Dillon Refurbish Question

[Kilroy08]

I'm considering sending in my 550B to be refurbished.

Near as I can tell, it's one of the early 1990s B models. When I bought it, it came with the original brass primer pick up tubes. This thing has loaded enough rounds that the bluing has worn off the shell plate carrier at each station in the shape of a cartridge head.

After 3 years of being my press, it finally gave me some issues. One night, it froze up solid. After a complete tear down, the culprit was galling on the link arms. With a little emery paper and some Shell grease, things were good enough to go.

Now that Dillon has released the C model, will all future 550 presses sent in for a rebuild be upgraded to the C model standard?

[sawinredneck]

No! Just got one back a couple weeks ago, they replaced about everything but the frame, but no grease zerks, just went and double checked!

[jmorris]

The C is a different frame.

When I have send mine in before they put all new parts on my frame. Last time I called for bushings for one of my SD's ey sent me new link arms with bushings already presses in though.

[Mytmousemalibu]

If I recall correctly, I think Dillon recommends servicing every 3K - 4K rounds. I have a Press Monitor 3 on my 650 that does all the counting for me. I have the service interval reminder set to 3K rounds. So every 3,000 round the press gets a thorough clean and relube. All the old grease gets wiped off and fresh stuff pumped in till clean grease comes out. Other contacting parts get cleaned and lubed per Dillon's procedure and the ram oiled with 30wt motor oil. I use Lucas Red 'n' Tacky for the grease, very similar to the Dillon stuff and it doesn't stink like a lot of other greases. I also clean the priming apparatus and the tubes. I take good care of my machine to minimize wear and so it takes care of me.

[Kilroy08]

Since I did a full clean and lube when I had it apart, I'm probably good for a while.

The only real reason for wanting the C upgrade was the grease fittings. I might give
Dillon a call and request new link arms. Drilling and tapping for zerk fittings isn't too
terribly difficult.

[Mytmousemalibu]

On the XL650 the linkage doesn't have the zerks. It is greased through the linkage pins. They are obviously drilled through and they have lube cuts in the pin surface for grease to distribute the length of the pin & bore.

[Kilroy08]

My press is a 550.

I was looking at things and there's just enough room on the top of the link arms where the bushings are pressed into the frame to install grease fittings. On the lower link, tons of space.

I'm wanting to get away from having to drive steel pins in and out of an aluminum frame unless it's absolutely necessary.
All the press needs is a little dab of grease annually and that aspect of routine maintenance shouldn't require a full tear down.

Since I know a thing or two about machinist stuff and pretend I'm one for 40 hours a week, I'd say it's a two beer job. Maybe three if I'm goofing off.

[Reddirt62]

They replaced the lower pin on mine with one that uses nyloc nuts vs. the old e-clips. But no zerk.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Johnny_Cyclone]

You can get a 550C frame change kit which will upgrade the Dillon RL450 or RL550

Dillon will do it for a service fee, or you can order the 550C frame change parts kit and do it yourself.

Upgrades the 450 and 550B to the new frame with the threaded pivot pins that have the grease ports.


See Link:
https://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-rl-450-rl550c-upgrade-frame-change-kit_8_6_23995.html


You can, either all at once or one assembly at a time, upgrade your RL 450 reloader to an RL 550C.


Kit includes:
RL550C Frame
Toolhead
2 Toolhead Pins
Primer slide return spring and pin
Platform Alignment Tool
Punch for removing old-style link arm pivot pins
Two New-Style Upper Link arm Pivot Pins

Dillon Q and A link:
https://www.dillonprecision.com/550b-to-550c-upgrade_350_10_3644.htm

[EDG]

The thread for the small grease zerk fitting is a 1/4-28. That is the standard quarter inch fine thread.