How to remove gas piston

[Coloey 17]

Purchased a Tom Cole gas piston but can't get the old one off. Tried vise grips without success as I am worried about breaking the carrier. Need to install new one before sending off to Pauly for glass bolting. Any advise would be greatly appreciated..

[Salmonking 149]

It's usually more effort than anyone wants to go through for a regular installation. Here's a brief video run-through;

 

[ChileRelleno 7,071]

Drill baby drill!

 

As per video, drill & repin.

[SaigaKen 338]

If your real worried about damaging a hard to replace part......ask Pauly to do it for a couple extra bucks.....

[KC913 324]

Have you asked Pauly if he would install it for you, for a few bucks extra?

 

On a side note, I run the Tom Cole heavy duty piston in my SBS and its beefy as hell. Will probably put it in the 19" as well.

[Coloey 17]

I had no idea that it was a PITA. I will asked Pauly before sending him required parts for Glass Bolt System. Thank you O Wise Men for your help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

t

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

The best way to do them is by using a carbide endmill to cut through the dimples pressed in the sides of the carrier until you reach through the threads of the piston. Then a carbide drill to drill through the center of the new piston once it's sized correctly, and screwed in good. Then a pin is installed through the carrier and piston, and peened into a beveled cut on each side, and ground flush with the surface. Then refinish the carrier so you can't see where the pin is. That's the way I do all the ones that come in here. It's some very hard steel and yes it can be a PITA without proper tooling and proper methods. The pistons are not an easy drop in part either. They need to be fitted some in order to end up the same length as your OEM carrier & piston.

[Paulyski 2,227]

Purchased a Tom Cole gas piston but can't get the old one off. Tried vise grips without success as I am worried about breaking the carrier. Need to install new one before sending off to Pauly for glass bolting. Any advise would be greatly appreciated..

This question has been asked many times, so I took some pics last one I did to illustrate next time I ran across it.

First off let me state, that I personally run my factory op-rod & have never had issues with it.

Personally, I recommend keeping the HD rod for a spare & using it if needed.

I do not like the idea of drilling into the weakest point of the carrier, but will do the mod if people really want it done, but I will not warranty it.

A few have asked if I will repair carriers with them, so I choose to warn on the side of caution.

This being said, none of the few I've done have had any issues.

 

 

 

 

This is how I install a Tom Cole Heavy Duty Op-Rod if people really want it.

 

 

First, I line it up on the mill, a drill press would work, but they're looser than a mill, so a mill's easier, and don't forget your cutting oil;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(just a side note, steer clear of that angle vice pictured. It's not the best. I broke it in 3 places & upgraded to a Palmgren 4" 90 degree angle vice & it's an absolute world of difference when it comes to quality)

 

 

 

 

Then I drill out the dimples at 220 RPMs with a 1/8" bit not forgetting to use cutting oil.

If drilled slowly a good US made cobalt bit cuts through the steel like butter without heating the steel as you can see;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measuring before removal is important.

You want the new rod to be the exact same length as the old rod.

I use a dial caliper for this, so being as many cannot read them, I figured this pic would suite the tutorial well enough;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I clamp the old op-rod & unscrew the carrier from it by hand;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the op-rod's out, I chase the threads with an M12x1.25 tap & blow out the shavings so it doesn't bind while installing the new rod;

 

 

 

Yes... She's pretty delicious.

 

 

Then I have to match the new op-rod's length to the old op rod's length because as you can see the old rods can be shorter than the new.

I do it on my lathe, but you can figure out a way to do it with tools available.

It's not too hard to shave a bit off.

Just chase the threads before trying to screw it in lest you cross-thread.

This illustrates a common difference in length & shape;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then (sorry for the lack of picture, I'll edit & add next time I do one) I place the carrier back in the vice on the mill &line it up so that the drill bit is aligned with both holes where the dimples used to be so when I install the op-rod at the correct length I can drill straight through & everything will align perfectly.

 

I then drill very shallow countersinks with a 9/64" cobalt bit.

The pin will peen into these & be more secure when dressed than if one neglects this simple trick;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I make a pin out of 1/8" welding rod.

I choose mild steel because I want the pin to be weaker than the carrier & op-rod. The op-rod will be very tight when the customer gets the parts back, but after a shooting session, everything will settle in & it'll have a tiny bit of wiggle like they're supposed to have.

I leave the pin slightly longer than needed so there's room for it to fill my countersinks & be secure like a rivet;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I press the pin with a 20 ton shop press to peen the pin into the piece & countersinks (don't go crazy if your press is as powerful as mine. A hammer would work too for this part);

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I dress it all down;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I finish the rest of the work on the pieces, because I only do the op-rods as an add-on to other work.

I'll install them for $30.00 to $40.00 depending on what all else I'm doing & what type of mood I'm in.

If you want one, just have Greg at CSS drop-ship one to me as you send off your parts.

It'll arrive before your parts do.

 

If all you guys want is the HD Op-Rod from me, I really don't want to deal with just an Op-rod. They're not interesting to me, I recommend Matt at C&S Metal Werkes or Shannon of Cobra's Customs.

They're more than capable & they're willing to do it as a stand alone mod from what I understand.

 

 

[RustNRoll 3]

pauly, those carriers are freakin pron!

[20nickels 21]

When screwing in the new rods do they bottom out before you reach the desired position? Is shortening Tom's rod (hehe) common?

[Paulyski 2,227]

When screwing in the new rods do they bottom out before you reach the desired position? Is shortening Tom's rod (hehe) common?

I've never not had to shorten one.

 

However with the vast variances from Izmash, I'm sure there's a couple carriers that they fit right into.

 

If you put 10 carriers side by side, you'll see that the shafts of the carriers all differ in length & machining.

 

I'd give my left nut to see how they manage to be so inconsistent.

That in it's self takes a certain type of talent.

 

From what I understand they do a lot of stuff by hand with jigs and rudimentary measurment with mills, so that explains a lot.

 

 

pauly, those carriers are freakin pron!

You want carrier porn???

your wish is my command.

 

Ala-kazam!

 

 

 

 

 

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