Author Topic: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!  (Read 11558 times)

Offline billmc

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Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« on: August 10, 2012, 04:03:41 PM »
I had looked at some of the maintenance links before, but not having done it yet, their significance hadn't struck me.  I think there might be a little UNDERstatement in the manual when it states "8  To re-assemble the gun just reverse the process.".  Yeah - Right!

What they fail to tell you is that in order for the hole to line-up to reinsert the pin, the barrel needs to be forward a little and the recoil spring compressed "just the right amount" (my words, not theirs).

I had previously looked at the thread for RJ Hedley's tool, I wasn't able to see exactly what it was supposed to do, yet without viewing that, I might still be trying to put the gun back together.  No wonder they say "It's to be shot a little, but carried a lot."  If you shoot it a lot, that means you need to take it apart and put it back together a lot.  Not something I find very appealing at the moment.  I have gone an ordered one of David S's devices, hopefully it won't be so painful in the future.

Why don't they just spell it out in the manual?  Here's what I discovered.  In order to re-assemble the pistol, the barrel must be moved forward enough, protruding from the slide, so that the holes in the frame and barrel line up.  This can't happen as long as there is pressure from the recoil spring assembly pressing against the barrel.  So pressure must be relieved, somehow, on the recoil spring assembly so that the barrel can be moved forward, such that the barrel pin can be inserted.  Seems fairly straightforward once you realize what needs to happen, my problem is I only come with 2 hands.  From watching his video, it looks as if David's device makes up for one of my missing hands and gravity makes up for another missing hand (I'm up to four hands, did I miss any?)

I know pictures are worth a thousand words, but is there any written instruction (insert tab "A" into slot "B") type stuff anywhere?

And in case anyone is curious, I did have some metal filings on the frame along the slide rails.  I also noted the outer recoil spring is slightly shorter than the replacement which came with the new pistol.  I wasn't aware of the spring change need until after I began firing it, so I haven't keep an accurate count, but if I had to guess, I'd say at this point I've put in the vicinity of 7 mags worth of rounds through it ( 7 x 6 = 42 ).  I had been cautioned not to get excited when I see that the spring has lost a coil or two of its original length in a short period of time.  I'm wondering now, how short will it get?  Could overall spring length be a better gauge as to when to change the spring vs. round count?  I know, for me anyway, unless I keep a log, indicating the number of rounds fired, in a short period of time, my memory will stop cooperating with me and my best answer to how many rounds will be "I duno". 

Offline BlueC2

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2012, 06:03:14 PM »
Bill,

Sorry you had issues. May I recommend a device invented by forum member DavidS. With some practice you can take apart and reassemble your R9 in 30 seconds. IMHO Rohrbaugh should include one with every purchase, but until that happens David sells them at his website below (takes PayPal) and in his thread in the classifieds for $20. I have no relation to DavidS and have never even talked with him, just recommending his device b/c it works well for me. Hope this helps.

-Ryan


https://sites.google.com/site/slidebloks/services
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58xJ9Fv0P6Y
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Offline billmc

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2012, 10:49:20 PM »
Bill,

Sorry you had issues. May I recommend a device invented by forum member DavidS.

-Ryan

Ryan, thanks for the sympathy and advice.  I had looked at a number of threads before trying to do this.  Before making this post, I had already placed an order with David.  All the reviews folks had given it, combined with watching his video, convinced me that it is a "must have" tool for this pistol.

Offline BlueC2

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2012, 10:54:45 PM »
Bill,

Sorry I missed the bit in your post where you said you had already ordered a SlideBlok. Anyway, your made the right choice and things will be much easier in the future.

-Ryan
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Offline Faawrenchbndr

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2012, 09:13:17 AM »
Compressing & inserting the recoil guide rod
& spring  assy is the biggest pain for me.

Online backupr9

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2012, 04:26:12 PM »
I use a dedicated pair of pliers to compress the spring due to arthritic hands...never any problem.  Never had too much trouble with reassembly except for those due to hand strength, but Hedley's tool now makes this the second most pleasurable pistol I own to clean....the best is the Boberg and the worst, so far, by far is the Kimber CDPII .45.
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Offline tracker

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2012, 06:32:44 PM »
This reassembly tip may help. I smoothed out the end of the recoil assembly some time ago and things seemed to fall into place after that and also when I discovered that the recoil assembly had to be perfectly aligned both horizontally and vertically with the barrel. This is a quote from "R9SCarry."



"A little bit of judicious smoothing.

This is mentioned to compliment my video on reassembly - basic tho it is. In the reassembly video I put the recoil assembly back into place with no use of channel locks, barrel in place - just done by hand with some jiggling and minor cussing!

I have done a very subtle modification to two components - which IMO can make that proceedure just a tad easier.  Let me stress right now - it is NOT Rohrbaugh approved - tho having said that I cannot believe for one moment it would be frowned upon!  It is ONLY - food for thought and seems worth mentioning.

Look at the pics below - you will see the end of the guide rod and the inside of the end cap.  Now, imagine if you try to insert the assembly in to the slide end as I do - by hand, no tools - it is necessarily starting at an angle relative to the barrel and so also, to that hole you are targeting in the slide.  This angle of approach then makes the side of guide rod end nearest the barrel press against the inside, complimentary surface, of the end cap.

Of course, the guide rod end has a machined chamfer but IMO each side of that chamfer is still quite ''sharp'' - a crisp edge - no criticism I might add.  The inside of the end cap does not have any discernible chamfer - it seems a relatively sharp edge - no real major reason that it should have any extra machining - in theory!

My contention is - those ''sharp'' edges when abutted at this angle of approach - tend to snag - making it harder to get the guide rod thru the end cap.  That is where it ''hangs up'' most times.

Now this process does not suddenly make the recoil assembly a breeze to reinstall - it's still a fiddle but I do think this helps just ease the process and no metal is removed that can be IMO in the least prejudicial - it is probably hard to even measure! The arrows in the pic's are there purely to make quite sure you can identify the edges I am describing smoothing, circumferentially.

Step one - is to wrap a small piece of 600 grit emery paper round a small piece of flat hardwood ..... and then apply both edges of the guide rod chamfer (one at a time) to the abrasive, rotating guide rod by twirling in fingers to make process even.  Inspect to see a detectable ''polish'' shine, with some ''sharpness'' less obvious.

Now this will barely remove any metal to speak off - what it will do is make those chamfer edges the merest bit less intense.  Almost a polish, plus a bit! Concentrate on the major diameter of the chamfer (top arrows).




Now for stage two - the end cap. 

Be innovative here - I found a small screwdriver which had a handle tapering where the blade enters.  I was able to wrap some 600 grit round that, making a sort of cone - insert whole deal into rear of end cap - and then lightly rotate cap on that formed abrasive sheet.
 
Do this a good few times.  You will not see a huge difference - it would take high magnification to see a change but IMO it takes off just a whisker of sharp edge.  A tapered piece of dowel would do OK as a former - or, bound to be something you can find in the workshop."
« Last Edit: August 11, 2012, 07:17:03 PM by tracker »

Offline Reinz

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2012, 10:12:04 PM »
Bill - I too am sorry that you are having such much trouble.

I guess I can see why someone who is relatively new to gun disassembly or totally new, can have a hard time.

I have an arthritic thumb and nerve damage in both hands which result in very weak hands for a grown man.  However, I find all the disassembly/reassembly tools and gizmos a royal PIA and more time consuming.  I find it Much simpler and faster just to use my hands as Tracker does.  But my parts are not"tuned".

I am no gunsmith by any means.  But I have been cleaning Auto guns since I was 14, so I guess that is why it is no big deal and just seems straight forward.  After you have done it a few times, it will become old hat, and you will be posting tips to neophytes here on the forum. :)    Heck, you may find a better way and teach a few of us old dogs a new trick or two!
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Offline Richard S

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2012, 07:27:38 AM »
As my sainted mother used to say, "There is more than one way to skin a cat." Each R9 owner develops a favored method for disassembly/reassembly of the piece. The first few times I tried the process I used a "third hand" to help with reassembly -- the well-manicured hand of my wife. And somewhere in the archives of this Cleaning & Maintenance section is a photo of RJ Hedley using his bench vice to hold the frame of the pistol between a piece of folded leather, thereby freeing both hands to work on reassembly. Some owners with good hand strength can accomplish the process without tools. Others use channel lock pliers. For those who prefer a different method, a number of tools, including the one developed by David and shown above, have been developed to ease the process. The important thing to remember, as noted by Tracker and Reinz, is that it gets easier with practice. While it originally would take me about 30 minutes to fieldstrip, clean, and reassemble my R9, I can now complete the process in 5 minutes or less.

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Offline C0untZer0

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2012, 12:02:42 PM »
I'm picking mine up this Saturday.  I always field strip a firearm, inspect it, clean it - even if it's only a wipedown, and lube it according to manual.

But I also want to fire it !

I don't want to dissassemble my R9 this weekend and then struggle with putting it back together and not be able to go shooting with it.

Offline Reinz

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2012, 11:19:56 PM »
You can lube it appropriately without a full take down.

Besides, with all the videos, and info out there now - it is no big deal.  Don't let all the bad stories make you paranoid.

Just sit down in a quiet place with no distractions and take your time and think about each move and pay attentiton to what you are doing and what you just did.

Have fun and enjoy!   8)
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Online backupr9

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2012, 08:47:07 AM »
Gosh, if you have David S's takedown tool and a pair of channel locks this pistol is simply a breeze to disassemble and reassemble...literally takes less than 5 minutes total with the time between to clean the parts dependent on your technique and style, but very simple.  Do be careful when compressing the spring with channel locks to re-insert into the slide...if it slips you can shoot the spring and end cap across the room...I always point the spring at a towel or pillow in case it slips because my pliers are a little too large for the task, but adequate.
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Offline johnballs

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2012, 05:54:54 PM »
   I would think by now that the people at Rohrbaugh would have come up with an after market tool to make the reassembly a bit easier.
                                                                                 

Offline Richard S

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2012, 06:09:39 PM »
   I would think by now that the people at Rohrbaugh would have come up with an after market tool to make the reassembly a bit easier.
                                                                               

Balls:

Welcome to the Forum.

As I see it, there are so many favored ways of accomplishing the takedown/reassembly process for the R9 that it would be a waste of the company's money to focus on a specific tool. The late R. J. Hedley even fashioned a tool from a paper clip that works like a charm.

http://www.rohrbaughforum.com/index.php?topic=3343.msg74432#msg74432
« Last Edit: December 28, 2012, 06:11:18 PM by Richard S »
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Offline C0untZer0

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Re: Reassembly - What a P.I.A!!!
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2012, 09:01:08 PM »
I got a message from David, I guess he carries insurance for his invention, but after Sandy he has had trouble with the underwriter renewing the policy, so sales are temprarily halted.  He said he expects to get it straightened out start shipping again sometime in the next 2 weeks.

I'm picking my R9 up tomorrow, taking it apart cleaning it and lubing it.  I hope I can get it put back together so i can actually go shooting tomorrow too.