Lee Bell Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I just got off the phone with Dillon. I bought a CV-500 vibrator case cleaner from them in March of last year. It failed and got a new motor under warranty in October. They claimed they'd had a few bad motors. The second motor failed last month. Their warranty is only good for a year, longer than either of their motors lasted, so they declined to repair the case cleaner under warranty. So, no more Dillon for me. I can afford quality and Dillon isn't it. This, of course, raises the question, who makes a good, reliable case cleaner and who stands behind their products when they prove not to be as good as advertised? Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Try a Frankford Arsenal tumbler from Midway. Relavtively cheap ( $30 ~ $40) and although mine has not failed in over a year ...... if it does, I'll just throw it away, and order a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I bought a Midway brand tumbler about 15 years ago, the switched got stepped on so I straight wired it, few years later a bunch of smoke leaked out, I resoldered the wires in the motor run it a couple more years, then my idiot tenant put some brass in it with Lyman walnut red media and forgot about it for a couple weeks, covered the entire garage with a fine red dust, which also let more smoke out of the motor, pretty much wrote it off as a loss, bought a Lyman which by the way only lasted a couple years, Noticed Midway had a recall on Tumblers which happened to be the model I had, so made idiot roomate pay for shipping got a new Frankford in 2003 and its still going strong, Avoid walnut media it makes a dust that gets in the motor and burns them up, stick with corncob and tumblers will hold up much longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) you might be able to cross reference the motor and get a replacement motor from mcmaster carr or from grainger if you decide to keep that CV500 of yours. Edited August 2, 2007 by yoshidaex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Get the big Dillon. Totally different motor design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvb Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 My cv500 just crapped out w/ just 2 yrs of moderate use also. Debating between a big dillon or new brand so i'm interested in everyone's ideas, too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Hello: I have 2 Lyman tumblers the 600 and 2500. They both work great and are used almost every day for a couple of hours. Hope this helps. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistral404 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I have the big Dillon ran about 200 lbs of brass through it in a couple of weeks. I use it about every three weeks now when I get a pile of brass from training and matches. IT works fine. I use mostly rice. I do not like the walnut medium. Corn cob was crappy--my fault it was too big. I just stick with rice--$5 for 20lbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I have had one of the easy serparator's from lyman for about 15 years. The bowl around where it pours out is starting to where through. I am probably going to just buy a new one of the same exact thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket35 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 It is odd to see this post......I just got off the phone yet again with Dillon about MY replacement motor! I send it in over 2 weeks ago, it finally shipped today- after they said last week that it would ship Monday. They almost shipped it to a 3 year old address as well! I have ordered from them several times since then with my current address. My question is what's going on over there?! So here I sit- with plenty of components and no clean brass! Good thing I keep plenty of match ammo loaded in advance. I just can't livefire practice until I can clean some brass. Hopefully I don't get another bum motor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herky Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I have used Dillon's big FL2000 since around 1994 with nothing but walnut media, still going strong. Oh crap, now that I've said that, it sure to go south within a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Dillon's CV-2000 and CV-500 use... TOTALLY DIFFERENT MOTORS Just in case anyone missed it the first time. One is industrial (read: made for IPSC shooters), the other is light duty (read: not made for IPSC shooters). I guess I'll post pics sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclez Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 So, no more Dillon for me. I can afford quality and Dillon isn't it.Lee I don't think it's fair to throw Dillon to the dogs because they wouldn't fix something out of warranty. Did you ask them to just sell you a new motor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I've got the little Dillon, I tink the CV-500 and it's goin' strong after probably 7 years of serious use (and a father that accidentally cut the power cable with a circular saw ). Sorry to hear about your experience. The big Dillon is SUPER strong, and I'd go with it before anything else (ShooterGrrl picked it up for me off a prize table when I couldn't make it 'cause I had to head home). After that the Lyman is good (Dillon didn't name the big one 'FL' for nothin'). Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket35 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 When I asked they said they had to put it in......whatever I thought. But for the price of the motor, add a couple of bucks and get a new Midway or Lyman. And Eric- I don't think it is that your first post wasn't noticed, it is just that it wasn't the point! If I wanted to buy a new one- I would have done so. I just wanted the old one repaired. I would have done it myself if they would sell me the motor- but no, they HAD to do it. If you ask me, that is one of the things wrong with society today. Nobody fixes anything- the just buy new. I remember growing up, when you fixed things! No wonder so many products don't last and are "throw away" quality these days.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket35 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 BTW have you seen the price on the CV-2000?! Ouch!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Try a Frankford Arsenal tumbler from Midway. Relavtively cheap ( $30 ~ $40) and although mine has not failed in over a year ...... if it does, I'll just throw it away, and order a new one. +1... a tumbler just doesn't seem to need high tech... Mine's been going 3+ years (although the first one died in a month, midway replaced it) I would like a bigger tumbler like the 2000.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) I have two tumblers a 6 year old Frankfort Arsenal cheapo and a Lyman 2500 Turbo. The FA actually cleans the brass faster than the Lyman. Thde problem is it dosen't hold much. If I had to buy new ones I would probably buy 3 FAs. Edited August 2, 2007 by Jaxshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trodrig Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I've had a Thumler's Ultra Vibe 10 going strong for over 10 years with really heavy use just in the last one and a half years that I've been shooting more pistol competition. It's still running good but is a bit on the small side. Thumler's makes a bigger model, but it's about the same price as the big Dillon. If/when my little one takes a dump I'll be getting the CV-2001. Trodrig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsimpso1 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 History with Two Lyman tumblers. First one lasted about eight years of serious high power and into my practical pistol stuff, second one is going strong at four years. I consider that fine durability given the usage. Billski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scirocco38s Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 If you want to judge Dillon based on their case tumbler, the you dont deserve Dillon. I've had several different tumblers and all of the smaller tumblers such as Frankfort arsenal and Midway and Lyman and there was 1 other all developed the same problem. If you use them heavily, they break after a short period. If you get the Big Dillon it will last much longer, but if you use it heavily it will break also, just not as often. If you say you can afford quality then Dillon is the only name to get in reloading and small ammo production. If you are mad over the small Dillon tumbler and you think this reflects on the entire product line then you are wrong. Talk to Dillon about a trade in to upgrade and maybe after explaining youre situation they might work something out. I have the large Dillon and it runs 8-10 hours 3 days a week and it has been faithful for 3 yrs. It is starting to show its age but I would say that it has been worth the investment. I will have to purchase some repair parts for it but afterwards it will be good to go again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA Friday Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I had a dillon 500... it died. I bought an RCBS. I can't seem to kill it, but it's small. I bought a Lyman 2500 so I could run two at a time. It's HUGE, quite and does a good job. For the prices they want for the big dillon... forget it. It's just a tumbler for gods sake. Never seen a Franford Arsenal die BTW. Have lots of shooting firends that use them and they seem to never die, but they are noisy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 (edited) The problem is the rubber cups that hold the bearings in the small Dillon motors. Any motor with a similar arrangement has the same deficiency. The rubber cup breaks apart and then the rotor hits the armature. Unless someone sells new rubber cups, there's no cheap fix. I'm guessing that this started when motor production was moved from the US to Mexico. There's little to no quality control down there. IIRC, the motor on the big Dillon is made in the US. I'll bet that every company that makes tumblers is going through the same nightmare. What used to be plenty good is not failing before its time. I don't think it's possible to buy a US version of that motor format anymore. That's why whenever somebody asks about a tumbler, I tell them "big Dillon" as it's really a world apart from everything else. Edited August 2, 2007 by EricW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 My big dillon has run for 18 years..been out in the rain...left running for days..ect the bowl has come loose fron the base(RTV and screws fix) but the rusty old motor is still going strong. When I called them thy said they would replace it..but the new motor would have a 1 year warr. when I get a break in the action...I will send it in. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I had one Midway "big" tumbler, ran 5 yrs, then it crapped out. I then sent it in and got two little ones since they didnt make the big one anymore. They lasted 8 months, never sent them back in..... I then bought a Big Dillon, ran it hard for 5yrs...motor WORE out, called them and got a new one put in when I sent it in(paid for it gladly). It crapped out in about 8mo., I then talked them into sending me a new motor since it didnt last a year(waranty) and they just sent it, no question asked. I then gave the broken one to a buddy, and he fixed it. We now have a spare when mine or his wears out. Notice I said "WORE OUT". They have a lifespan, and when they wear out you should expect to buy a new one. If you dont want to buy another Dillon, then dont do so, but dont blame Dillon for not paying for it twice out of warranty. IIRC the Big tumbler replacement motor for the FL model was 95$, and the small motor was considerably less. A new motor is much cheaper than a new tumbler..... FWIW, DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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