Dillon XL 650 Modifications
Powder Spill On Indexing
The XL 650 is known to have a problem of spilling powder from a full case when it indexes from the powder station to the next station. This occurs because the shell plate snaps into position when the detent in the shell plate hits the spring-loaded ball.
One solution in the past has been to clip 1/2 of a turn off the spring on the bottom. The down-side of this is that it doesn't completely solve the problem, and there's always the confusion of what constitutes clipping "half a turn" from the spring.
Alan Adamson found a solution to this problem by using a needle-roller thrust bearing and washer. It turns out that UniqueTek sells a roller bearing kit for the Dillon RL 550B, the Turbo Bearing (made by Slash K). This kit replaces the index sprocket and adds a thrust bearing. Unfortunately, it's only for the 550, and even more unfortunately, it costs $45 + shipping.
This can be fixed with 2 parts from McMaster-Carr, totaling $4.46 (plus shipping, which is minimal).
To implement this, you'll need the following parts:
| Quantity | Item # | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5909K31 | Steel Needle-Roller Thrust Bearing Cage Assembly for 1/2" Shaft Diameter, 15/16" OD | $2.66 |
| 2 | 5909K44 | .032" Thick Washer for 1/2" Shaft Diameter Steel Needle-Roller Thrust Bearing | $1.80 |
Adjustment seems to be tighten the bolt to the stop finger tight, and then just a very small *smidge* back, then lock the allen screw.
Below are two images of the thrust bearing installed:
