Cleaning 550B Powder Bar

[ChemistShooter]

I noticed my powder bar seemed to be sticking and consulted the Dillon manual. It oh-so-casually mentioned the powder was going to need cleaning every once in a while due to a build-up of powder residue, and that some powders were worse than others. TiteGroup apparently is one of the better powders as it's been around 2500 rounds now.

So off I go to do what appeared to be a ten-minute job. It looked easy. Pull the little white bushing out. Take fail-safe rod off. Take powder measure off and dump powder back into container. Loosen that little screw to push the thingies back so the bars will come completely out. Pull out little plastic pin on the spacer bar. Pull spacer bar and powder bar out. Clean with acetone and re-install.

I couldn't get past step one. That little white bushing would NOT come out, no matter how hard I tried. I had pliers on the damn thing at one point. I couldn't yank too hard as I was scared of destroying it or bending the fail-safe rod. I finally gave it up, took the whole damn 550B off the Strong Mount and emptied the powder measure that way.

Took two solid hours, a lot of cursing, and powder scattered everywhere. Dillon failed to mention the spacer bar would have powder in it. Or the white square plastic thingy that would come off and by pure blind luck happen to land in my lap.

But I got it done, and it needed it. The paper towels turned gray, and the action is much smoother now.

I can't believe this is supposed to be such a circus. If there is some trick to getting that bushing out, I'd really like to know. If by chance there is some UniqueTek powder apparatus that is easier to maintain, I'd like to know that too so can put it on my wish list.

[Dr Mitch]

All you need to do is remove the white plastic pin on top, and pull the cam arm with the white square drive bushing away from it's notch in the powder bar. The powder bar and spacer bar will then slide right out. It takes 10-20 seconds. Don't loosen any screws or nuts.

I run my pistol powder bar until it is time to switch to loading for rifles. Generally about 15 thousand rounds. When switching out between rifle and pistol loading is the only time I even consider cleaning the powder bar, and if I do I just use alcohol.

[a matt]

The Dr. has things right..

[rustybayonet]

You know, it is easyer to remove the tool head to dump the powder, that is the best part about having a 550. Also I have been able to remove and clean the powder bar without pulling the white stopper/buffer. Maybe your over thinking things?

[acpie360]

I couldn't get past step one. That little white bushing would NOT come out, no matter how hard I tried. I had pliers on the damn thing at one point. I couldn't yank too hard as I was scared of destroying it or bending the fail-safe rod. I finally gave it up, took the whole damn 550B off the Strong Mount and emptied the powder measure that way.

I think the OP was having trouble removing the shoulder washer (#18086) off the return bracket (#13885). Am I reading his post wrong?

[mpssrh]

Dillon has a series of straightforward videos with which you should become familiar. Here is the link to their video about removing the powder bar.

The Dillon web site, Google, and YouTube are your friends.

[meatman]

I couldn't get past step one. That little white bushing would NOT come out, no matter how hard I tried. I had pliers on the damn thing at one point. I couldn't yank too hard as I was scared of destroying it or bending the fail-safe rod. I finally gave it up, took the whole damn 550B off the Strong Mount and emptied the powder measure that way.

I think the OP was having trouble removing the shoulder washer (#18086) off the return bracket (#13885). Am I reading his post wrong?

^ This. What I do is raise the ram a little bit to get the return bracket up the fail-safe rod, then pop the bushing/ shouder washer down out of the bracket.

[Kevin G.]

That's how I read it...

ChemistShooter, when my 550B was new I had a hard time removing that bushing also. In fact, for months I would screw the wingnut off the failsafe bar to allow the powder measure to lift off the toolhead. I eventually got tired of it and used a set of pliers to pull the bushing by grabbing it below the bracket while the ram was raised and tilting it (slightly) until it popped out. It needs to come out the bottom of the return bracket, not the slot in the end. It's been easier to pull since that first time.

Edited May 13, 2016 by Kevin G.

[Sarge]

I couldn't get past step one. That little white bushing would NOT come out, no matter how hard I tried. I had pliers on the damn thing at one point. I couldn't yank too hard as I was scared of destroying it or bending the fail-safe rod. I finally gave it up, took the whole damn 550B off the Strong Mount and emptied the powder measure that way.

I think the OP was having trouble removing the shoulder washer (#18086) off the return bracket (#13885). Am I reading his post wrong?

^ This. What I do is raise the ram a little bit to get the return bracket up the fail-safe rod, then pop the bushing/ shouder washer down out of the bracket.

Yep. Also be careful cleaning too hard on the bar as its Teflon coated I believe.

[ChemistShooter]

If you take the powder bar off with powder in the hopper, powder starts flowing everywhere. Ask me how I know this. The powder dispenser has to be empty before you can slide the bars out. So you have to empty the hopper first, which means that bushing has to come out.

"screw the wingnut off the failsafe bar to allow the powder measure to lift off the toolhead"

Fudge. That's it. Such a simple solution. No forcing necessary. Thank you , Mr. G. I just ain't mechanical.

Sarge, I went real light. Aluminum scratches easy. A couple of passes with a paper towel and I was done.

Thanks to all.

[GrumpyOne]

Sometimes the simplest solution is the simplest...

[Build4u]

To keep powder residue from sticking to your shell plate, powder bar, primer bar etc degrease, and clean then spray with Mag Slick. you can lightly buff it off or leave it coated. The press will run longer between cleanings. sl9oo users cosat the primer tray and buff off like a wax to make primers slide easier.

[yellowfin]

Hmm, so could this same fouling with residue prevent a new powder bar from fitting in?  I did something really stupid and accidentally screwed in the adjustment screw too far and snapped the end off, so I had to order a new large powder bar.  Upon trying to get the new one in, it is putting up some fierce resistance and absolutely will NOT go a millimeter past the front open end.  Not at all.  Am I doing something really wrong, is the powder bar slightly oversized, or is there something to this that I'm not understanding?  I've got a lot of rifle loading to do and this is irritating beyond belief.

[dillon]

yellowfin,

 Contact us for a replacement bolt for your broken powder bar. It's easy to change out.

For the new bar not fitting, make sure the insert that adjusts in the powder bar cavity isn't hitting the mouth of the powder measure body. If it is, just align it with your fingers.

How old is this measure? 20+ years ago we started pushing a broach through the measure body to ensure nice square edges on the cavity the bar goes into. If your measure is older than that, it probably needs to be sent in to be swaged. Then it will accept the current powder bars.

[yellowfin]

This powder measure is only about a year or two old and I bought it new.  I tried aligning the insert and it didn't improve much.  I didn't think that was the issue because it was putting up a fight even with the first inch or two going in to start with, but I'll see where we're at now.  

The newer powder bar goes in to about where the square slot is for the nut on the end of the operating mechanism.  What could it be catching on?  

Edited December 15, 2016 by yellowfin

[yellowfin]

On December 14, 2016 at 1:45 PM, dillon said:

yellowfin,

 Contact us for a replacement bolt for your broken powder bar. It's easy to change out.

OK, so how do I get the bolt out of the broken one? I might just swap out from the new one--so to get that one out do I just back it out all the way or what?  

[Kraj]

I put in a vice and knocked out the metal tab that extends up and the bolt came out when I broke mine. I'll upload a picture when I get home. It didnt come out easy

[Kraj]

10 hours ago, yellowfin said:

OK, so how do I get the bolt out of the broken one? I might just swap out from the new one--so to get that one out do I just back it out all the way or what?  

I put it in a vice and knocked out the metal tab that extends up and the bolt came out when I broke mine. I'll upload a picture when I get home. It didnt come out easy

Edited December 27, 2016 by Kraj