LiveLife
Member
NOTE: Listing of step-by-step press set up, operation, enhanced practice for greater consistency, troubleshooting/solutions with factory updates on this post - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-oal-consistency.911743/page-15#post-12481255
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That does not sound normal. I do not experience that.My press has a spot about half way on the down stroke that gets tight. Just about the time it hits the location pin. Feels like it’s hitting a undersize hole or is off center a bit. Is this normal or is your press smooth throughout the cycle.
Like other members posted, I do not experience/feel tightness as carrier approaches index/"location" pin and ram moves up and down smoothly.no felt tightness in my machines travel up and down
This is correct as index/"location" pin enters the carrier:as the driver clutch gets to the twist in the index rod and does its 60 degree turn to rotate the driven clutch/drive bolt/shell plate on the way down and rotates back on the way up but it is clear of the driven clutch. When the driver clutch is in the straight sections of the index rod there is no felt "tightness" and no movement of driven clutch. This does happen just before the index pin enters the shell plate on the way down and just after shell plate clears the index pin on way up. On the way up you can see slight movement of the index rod where it is held down by the breech lock bushing on top.
- As ram moves down, index pin enters carrier core
- Cross slot at bottom cover riding the flat index bar does 60 degree counter-clockwise turn while engaging the gears indexing the shellplate
- After shellplate indexes and held by retention ball/spring tension, index pin enters hole through the shellplate
- As ram moves up, index gears disengage (shellplate does not index moving back up) and as soon as shellplate clears the index pin, it "free floats" and can be rotated in both directions
If you are feeling this slight additional indexing resistance, that is normal. To rule out if the "tightness" is from indexing, remove the index bar and move the ram up and down. If the "tightness" goes away, it's due to indexing and we can look at the indexing parts. If the "tightness" doesn't go away, keep on reading below.Don’t know why I didn’t think of the indexing rod before but, I removed it and cycled the press
Has the carrier core ever been removed from the ram? If yes, then carrier may be off alignment and hitting the pin as it comes down. Inspect the pin for significant contact/wear marks. If no and index pin shows obvious contact/wear marks, then contact Lee Precision customer service.Could feel the pin move ever so slightly as it contacts the plastic cover
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