g56 Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 I noticed my Dillon RL550 was acting a bit stiff, so I started taking it apart to clean and lube the various moving parts. I found the problem, the link arms are really stiff, I can't find a way to remove them to lube them, Dillon's website says to grease them but doesn't tell you how to get them out, and I don't want to damage anything. How do you remove the link arm pins for lubrication? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 I had to hammer mine out with a dowel on the 650 --- they were so galled that they stuck pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 There are holes for oil drilled into the arms. You may be able to apply some Breakfree/Kroil/similar... then cycle the press to loosen them up before you start hammering away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Use a penetrating oil and then drift them out with a similar sized dowel after the oil loosens up the rust/corrosion. That's what I had to do too. -- Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 By keeping a small amount of machine oil applied to the oil holes since it was new, I've had no problems in the last 2+years/26,000 rounds since then. However if you aquire one that hasn't been lubricated, the penetrating oil trick will work. Be sure to allow time for it to penetrate and work the rust/grime loose before attempting to drift the pin out. In the FWIW department, try to avoid a steel drift punch. As described earlier, a wooden dowel should do the trick or if particularly stubborn, get a drift made from brass. You just want to be careful and not peen the ends of the links and damage the bearing surfaces. dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillon Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 First, remove the platform from the top of the shaft, then remove the set screw in the bottom of the shaft. Now, push out the crank/ shaft connecting pin from the bottom of the shaft. this will allow the shaft to slide out the bottom of the frame. Now, the right upper link arm pin is hollow. Use a large nail with the tip ground flat to go through the hollow pin to drive out the solid pin. Now run the punch through hole in the frame to drift out the hollow pin. If necessary, use a wire wheel or sandpaper to remove any metal transferred to the pivot pins. Use axle or wheel bearing grease and heavily grease the following: holes in the frame holes in the link arm pivot pin then use a hammer to pound the pivot pins back into place. By tradition, the hollow pin goes on the right, but they are dimensionally identical. You will need an alignment tool to align the platform with the toolhead. Contact Dillon at 1-800-223-4570 for an alignment tool and instructions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Is there a FAQ for cleaning/maintenance/lubing tips/advice here somewhere? Like: Parts that should be lubed periodically and with what. Assemblies/Parts that should be disassembled for throuoh cleaning. etc.. The Dillon site has some, the manual has some... I'm looking for 550 info specifically. Thanks, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g56 Posted January 13, 2004 Author Share Posted January 13, 2004 I've got the press disassenbled and in a padded vice, everything removed except the pivot pins and the link arms, I tried a 1/4" wooden dowel thru the hole in the right side, it wouldn't budge the left one at all. I sprayed it down good with LPS1 last night, it loosened up quite a bit, but I know that's not a fix, just a band aid. I'll try Dillon's method this afternoon. BTW, there aren't any oil holes in this press, it's an old 550, I guess they have added oiling holes since then. The press is a 550 that I bought new in 1985, it's a great press! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vluc Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Maybe Dillon will replace your old one for you?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g56 Posted January 14, 2004 Author Share Posted January 14, 2004 Got a brainstorm, bought a 5/16" bolt, 6" long, the 5/16" fits thru the hole in the right side link pin, punched out the left side pin, the bolt head on the 5/16" bolt is 1/2", exceeded by the points on the head, ground the points off, and had a nice round punch the perfect size to drive out the hollow right side, worked perfectly! Got them out and lubed, partially assembled, just waiting for the alignment tool Dillon said they will send me. Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Use axle or wheel bearing grease and heavily grease the following:holes in the frame holes in the link arm Or, Slide-Glide #1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Para Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 I use silicone oil to lube my 550's. It doesn't attract dust nor does primer ash stick to it, and oh yes I strip them completely every 20 000 rounds or so. I find the silicone penetrates well into tight fitting spots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerT Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 You will need an alignment tool to align the platform with the toolhead. Contact Dillon at 1-800-223-4570 for an alignment tool and instructions. Since I live in Sweden I hesitate a bit before I phone Dillon to make questions about the alignment tool..... What do you really need it for? Isn't there a method where you can do without the alignment tool? I would like to know before I disassemble my old (pre lube hole) 550 Dillon for the first ever maintenance, I bought it used from my shooting club and I suspect that it has never been lubed nor disassembled before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoNsTeR Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I took a 10"-ish landscaping nail and ground the tip flat. Made a perfect punch for getting those pins out. I lubed it up with bearing grease like the manual said to. Here's the thread I started when I had this same problem: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...=7886&hl=dillon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Hooray for the internet. This thread saved me. My dillon 550 (purchased new from brian in october 2012) was getting stiff for some reason, so with the help of this thread I just kept taking it apart until I isolated the problem to be the upper right link pin (the hollow one) galling a little. Wiped everything up and greased it, and now the press is running slickern' snot. I used some long bolts I had laying around to drive out the pins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinecone Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 1) The older presses (like my 650) do not have lube holes. 2) If things are bad enough, you can send the press back to Dillon to be refurbished. I have heard that in many cases, they just ship a new press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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