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Posted: 6/25/2009 6:15:05 PM EDT
Sombody set me straight! I bought a used free float tube on the EE, rifle, knurled, fluted, DPMS maybe. Does the nut come out of this thing? it appears seamless, and I've damn near ripped the vice off the bench trying to get some movement. Been to the freezer, oven is next. I thought the nut and tube were seperate pieces. Is this thing one piece? Steel and aluminum? If one piece, how do you put it on? Am I an Idiot?
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Quoted:
Sombody set me straight! I bought a used free float tube on the EE, rifle, knurled, fluted, DPMS maybe. Does the nut come out of this thing? it appears seamless, and I've damn near ripped the vice off the bench trying to get some movement. Been to the freezer, oven is next. I thought the nut and tube were seperate pieces. Is this thing one piece? Steel and aluminum? If one piece, how do you put it on? Am I an Idiot? A few pictures could help us identify what kind of free float tube it is and help you further. They're all unique in their own special way so knowing what kind it is can really help. And no your not an idiot... we all have to start learning somewhere. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Sombody set me straight! I bought a used free float tube on the EE, rifle, knurled, fluted, DPMS maybe. Does the nut come out of this thing? it appears seamless, and I've damn near ripped the vice off the bench trying to get some movement. Been to the freezer, oven is next. I thought the nut and tube were seperate pieces. Is this thing one piece? Steel and aluminum? If one piece, how do you put it on? Am I an Idiot? A few pictures could help us identify what kind of free float tube it is and help you further. They're all unique in their own special way so knowing what kind it is can really help. And no your not an idiot... we all have to start learning somewhere. +1 Pix? |
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Sounds like it could be a YHM one piece. Look here (towards the bottom just above the wrench):
YHM If that is it (or similar) look here: Instructions |
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Tried contacting the person you got it from? There are some that are glued to the barrel nut. If so, you COULD dissolve the epoxy holding the nut in the tube by using a thin paint stripper that has Methylene Chloride as its main ingredient. It would have to soak for at least a day to dissolve the epoxy, and then you'd have to epoxy it back on the nut after putting the barrel nut back on. Could just put it on as-is using a strap wrench? Pics sure would help... |
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Okay, I dug up the sellers post in the EE, here goes an attempt to link it
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=119&t=686998 2nd try |
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http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=119&t=686998
It looks like a one piece that uses a strap wrench for the install. If it is it is going to be difficult to index that swing swivel hole properly. |
| While trying to remove the float tube from my DPMS upper Ifound that they locktited the forearm to the barrel nut. It came off the upper before the forearm broke free of the barrel nut. My solution was to heat the area all around where the forearm meets the Barrel nut with a propane torch and used a strapwrench and a barrel wrench in a vice to take it apart. You should see a fine line where the two parts meet about 2" above where thebarrel nut starts. |
Well, My eyes ain't what they used to be, but under a good light, with glasses and a magnifying glass, I can't find a seam any where. It appears that the aluminum has been swaged around the nut, making it permanant. There does appear to be a lip between the nut and aluminum around the hole that the barrel passes through. Guess the only way to seperate this one is on the lathe! GRRR I asked if the tube came with the nut and got a yes, no mention that it was PERMANENT!!
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Quoted:
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=119&t=686998 It looks like a one piece that uses a strap wrench for the install. If it is it is going to be difficult to index that swing swivel hole properly. Hell, it'l be a PITA just to get one of the gas tube holes to line up. I took a similar one off a BM V-match carbine upper. I'm pretty sure the whole thing was one piece. |
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I've got the DPMS version, it is REAL hard to see the split, but not impossible. Try using a heat gun or even a blow drier to heat the barrel nut end in case it has some locktite in there.
Before you do that though, take a close look at the barrel nut end of the tube, it's possible it threads into the end of the tube and won't have a visable seam around the circumfrence of teh tube. Here's the YHM barrel nut as an example of what I'm trying to describe. 
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