Using the Kadee® #230 Insertion Pic, set Talgo-Truck Adaptor cross-wise into the spring and Coupler
holes. Turn Insertion Pic and attached Adaptor 90° and press down, snapping Adaptor into position, see
Fig.8. Make sure the broad section of the Adaptor faces toward the Coupler Knuckle and pivot pin has
entered hole. Re-assemble truck to equipment and check coupler clearance.

A.H.M.® TALGO-TRUCK:

Remove Talgo-truck from under frame and twist horn hook c oupler out of coupler box. With a sharp knife,
remove area s shown in Fig.9 from t he top and front of Talgo-truck coupler box. Mount the #27 Coupler in a

NO.5®

Draft G ear Box, then trim a sm all amount from th e two side mount ing lugs for clear ance. The assem bled

Coupler may now be set into the modified Talgo-truck and glued, using any one of the “CA” glues.

20 & 30

SERIES COUPLERS

LONG

UNDERSET SHANK

MEDIUM

OVERSE T SHANK

SHORT

CENTERSET SHANK

SHORT

UNDERSET SHANK

SHORT

OVERSE T SHANK

LONG

CENTERSET SHANK

MEDIUM

UNDERSET SHANK

MEDIUM

CENTERSET SHANK

LONG

OVERSE T SHANK

#

21/31

#

22/32

#

23/33

#

24/34

#

25/35

#

26/36

#

27/37

#

28/38

#

29/39

20 & 30 Series Kadee® Magne-Matic® Couplers

20 Series

Mounte d on Bott om

& 30 Seri es

Draf t gear on b ottom wi th

standard lid on top

30 Series

Draf t gear on to p with

standard lid on bottom

Coupler a nd spring correc tly

aligned o ver pivot pin

FIG. 5

Bend
down
coupler pivot pin and slide
in bronze sp ring from front

FIG. 12

GLUE AT
THESE POI NT S

COUPLER ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS #30 SERIES (# 233 GE AR BOX )

Determine which coupler configuration and method of mounting the Draft Gear Box
that will be necessary for your parti cular situation. See Fig.10. Assemble the Coupler
and Draf t Gear Box as shown in See Fig 10. Place the wire torsion spring over the
center post with the spring ar m that’s on the bottom into the hole where the upper
arm points out & is outside of the gear box. Place your finger on the post Holding the
spring in place. With a pair of tweezers move the upper arm over into the open hole
uncrossing the arms. Make sure the spring arms are uncrossed and in position. Roll your
finger back and slide the spring lid under until it is holding the spring in place. Move the lid
around un til it “POPS” in pl ace. You can lif t the box up & do this be ing careful not to re lease the
spring. If handled carefully the spring lid will stay in pl ace. However, you can carefully cement
it in place by placing a small dro p of styrene cement on the seam of the lid and center post.
Place the hole in the coupler shank over the center post and position the shank in between
the separated protruding spring legs. Slide the Coupler Lid over the coupler shank, center
post, indexing it between the two projections at the front of the Draft Gear Box. See Fig.11.
Testing coupler center ing action by toggling back and forth. Coupler should move freely and
automatically snap back to center position.
NOTE: A thi cker Lid has been add ed to aid in achieving correct coupler height. Use the
thicker Lid in place of standard lid or as a shim where needed.
If so desired, when t he coupler func tions properl y & when mounted the c orrect coupl er height
is achieved, the Spring Lid and Coupler Lid can be cemented to the Draft Gear Box with a
suitable glue or clear solvent cement. Use care not to saturate the Coupler Assembly as this
would prevent coupler from functioning. Only a minute dab of adhesive is necessary at the
indicated points. See Fig.12. Cementing, however, will prevent disassembly.

The coupler opening in the locomotive pilot beam must be enlarged to 5/16” (.312” ) wide by
just over 1/ 8” (.134”) high to accommodate the Coupler Draft Gear Box. The Draft Gear Box
can be used as a gauge and should line up and be on center with the locomotive centerline
and be parallel to the track, for proper operation of the coupler. If there is no platform or
suppor t area provided for c oupler mounting, you will need to build one. The Draft Gear Box
mounting platform surface should be level, smooth, and even with the top of the Draft Gear
Box opening when mounting from the bottom side or level with the bottom when mounting from
the top side of the platform. Slipping coupler assembly into the coupler pilot opening so that
the Trip Pin of the coupler will just clear any part of the locomotive pilot when swinging from
right to left. Mar k a pilot hole centerline, cro sswise to and on the l ocomotive centerline. Dr ill a
tap hole for a 2-56 screw with a # 50 drill, and then tap hole. If the area will not accommodate
this size screw, cement a small plastic dowel, for a bushing, into the Coupler Draft Gear Box
hole. Drill a 1/16” #52 c learance hole in the center of the dowel for an 0-8 0 screw. Then, drill
a tap hole for the same screw with a #55 drill on the previously marked pilot hole centerline.
If there is an existing mounting hole present, fill it by cementing another plastic dowel in the
hole. This plastic dowel is to be drilled as above, for a 0 -80 screw size tap hole. Be careful,
in either case, not to fasten the screw so tight that it will prevent freedom of movement of the
coupler’s operation. Small washers are included for use with 0- 80 screws.

CHECKING MOUNTING

Add a puff of Kadee® #231 Greas-em on the insid es of the Coupler Assembly. Work the
couple r back and forth to lubricat e and evenl y distribute the graphite. T his will greatly en hance
the coupler’s per formance. Use our # 205 or # 206 Height Gauge to chec k for the correct
coupler height and trip pin clearance. The HO -Scale N.M.R.A. standard for c oupler height
is the centerline of c oupler at 25/64” (.39 0”). Use our # 237 Trip Pin Pliers to carefully adjust
the trip pin clearance if necessar y.
Note: The Knuckle Spring used on Kadee® “SCALE” couplers are unique and should not be
interchanged with the standard # 622 HO -Scale Knuckle Spring. Replacement springs for
“SCALE” couplers are sold as the #625 Knuckle Spring.
We include extra knuckle springs in a small capsule. To replace the knuckle spring, use our
#241 Dual Tool (Manual Uncoupling Tool & Spring Pic) and inser t it between the l ast two coils
on either end of the spring. Then slip the end of the spring onto one of the ret aining cones
in the knuckle and compress the spring until you can slip the other end onto the opposing
cone then withdraw the pick.
NOTE: To secure the knuck le spring more durably carefully dip the last two coils in DUCO®
(or similar type of glue) or a thick slow drying CA glue (“do not” use the thin CA glue because
it can easily “wick” into the knuc kle and ruin the coupler). Then slip the end of the spring
onto one of the retaining cones in the knuckle and compress the spring until you can slip the
other end onto the opposing cone then withdraw the pick.
For Non-Delayed Uncoupling use our #312 Between the Rails Permanent Magnet Uncoupler.
For Delayed Action Uncoupling use our code 100 #321 or code 83 #322 Between the Rails

Permanent Magnet Uncoupler, #308 Under the Track Permanent Magnet, or our #309
Magne-Electric (Electro-Magnet) Under the Track Uncoupler.

Kadee

®

coupler conversion lists are available in the Walthers Reference Book. Kadee® coupler

conversion list & coupler conversions are on the Kadee

®

web sight for your convince.

www.kadee.com/conv/convpl.htm

Inverted

Lid

Bronze
Centering
Spring

Manufacturers
cast-o n draft
gear box

Coupler

Bronze

Centering

Spring

#234
Draft
Gear

Box

Lid

Coupler

FIG.1

FIG. 2

FIG. 3

TYCO® LIFE LIKE™/ AHM®/
MODEL POWER® IHC

®

.055" &

.10 0" Id .

Sleeve

Adaptors

Talgo Truck

Adaptor

#232 or # 234

Gear Box

and Lid

Bronze
Centering
Spring

Coupler

#213
Universal
adaptor
plate
(Gear Box )

20 SERIES COUPLER

FIG.4

Remove areas
shown wit h a
sharp knife

FIG . 11

Lower Arm

Upper Arm

Center post

30 Series
Draft Ge ar Box

Spring in Posi tion

Spring Lid

.130 "

.308"

FIG.9

Remove amo unts
shown fro m top
and front

Trim mounting
lugs

Use Kade e® #230 Insertion Pic.

Set Adapto r crosswise into ho le.

Tur n 90° and press d own until it

snaps int o place.

FIG. 8

FI G.7

Insert a nd twist Coupler d own

Slide

spring

forward

FIG. 1

30 SERIES COUPLER ASSEMBLY

TOP

Coupler

Spring Lid

Tor sio n
Spring

Draft G ear Box on bottom

Lid on top

BOTTOM

Draft G ear Box on top

Lid on bottom

Spring Lid

Torsion

Spring

Draft

Gear Box

Coupler

Standard Lid

Draft Ge ar
Box

Standar d
Lid

Washer
for 0-8 0 screw

Optional
Thicker
Lid

FIG .10

673 Avenue C • White City, Oregon • 97503-1078 U.S.A.

© 2009 Kadee® Quality Products Co. 013009

Quality Products Co.

#

241 “Dual Tool”

to bend up

to bend down

Kadee® #237 Coupler Trip Pin Pliers

WARNING:

CHOKING HAZARD - Small Parts
Not for children under 14 years.