COBrien Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 I received my Fulton Armory FF handguard and barrel nut wrench yesterday. Waiting on my new gas block (should be in next week). In the meantime, I figured I'd educate myself on the proper way to torque the barrel nut (since this handguard isn't new, I'm not getting whatever install recommendations FA would typically send). I have a friend who's got a .308 AR upper vise block, and I have a good click-style torque wrench. What are the torque specs folks around here typically recommend? Or is there another trick unrelated to torque values (e.g., run the nut down hand tight, figure out where you're at on the gas tube holes, then torque until the 2nd-next hole lines up, etc.) y'all use? TIA, fellas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
survivalshop Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 Snug Barrel Nut down & loosen three times & on the third time , torque it down to 35 ft lb. & then tighten till the the Gas Tube Passages line up ( 35-80 ft.lb.'s ). Use a Milspec grease or equivalent on the Receiver threads . Some use a Lapping tool to face off the Barrels Extension seating area on the Upper Receiver . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COBrien Posted August 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 My focus has now shifted to the other side of this situation -- removing the OEM DPMS handguard and barrel nut. I've obviously got the FH and gas block removed. That part was easy. Based on threads around here, it seems DPMS uses LocTite (probably red...) to keep these HGs in place on the barrel nut. I've used my little butane torch (with "hot air blower" attachment) and have had little luck getting anything hotter than about 150 F (checked with IR thermometer). It takes somewhere around 300 F to do any good. Gonna have to invest in a heat gun... Going to a friend's house to use his vise, vise block, and expertise on Wednesday. I was hoping to at least have the HG off the barrel nut before I get there. I did get it mocked up, though... Exactly the look I'm after. Clean and simple, rifle HG on 16.5" barrel. Oh, and a Good Iron brake instead of the useless (for my purposes) flash hider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepp Posted August 9, 2016 Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 I got mine off fairly easy IIRC, I used a strap wrench and I wrapped it in electrical tape. I don't think I added any heat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COBrien Posted August 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 Done! Clamped the upper in, tried the strap wrench, no dice. Borrowed a heat gun and spent maybe 2 minutes going around the barrel nut and tried the strap wrench again it just slipped. Wrapped a rag around the HG and it came loose by hand with a slight amount of torque. Everything else went smoothly. New barrel nut took a final torque of 70 ft-lbs. to line up the gas tube hole. Hardest part ended up being timing/clocking/indexing the new HG and SEI Good Iron brake. Looks like a totally different rifle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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