Posted: 10/16/2013 5:00:58 AM EDT
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I'm trying to remove the stock bushings on my Springfield lightweight champion using the bushing bit from brownells and these are some of the flimsiest pieces of metal i have ever seen....the bit is just fileting the top of the bushing and not turning anything.
Any advise on removing these things that wont require a gunsmith? I read that the aluminum frames can be harder to work with. Edit/Delete Message |
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I have the same problem with my lightweight operator. I spoke with my local gun smith and he sugested putting some red locktight on a grip screw and then screw it in and let it dry good. That way I could get some vice grips on the screw and away from the frame to remove it. I have not tried it yet but it sounds like it might work.
Good Luck! |
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I have the same problem with my lightweight operator. I spoke with my local gun smith and he sugested putting some red locktight on a grip screw and then screw it in and let it dry good. That way I could get some vice grips on the screw and away from the frame to remove it. I have not tried it yet but it sounds like it might work. Good Luck! Interesting....almost seems counter-intuitive to what you're trying to do but i could see how that would work. Now I just need to go get some red locktite and hope it works or else im really screwed hah |
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using the ezout was perfect.....until the last one
it wasnt loosing the bushing then suddenly it broke the bushing apart and went into the frame.....as you guessed now the hole is too big for the new bushing!! new one falls right into the hole without screwing in...guess i need a gunsmith now Ugh. |
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They sell oversize bushings, did the threads show signs of locker? they were pretty black and had what looked like a plastic washer on them. I just ordered the oversized tap from brownells and some slime line oversized bushings from alumagrips. hopefully that takes care of it...the hole still has visible threads that look good but its just slightly oversized now I tried heat first and it still wouldnt budge, so i then resorted to the bit to pull them out |
| Jesus. I got here too late. I was going to try to convince you to not screw with the bushings in an aluminum frame. Grip screw bushings are usually staked at the factory (spread on the inside with a tool like a Phillips head screwdriver) so they won't loosen when you try to take the grips off. Forcing them through the thin aluminum frame like you did, you're lucky you only boogered-up one hole. If the hole is too big to be threaded for an oversized bushing, you may be SOL unless you can find somebody to Tig it back solid then machine it flat again, then carefully locate the new hole and thread it standard size. |
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No need to yell... but that. I had a couple that were real bears to get loose. A quick shot of torch heat to warm them and they came right out. Quoted:
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TRY HEAT AS THE GRIP BUSHING MAY BE LOCTITE INTO POSTION. No need to yell... but that. I had a couple that were real bears to get loose. A quick shot of torch heat to warm them and they came right out. ^This^ |
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Jesus. I got here too late. I was going to try to convince you to not screw with the bushings in an aluminum frame. Grip screw bushings are usually staked at the factory (spread on the inside with a tool like a Phillips head screwdriver) so they won't loosen when you try to take the grips off. Forcing them through the thin aluminum frame like you did, you're lucky you only boogered-up one hole. If the hole is too big to be threaded for an oversized bushing, you may be SOL unless you can find somebody to Tig it back solid then machine it flat again, then carefully locate the new hole and thread it standard size. Yeah unfortunately I found this out the hard way...the hole is Fubar. I got my oversized kit this afternoon and no dice, sent off an email to springfield to see if I can send it in for repair and hope they A) will do it and B) can do it. of course AFTER i do all this I started reading horror stories of aluminum frames and grip bushings.....all of this just so I could put some nice slim vz grips on it. Guess i'll wait till monday to hear from springfield since they are now closed. |
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Yeah unfortunately I found this out the hard way...the hole is Fubar. I got my oversized kit this afternoon and no dice, sent off an email to springfield to see if I can send it in for repair and hope they A) will do it and B) can do it. of course AFTER i do all this I started reading horror stories of aluminum frames and grip bushings.....all of this just so I could put some nice slim vz grips on it. Guess i'll wait till monday to hear from springfield since they are now closed. They probably will say the frame has to be replaced. On your dime. Quoted:
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Jesus. I got here too late. I was going to try to convince you to not screw with the bushings in an aluminum frame. Grip screw bushings are usually staked at the factory (spread on the inside with a tool like a Phillips head screwdriver) so they won't loosen when you try to take the grips off. Forcing them through the thin aluminum frame like you did, you're lucky you only boogered-up one hole. If the hole is too big to be threaded for an oversized bushing, you may be SOL unless you can find somebody to Tig it back solid then machine it flat again, then carefully locate the new hole and thread it standard size. Yeah unfortunately I found this out the hard way...the hole is Fubar. I got my oversized kit this afternoon and no dice, sent off an email to springfield to see if I can send it in for repair and hope they A) will do it and B) can do it. of course AFTER i do all this I started reading horror stories of aluminum frames and grip bushings.....all of this just so I could put some nice slim vz grips on it. Guess i'll wait till monday to hear from springfield since they are now closed. They probably will say the frame has to be replaced. On your dime. |
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All Colts, for example. But in any case it would be good to at least look first to see if it is staked. If not staked, one may assume thread adhesive and use Acetone or heat on it. My old Combat commander and 80 series enhanced do not have staked bushings. Hell 3 of the grips bushings came out the first time I removed the grips on my colt 80 series. |
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One of the bushings came out of my SA LW Champion the first time I took the grips off. It didn't appear to be staked.
I used red loctite to put it back in. I hope I never have to remove it. 
EDIT: I put o'rings on the screws so I wouldn't have to over tighten them. |
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Called Springfield they're sending a fedex label
The woman Couldbt say for sure but said in most cases the frame replacement is in warranty But all depends on the techs findings Either way it's gotta be fixed, don't think I'll buy aluminum again I used kroil on all bushings first and let that soak and got nowhere Then heated with hair dryer and that didn't help either |
| my ltweight operator was similar. I had to put loctite on the screw put it into the bushing and sit for a few hours, then squeeze a pair of needle nose vise grips on the bushing and use a screw driver at the same time and then they just screwed out easy but it did give me a scare at first. hope it works out in your favor. |
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my ltweight operator was similar. I had to put loctite on the screw put it into the bushing and sit for a few hours, then squeeze a pair of needle nose vise grips on the bushing and use a screw driver at the same time and then they just screwed out easy but it did give me a scare at first. hope it works out in your favor. Yeah I should have tried that but I only had blue loctite and was getting impatient....you can see where that got me hah |