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Thread: Alternatives for Dillion 550C powder fail safe rod's white plastic flange bushing

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    290
    Quote Originally Posted by 1006 View Post
    The Dillon is case activated.
    You are right, sir. I was thinking that it was linkage activated. It's been quite a few years. I guess that I just liked the Lee that I was familiar with.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master 1006's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    South of Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    540
    It looks like the rod controls it.....but...not.

  3. #23
    Boolit Buddy Blindshooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Eastern NC
    Posts
    131
    I don't use the failsafe at all. I do use a powder check and my eyes. And I use Dillon measures on other presses.
    Not suggesting others delete it, just how I roll.

  4. #24
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    34
    If your breaking it when removing it, use screwdriver or bench wrench to spread metal piece it snaps into

  5. #25
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Posts
    2
    I landed here because I decided to do a little more research having broken my third one in 2020. Now I constantly am popping it (the bushing) out both emptying the measure when I'm done for the night and changing tool heads. I did research after breaking my first one, and started by "spreading" the bracket to make the bushing a little looser. but still broke one. Yes I have contacted dillon and received warranty ones and I bought a couple also but not the point.

    Some people never need them. I have needed 3 in my first 10000 rounds with this press. So the white bushing retains the failsafe rod and also places some upward tension on the shell plate. Tighten the blue nut you can actually move the shell plate quite a bit. Why would you need to move that plate? I started fiddling with ideas like can I run the plate "smoother" if I have a little tension on it, because if I don't then the plate will drag over the primer position at times. Well how do you change that height? That height is also affected by the big center bolt pushing down through the shell plate. So going from memory here, I loosen the side screw with the brass tip to allow removal of the shell plate center bolt, then I change the shell plate, tension the center bolt to the point of slick as butter turning and as little "play" as possible, then snug the side bolt with the brass tip tight. I then need to have that whole plate assembly turn over the primer station (when the handle is up the primer bar and primer cup is in the shell plate holder platform) The powder measure failsafe rod blue nut is supposed to have a little tension on it, however nowhere is the operating instructions is there any mention of "how much" tension.

    Failsafe rod spring tension is never discussed. Yet you can move the shell plate assembly (and operating handle) probably a good quarter inch or more just by tensioning this blue nut. Why is this not a "setup" I can change how my press operates with it, and some claim that if the failsafe rod spring compresses all the way it strains the failsafe rod bushing which causes breakage. Why, if that is the case, is there not a specified set up then? If dillon is replacing these bushings for some, why is it not discussed at that time with the client? "going to send you a warranty bushing and some set up instructions....make sure you follow them" There is definitely something causing my 10000 round press to break 3 and others do not. It could very well be ME.

    I could certainly be overlooking something. However I can definitely tell you that the bracket that holds the bushing BARELY holds the bushing its that loose, and it requires next to zero effort to pop out when i'm removing my rod. My rod is not fixed in a position, its straight up and down and has side to side float as the collar on the powder die is not tightened to where nothing moves. So I'm perplexed and I'm sharing. To me the "fix" is simply a light aluminum bushing but yet no one has made one. Questions remain. I've resorted to simply placing a piece of tape across the opening on the bushing bracket so the rod cannot pop out and running it with a broken bushing. 1000 additional rounds later still running strong that way.

    But its not how I want it. I want it perfect. I also put a new bushing in last night....lol I feel like putting a camera on the press to watch it.

  6. #26
    Boolit Master


    Burnt Fingers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Tejas
    Posts
    1,938
    On the 650 the failsafe bracket doesn't have anything to do with the shell plate. From looking at the manual for the 550 it shouldn't have anything to do with the shell plate either.

    Shell plate tension is set by the bolt running through the shell plate and that bolt is tensioned by the set screw on the left side of the ram under the shell plate.

    Can you provide some pics?
    NRA Benefactor.

  7. #27
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by Rustynails View Post
    Yes, that's the part. After some searching here, I found that if I bent the rod so that it was closer to a 90 degree angle while hanging, that the stress on the bushing seemed to be much less. I simply super glued the part together and am back reloading until I can get a new part. I'm glad those that loaded thousands of rounds in the 550 didn't have a problem with them...but a try at solution would have be appreciated.
    Could you provide more detail as to how and where you bent the rod?

    Thanks

  8. #28
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Posts
    2
    start twisting (tightening) the blue nut on the fail safe rod and watch the shell plate platform and handle move.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check