Grind these springs?

Mods and Fixes by P-64 users...
Post Reply
Vunder
Junior member
Posts: 36
Joined: February 6th, 2013, 7:30 pm

Grind these springs?

Post by Vunder »

Hey guys,
I'm having trouble getting the replacement mainspring back in (I'll have a third hand tomorrow when my daughter comes to visit). I can compress the spring (barely), and I'll get her to push the pin back in. Before I do though I have a few questions.

First, do I need to grind the ends of the mainspring flat? The original is flat but the replacements from Wolff are round all the way to the end and it doesn't fit flush against the strut washer. Also, if I grind the ends flat are those areas going to be more prone to rust?

Second, I can see that the coils are more spaced out but is the replacement spring supposed to be longer than the original? That's sure making it difficult to compress.

Third, the recoil spring is the same way. Should I grind the new one flat also?

Oh, I'm using the 18 lb mainspring and 20 lb recoil spring and changing the firing pin spring too.

Thanks,
Jon
normsutton
Global moderator
Global moderator
Posts: 3575
Joined: February 26th, 2006, 6:59 am
Location: LAKELAND FL.

Re: Grind these springs?

Post by normsutton »

NORMSUTTON@AOL.COM
N.R.A. LIFE MEMBER 1976

ImageImage
Vunder
Junior member
Posts: 36
Joined: February 6th, 2013, 7:30 pm

Re: Grind these springs?

Post by Vunder »

Thanks Norm,
I've seen those videos before and was going to watch them again but got a "this video is private" message. I know how to remove the spring and put it back on, I'm just having trouble holding everything that needs held. I only have one pair of vice grips and no vice, although I just made another pair using needle nose pliers and a strong rubber band.

The main part of my question was about grinding the replacement springs flat on the ends like the originals are. I think I've read in a post where someone did that. Does everyone else just put them in as is, right out of the bag? Both the original mainspring and recoil spring are really nicely tapered down to the end.

Thanks,
Jon
normsutton
Global moderator
Global moderator
Posts: 3575
Joined: February 26th, 2006, 6:59 am
Location: LAKELAND FL.

Re: Grind these springs?

Post by normsutton »

Vunder

that's on the recoil spring , you may have to grind ,you should have to grind on the hammer spring,

NORM
NORMSUTTON@AOL.COM
N.R.A. LIFE MEMBER 1976

ImageImage
Vunder
Junior member
Posts: 36
Joined: February 6th, 2013, 7:30 pm

Re: Grind these springs?

Post by Vunder »

Well, I got the gun back together. Jeez the safety was a bitch to get back together. I smoothed out the safety detent and polished the safety and the hole in the slide where it goes but it's still as stiff as it was before. I guess I should have cut a coil or two off the detent spring cause I don't think I can carry it like this. I's just to hard to release the safety. On a positive note, I don't think the safety will drop on it's own while shooting.

I'll take it to the range soon and report back.
Vunder
Junior member
Posts: 36
Joined: February 6th, 2013, 7:30 pm

Re: Grind these springs?

Post by Vunder »

Ha, actually I have many vices, it's a vise that I don't have............

I guess I'm taking the slide apart again tomorrow to work on the safety detent, spring and eye. I have polishing wheels but I think I'll go to HD and pick up a cone for the dremel so I can polish the feed ramp also.

I've found a wealth of info here the last few days on this subject, thanks to all who have posted.

Jon
User avatar
fully machined
Member
Member
Posts: 162
Joined: August 14th, 2011, 11:14 pm

Re: Grind these springs?

Post by fully machined »

Be careful not to overdo the ease of the safety. It will loosen up some with firing and safety use. Too loose and it can rotate to safe or start to come out. A problem on one of mine was the roughness of the safety in the slide without the spring, detent, or firing pin. I figured if this was rough without any "guts" it would only get worse.
Vunder
Junior member
Posts: 36
Joined: February 6th, 2013, 7:30 pm

Re: Grind these springs? and I fixed the safety!

Post by Vunder »

Thanks Fully Machined, I fixed it today. I've read many post's on the subject and kept that in mind while working on it. Definitely didn't want the opposite problem.
Here's what I did today. Removed the safety and polished the lever (where it contacts the hole in the slide), also polished the inside of the hole in the slide. Added a small amount of powdered graphite to that same area and to the inside of the hole. I'm a piano tuner so I had some on hand already. I cut one coil off the detent spring and polished the detent a little bit. I also took a very fine diamond file (the kind used for smoothing out burrs on the edges of glass), and smoothed out the edges of the eye (they were pretty sharp). I polished the eyes a little also. Put it back together and it's much better. Still firm but it's more like my CZ-82 now.

I did grind the recoil spring flat on both ends (like the original). I had already replaced the mainspring with a 18 lb (the DA still feels a little heavy but it's much better too).

Now I need to take it to the range and test it out.

Oh, I also put a strip of rubber grip tape (for tennis rackets) on the backstrap and the front of the grip (frontstrap?).

Thanks for all the help!
Jon
Post Reply