Why is my linkage rod bent on my 550?

[martinb3152]

Why is my Fail Safe rod bent on my 550?

Hello, having a heck of a time getting this powder drop linkage bar adjusted on my 550. I tried to figure this thing out for about two hours and finally gave up and decided to come back to it.

I have just made the conversion over to .45acp from .357. That went fine with not problems. But this linkage has been a major headache. My first question is, why is the linkage rod bent? All other photos I see of other 550's show that the linkage rod is straight. And the platform where you hook up the spring and bushing is bent down. All others I have seen are straight out. This press is basically brand new. I got it from my brother and I think he only loaded on it a few times and not very large loads.

Man, I am worn out working on this thing. I am actually thinking about selling it and going with a Hornady LNL. I had a Hornady Projector that I use to have wasn't this hard to set up. But I really would like to give Dillon a chance since I hear so many people that talk highly of them. Any one else have one of these bent linkage rods for the powder measure. Here is a photo of it.
thanks,
martinb3152

 

[Terlingueno]

Perhaps a call to Dillon is in order, they will make it right.

 

[Bud0505]

Has it been dropped? I'd suggest a call to Dillon also. There warranty is the best.

 

[highlander 5]

Me thinks your brother assembled the linkage wrong or it was bent in transport. If that rod was bent by someone who didn't assemble the linkage correctly the flange that rod goes thru would have been bent/distorted as well. As others have said call Dillon they'll make it right.

 

[jmorris]

Might have been assembled incorrectly at one point the rod is designed to be used in tension and uses the spring so the bracket isn't overloaded.

If the wing nut happened to get put on top of the bracket, it would put the rod under compression and bend it like in your photo, the extra load on the bracket would likely bend it down at the same time.

Bend the rod back straight and the bracket horizontal and get back to loading or call Dillon and they will have parts to you by next weekend.

 

[martinb3152]

The rod looks like it might come off maybe a 650? I have seen of couple of pics of 650's with the bent rod. The bracket does not look right. I have a feeling my brother dropped this press or it was damaged in shipping. I am just going to call dillon and get the new parts.
martinb3152

 

[Terlingueno]

You could probably bend it back and make it work.

 

[cali_blues]

That is completely wrong. The rod should be straight, perpendicular to the ground. Straighten it out or order a new one. You will never get reliable powder drops with that.

 

[martinb3152]

Through further investigation, I see that you really don't even need the fail safe rod on the 550, is this correct and that the older machines didn't have them on at all? I mean, I am going to get the parts from Dillon, but until they come I can reload without the rod or is this dangerous?
martinbr

 

[jmorris]

Through further investigation, I see that you really don't even need the fail safe rod on the 550, is this correct and that the older machines didn't have them on at all? I mean, I am going to get the parts from Dillon, but until they come I can reload without the rod or is this dangerous?

Depends on the measure but the old ones that did not have the fail safe rod had two springs around the measure body to the "horn" on the powder bar. They also had a one piece bell crank actuator.

I can tell from your photo yours is not the latest two part bell crank (if it were you must have the FS rod), so if you still have the two springs on the measure you could use it like that, just make sure the measure always fully returns.

Better yet just bend the rod back straight, it's not much stronger than a coat hanger. Doesn't have to be perfect, just good enough to make sure the measure is fully returned.

This is what the old style looks like, linkage that is, the measure is a bit different on the SD but they work the same. The black crank in the pliers was the original linkage, some powders would bind the measure not letting it fully return (I never had the problem) so they came out with the failsafe and sent the parts to us (what is mounted on the press). Note the two springs that I didn't remove from the measure that return it.



Some people actually prefer that style to the latest version (because it is less "clunky") but at least on the auto indexing presses it makes it more difficult to double charge because it is the failsafe rod that returns the measure at the bottom of the stroke. In any case, this is what they look like now and will not function without the FS rod.

 

[martinb3152]

Thank you for this. This is a big help. I am going to go down now to take it apart and bend back the return bracket and the rod back to straight. I do have the two springs on the measure part of the press.
martinb3152

 

[Kp321]

I have two 550's, one with return springs on the measure and one with the two piece bell crank. I run the older one without the fail safe rod with no problems, just watch it closely. Both measure sufficiently accurately. The new style measure is more "clunky" but it does keep the powder settled in the measure with the extra vibration.
When set up properly, the fail safe rod is never in compression, so I agree your measure was not assembled properly initially.

 

[Laphroaig]

I just set up the powder measure on my 550B last night for the first time. The instructions for installing the failsafe rod include all of their models. Based on the pictures, it looks like your rod belongs to a Square Deal.

Laphroaig

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Provided that rod DOES belong on the 550, the reason it is bent is because the white plastic thingie (Dillon calls it a "Delrin shoulder washer") has been screwed all the way down, which caused the rod to bend.

Straighten the rod, screw the washer all the way up to the top of the threads, then attach the rod to the press and screw the washer down until the washer fits in the black plate. You will be Good To Go. What you will then have matches the second photo in message-#10.

 

[jmorris]

No, the SD rod is "Z'ed" with tighter bends much closer to the measure.

 

[martinb3152]

Called Dillon, and they sent me out a new fail safe rod and bracket free of charge. Then right after that I was changing my conversion plates and could not find the little ball that goes under the plate. It's like it just vanished. Called them right back and they added that to the order free also. Now that's a good company.

Then I found out that the ball I lost went down the main bolt hole somehow. So I am up and running now.
thanks everyone,
martinb3152

 

[billybob44]

Called Dillon, and they sent me out a new fail safe rod and bracket free of charge. Then right after that I was changing my conversion plates and could not find the little ball that goes under the plate. It's like it just vanished. Called them right back and they added that to the order free also. Now that's a good company.

Then I found out that the ball I lost went down the main bolt hole somehow. So I am up and running now.
thanks everyone,
martinb3152

Are you SURE?? That you are set out to load Ammo??

 

[Hondo 60]

through further investigation, I see that you really don't even need the fail safe rod on the 550, is this correct and that the older machines didn't have them on at all?

Well my 550 was new in 1993 - it has that rod.

martinb3152 - it also looks like the white Shoulder Washer is on upside down

 

[jmorris]

1993 linkage would look more like the left linkage in the first photo of #10 (actually what the op has) The oldest linkage without the failsafe is the one on the right held up with the pliers. The latest linkage is the 2nd photo in post 10.

The shoulder washer is correct with the large end on the bottom.

 

[Dannie Smith]

Boy am I behind the times, I have not reloaded sense the early 90s and looking at the pictures here my 550 which started out as a 500 dose not have any of the fail safe stuff not even the twin springs.

 

[jmorris]

Surprised you haven't had any problems, you need the springs if you have no failsafe and are using a Dillon measure with it.

They show both on their auto measure upgrade.

https://www.dillonprecision.com/content/p/9/pid/23629/catid/6/RL450_AT_500_Dillon_Auto_Powder_System