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Dillon Lubrication


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There are tons of Dillon 650 videos on youtube but I haven't found a decent one showing how to clean/lube one. Someone could do us Dillon newbies a huge favor and make a youtube video showing the proper way to break down and lube on of these machines...

+1 ive been looking for a long time,if you find one please put a link up

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Tore mine down tonight and cleaned it piece by piece. Once I put it back together I might take it apart again and try to video it. There are quite a few parts so the first thing I learned tonight is to take off sub assemblies, tear them down, clean them and put them back together instead of just tearing everything apart and laying it out on the bench.

The last pic is of the famous Dillon alignment tool. Don't tear your press down without one of these to align everything back up.

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I tried to do a clean and lube a couple of weeks ago. I used the info from this thread and quickly realized I had NO business taking some of this apart without more clear instructions. Everything went back together fine because I knew my limitations. I know I didn't get the machine cleaned or lubed sufficiently.

Sarge, a detailed cleaning/lube video series would be a HUGE help for anyone who hasn't broken down their dillon.

Edited by KnurlingTurtle
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I tried to do a clean and lube a couple of weeks ago. I used the info from this thread and quickly realized I had NO business taking some of this apart without more clear instructions. Everything went back together fine because I knew my limitations. I know I didn't get the machine cleaned or lubed sufficiently.

Sarge, a detailed cleaning/lube video series would be a HUGE help for anyone who hasn't broken down their dillon.

hmm.. I still have not recalibrated my press after putting it back together. I might work on a video since I don't need to load anything right now.

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TL/DR: too much coffee this morning and the snow has me shut down but still at work.

The reason I tried to do a cleaning and lube is two fold; I always break down new guns for clean and lube so why not a press and there was a squeek in my handle so I figured the rest of the machine wasn't properly lubed.

I didn't realize I could get the machine out of timing by taking the ring indexer down to the main shaft. I also took the primer assembly apart so I could get to the primer disc pin. I muffed a couple of things, primer support shim(wrench looking shim under the disc pin) and I bent the ejector wire. My timing was off but I didn't know it. I was having to reach over and touch the brass to get a primer to seat. Sometimes multiple cases in a row. I played with the primer indexing arm constantly because as it got worse and worse as I became more intent on solving the issue. Then my primer disc stopped rotating as I tried to cycle due to powder being all over the primer system. This forced me to take the primer system apart for cleaning and lube. Turns out it wasn't too hard...well, the locator tab spring was a real pain but that's because I'm not so good at putting stuff together while holding a spring under tension. I noticed the primer seating thingie that comes up through the rotory primer disc wasn't centered and sure enough, it wouldn't seat primers.

Called Dillon and they're sending the timing tool and the two muffed two parts. Dude at customer support told me not to take anything off the machine for cleaning and lube other than the parts we take off for a caliber change. He gave me a quick overview of how and where to lube. He also said I could have unfrozen the primer assembly without removal but didn't get into the details because I had already taken it off and reinstalled. Of course it would still leave powder all over the primer assembly because it's simply impossible to load 9mm or .40 s&w with the indexing jerk from the factory without getting powder all over the flippin place and I didn't clip the spring for the first 500ish rounds.

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dont forget to do a vid when you put it back together :bow::bow:

That would be a very boring video with lots of swearing.

I have no desire to ever take it apart that far again. I really had no desire to do it this time, but one of the bearings kept sliding out of the leg of the press frame so I had to pull it all apart so I could loctite the bearing into the frame.

There was a decent amount of dead blow hammer usage. I think when the guy who makes the conversion puts them together he must freeze/heat the parts to get them to slide together. Or maybe he also uses a 4lb dead blow to put it together. It came apart fairly easy, but getting the drive shaft back through everything was a beast.

It was a good learning experience. I had about 25k rounds on it at the time I pulled it apart and all the grease looked brand new so I know 25k is nothing on this setup.

I only had 1 screw left over, but then I realized I didnt put the guide back on the primer feed station.

Its like my grandpa used to say "anybody can tear anything apart, but nobody can tear something back together again".

It actually worked again after I put it back together!

Also tackled the rebuild of the trimmer which wasnt that bad, but pulling the old bearings off was a beast and took 2 guys with my crappy Chinese harbor freight bearing puller. 1 guy to hold the whole disaster of a bearing puller together and the arms on the bearing and the other guy to turn the wrench.

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I use and recommend Mobil 1 5W30 on my pistols and have for a long time. If it's good enough for the pistols it's good enough for the presses. A 550 and a 650, put grease on the cam areas on the 650. My 550 is one of the first and has a lot of rounds loaded. Replaced the arms, bushing worn out machine would not stay in time along with new pins. Give the arm holes a drop of oil every third or forth loading session runs like new.I bought the 650 used and didn't know about heavy grease on station one locator. Was going to load some 40's this afternoon and will give that a try. It's for vibration and should help the machine run smoother.On 550 use powdered graphite on the primer slide bar and powder measure slide. It stays won't attract powder and extends loading time before cleaning. Pick a bottle up in the lock department at the hardware store or WalMart.

Thanks for the tip on the graphite. The slide bar is the part that is most annoying when it doesn't function and fails to grab the next primer.

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OK I'm an idiot. But just exactly what is the purpose of greasing the underside of the Station 1 locator? Especially "heavily greasing" it?

My press (650XL) is fairly new, only loaded a few thousand rounds. But Dillon had that cavity absolutely packed! The station one locator doesn't move? What am I missing here?

I'd like to know the answer to this too please.

It's because after the black plastic cam wears out some the station 1 locator can easily bounce up causing misfeeds into station 1. The grease keeps it from bouncing. I'd also recommend greasing the shafts of the little brass locator buttons. I doubt there's anyone here who hasn't been crawling around on the floor looking for those brass buttons, a little grease keeps them from bouncing out should you hit a hard stop for some reason.

I have a question to add to this reply.

The 1050 manual says "use no oil" and then on the very same page says "oil the mainshaft with motor oil". In my experience the 1050 mainshaft does run much better with oil than with grease. I've actually had it catch in its carriage and gall badly grinding metal using only high pressure red grease (however, that was on a Forcht rotary press that can put much more lateral stress on the mainshaft carriage). So which is it, oil or grease the 1050 main shaft?

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ummmmmm, I think I took it apart to far.

IMG_20131120_182417.jpg

Just takes a lot of grease to stick those roller pins back into your Forcht bearing. BTW are you getting minor galling in the race of your Forcht bearing? It seems to be self-limiting in that it stops progressing after the bearing wears some. Maybe I just over greased mine.

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The 1050 manual says "use no oil" and then on the very same page says "oil the mainshaft with motor oil". In my experience the 1050 mainshaft does run much better with oil than with grease. I've actually had it catch in its carriage and gall badly grinding metal using only high pressure red grease (however, that was on a Forcht rotary press that can put much more lateral stress on the mainshaft carriage). So which is it, oil or grease the 1050 main shaft?

Just takes a lot of grease to stick those roller pins back into your Forcht bearing. BTW are you getting minor galling in the race of your Forcht bearing? It seems to be self-limiting in that it stops progressing after the bearing wears some. Maybe I just over greased mine.

I grease the main shaft with Mobil red bearing grease personally, havent seen any issues through 60k+ rounds, still looks new. I spread some grease around on it every day.

When I had the rotary conversion apart I didnt notice any wear on anything. I use Mobil red grease for everything(I have a tub of red grease and a grease gun full). I put a few pumps into the unit every day I run(3k rounds) and wipe off whatever comes out the side.

His newer units(as of this spring) he said he has a grease zerk on the shaft itself that pushes grease into the frame bearings. He said he had guys asking for it so he modified it, but he didnt necessarily think it was necessary. I will say after having mine apart in the above post at 25k rounds, those bearings, and the grease in them, looked brand new so I dont think they see a lot of dirt or wear. I know Dillon says the bearings should run 3 million rounds, at least that was what I infered when I asked the question about buying some components like the bearings for re-builds and they said "the machine is designed to run 3 million rounds before a re-build".

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I'm using Tractor Supply (Traveller) red grease, probably not as good as Mobil. I have had to replace the index roller on my rotary drive, as the bronze got all beat up and the dog bent and was under-indexing.

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I have had to replace the index roller on my rotary drive, as the bronze got all beat up and the dog bent and was under-indexing.

I think thats a 1050 problem, not a rotary drive problem. My non-Forcht 1050 has bent an indexing pawl(my buddy was running the press and tried to muscle through a jammed primer slide), but so far the bronze roller is still fine. My auto drive bronze roller is beat up and I have been through 3 or 4 pawl's until I got everything set correctly(the clutch that is). Havent changed a pawl in at least 25k rounds(knock on wood, now that I have said that I will destroy a pawl the next time I turn the machine on LOL).

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My go to grease for most application is AMSOIL's synthetic extreme pressure. It is described as:

Composed of premium-quality synthetic base oils and calcium sulfonate complex thickeners, Multi-Purpose Grease provides exceptional film strength, shear resistance, adhesion properties and mechanical stability.

I pump that into the zerk fittings. I also use Progold Prolink/MFR-7 as my go to light oil as well on my press. I also use both the AMSOIL grease and the Progold on my firearms and use the AMSOIL in automotive applications, and Progold on my mountain bikes. I have also sprayed a dry graphite lube into the primer feeder channel, and then wiped off excess, as well as other areas like the powder measure/drop area where I don't want an oil/grease for powder to stick to. The right lubricants used appropriately in the right places can make a world of difference.

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dont forget to do a vid when you put it back together :bow::bow:

Here's a video reassembling a Super 1050 with bullet feeder.

I had it stripped down to the very last nut and bolt, cleaned, overhauled and then reassembled.

It only took the two of us 1 minute and 45 seconds to rebuild ............... just don't look at the clock on the wall. :surprise:

Dillon super 1050 rebuild

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