Lee classic turret auto-indexing... grinding/noise as ram lowers

[1KPerDay]

Hi,
I'm finally setting up my press for the first time and I'm not sure if this is normal... as the ram lowers and goes past the twisted bit in the indexing rod there's kind of a grinding feeling and a "rrrrp" noise, and I can feel the resistance through the operating handle. I assume the little plastic square ratchet thing is probably buggered up already? could it have been installed incorrectly at the factory? I haven't even put dies in the turret; just checking the operation/indexing. It seems to index fine, but that noisy/grinding feeling has me a bit worried. Let me know what you think. Should I not worry about it and just use it until it stops indexing, then replace the ratchet and hopefully get it right?

Oh, I tried a drop of CLP on the shaft but it didn't seem to help much.

 

[Uniquedot]

Are you sure the noise is coming from the nylon ratchet/index rod and not the turret? Take the index rod out and see if there is any noise or resistance so you can rule out the linkage. If it is not in the linkage then turn the turret with the rod out a few times by hand to rule out burrs on the turret.

 

[wingman]

Not certain on your problem I can only say I destroyed the first ratchet in mine but the second one is still good after 2 years. I do use some lube on the ram and a heavy type grease on turret also at base where the rod sets/turns i put a spot of heavy grease.

I once had a bad turret it was machined wrong and would lift/bump as it rotated, Lee replaced.

You really wont get a good feel of the setup until you install dies.

Take it slow once setup correctly it will load for years.

 

[1KPerDay]

Are you sure the noise is coming from the nylon ratchet/index rod and not the turret?

Yes... I ran the ram up and down 20 times before I installed the turret and the indexing rod. There was some initial roughness, probably from the sharp edges around the cutout for the priming arm, (which wasn't installed) but it smoothed out quickly. I also lubed the ram and all the hinges in the linkage.

I also did install the turret without the rod and turned it a few times and it seems to turn smoothly and detent correctly.

The noise/resistance is definitely coming from the index rod/ratchet.

 

[Uniquedot]

The noise/resistance is definitely coming from the index rod/ratchet.

Well then as long as it is properly indexing, just use it and it should smooth up.

 

[1KPerDay]

Okeedoke. Thanks

 

[D94R]

1K, while I didn't have the grinding issue with my LCT as you describe, I did take note that the plastic follower couple with the metal indexing rod wasn't the smoothest operation. But, after only 50rds of 45acp its become much smoother.

Put some nice lithium grease on the index part of the rod, on the follower, and cycle the ram a few hundred times, see if it doesn't "loosen up" the action and take care of the grinding. If not, inspect the follower and see if Lee needs to replace it.


Another thing to take note of is if the turret plate is centered on the 3 risers. There's enough slop in that to cause slight misalignment and cause the index rod to cant as the ram is lifted and lowered. You might be having a slight bind issue there. Though, there is a bit of slop with the index nut in the die plates that there shouldn't be that much of an issue, but these LCT's take some setup tweaking to get perfect.

 

[1KPerDay]

Forgive me, but what's the "follower"? is it the bit that's connected to the ram, that holds the square ratchet? I assume so. I'm not up on the reloading nomenclature yet.

 

[D94R]

Yah, I'm not 100% on what Lee calls it, but its the plastic piece that attaches to the ram and slides up and down the rod to index the turret.

 

[1KPerDay]

Thanks.

BTW can someone explain to me exactly how this auto index sytem works? It appears to me that when raising the ram, the ratchet slides over the twisted section of the indexing rod (which doesn't turn, obviously). Does the ratchet itself rotate inside the housing/follower? I assume so because I would think that the flat sides of the square ratchet sliding over the sharp/twisted corners of the follower on the way up would ruin the ratchet if it didn't rotate along with the spin of the twisted rod.

But if it does rotate within the housing on the way up... what prevents it from rotating on the way back down? In other words, in order to make the rod rotate relative to the fixed ratchet, the ratchet would need to be held stationary in the housing/follower. From the pictures I've seen the square ratchet is just clamped in the housing/follower.

I'm just curious how things work and I can't figure this out by thinking about it (without taking it apart).

Does it perhaps have to do with the lips/shaped portions at the top and bottom of the ratchet? Sliding into a 'locking groove' or something on the downstroke of the ram, then out of it on the upstroke?

 

[1KPerDay]

Never mind... I think I figured it out. My last sentence was correct.

 

[Funshooter45]

It's just magic. That's all.







The ratchet doesn't rotate. It stays there. The twisted rod rotates as it slides past the ratchet and carries the turret head with it in the rotation.

Yeah, if not operated properly though the twisted metal rod will end up ruining the plastic ratchet pretty fast.

 

[rick300]

1K, You figured it out. I went through the same thing. One other thing that smoothed things out for me was to push in the detent ball on the press and put a tiny dab of grease in there (I used a tooth pick) It doesn't take much. Hope this helps. Rick

 

[1SOW]

That square plastic ratchet is easy to damage, if you manually turn the disk without the ratchet 'disengaged", you 'force the twisted rod to 'slip' through the square sides of the ratchet. It will then not reliable turn the disc.
When the ram is about 1/2 way up the ratchet is disengaged.

Ratchets are cheap, so ordering a few until you get familiar with the press is usually a good idea. The press "came" with "one spare". make sure you don't miss it in the box.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[1KPerDay]

Yeah, it does. thanks

 

[1KPerDay]

The ratchet doesn't rotate. It stays there.

It has to rotate on the upstroke of the ram, otherwise it would strip out as the sharp, non-flat corners of the twisted portion of the index rod slid through it, as 1SOW pointed out. It would be like turning the index rod with the ratchet engaged all the time (if it didn't disengage/rotate relative to the housing/follower). It rotates as the follower slides up. At least that's the only way I can see it working.

It slides down out of engagement with the 'locking' indentation or molded portion at the top of the inside of the follower as the ram is raised, and as the ram is lowered, it is forced upward into its recess/locking area at the top inside of the follower, which locks it in position relative to the follower and prevents it from rotating. Since it no longer can rotate, and the rod is twisted, the rod has to rotate. Unless I'm much mistaken.

Pretty ingenious and simple design, IMO.

 

[1SOW]

Correct

 

[1SOW]

Re lubing the ratchet: When I asked LEE, they recommended a 'grease. The idea was the ratchet will 'drag' going through the grease, making it engage and 'dis'engage reliably.
I tried white lithium grease and it worked fine. I've since used oil and it worked fine, so pick your poison.

When I first got my press, I screwed up two ratchets fairly fast. I ordered spares and all but one are still in a bag near my press. That was 10K-15K 9mm ago.

 

[Notoast]

Also, only remove the indexing rod when the ram is fully lowered so you don't pull the twist through the ratchet. To reinstall the rod, raise the ram a little bit to let some light under it and you can see how the plastic index ratchet is oriented.