Indexing Specific Question - 4 Hole Classic Press

[Urban Mongoose]

Hey, I’m new here, thought I’d wade right in. I mostly load on a Lee 6000 press, which I love for pistol ammo, but am kinda up in the air on for rifle calibers.
I also have a Lee Classic Turret press, and I cannot for the life of me stop breaking indexing ratchets. The indexing is aligned fine.

What I’m wondering is this - I assume from what I’ve read, seen and understand that the ratchet should be able to slide smoothly up and down the indexing rod - that’s correct, right?

My press doesn’t do that - I have two different batches of ratchets, and none of them slide smoothly over the twisted section of the rod - pretty much every time they get stuck there, then get rounded, and then it’s game over for indexing. I’m careful about running full cycles, not jigging up and down, especially at the bottom of a stroke where the pressure on the ratchet seems greatest.

Could my problem be a bad rod?

Any help greatly appreciated - I’m a very mechanically adept guy, and this is big time frustrating - other places I’ve asked have pretty much said, ‘hang it up and index by hand’ and I’m OK with that, but it just justifies me why som many folks have no issues and I have nothin’ but!

[larryw]

I polish all of my Indexing Rods really, really good with a buff wheel on a bench grinder & jewelers Rouge then, I apply a tiny bit of dry graphite, to the twisted part & operate a few times, clean up excess graphite.
Anything with a movable tool head (Turret) I lube the contact area lightly with PJ. (Petroleum jelly, Vaseline. THANKS RD) also the ram. After this tiny bit of maintenance, I have never had an indexing problem. Hope this helps. Take care & be safe...

[Fyodor]

I must admit that I use my CT with a case kicker over the index rod and a modified turret that doesn't turn. So the load on the ratchet is minimal. I never had ome broken in the years I' ve been using it.

But the plastic part always needs some force to be pushed over the twisted section of the index rod. It is not totally effortless. While it takes some effort, it doesn't bind or scratch. It's just some smooth friction.

Have you tried another index rod? If the ratchet keeps braking, something isn't right.

[Urban Mongoose]

Thanks much guys - this is most helpful - will apply and advise! Rhodora, not familiar with the case kicker over the rod - can I see a pic or a link or something? Heard of this, just never got eyes on!

[Urban Mongoose]

I meant Fyodor - thanks spell ‘correct’ ;-)

[Urban Mongoose]

Well, I inspected the rod - looked fine - polished it up with some 2000 grit paper, made sure the nut/top is 45 degrees to the flat surfaces, lubed the tool head and top of turret, installed a new ratchet - then I realized what is likely the problem - see picture attached.

I’m not aligned when I drop a tool head in - and while my understanding is that with the ram raised up about 3/4 way so the ratchet is clear of the twists, I should be able to spin the tool head into alignment - but mine will not move at all when attached to the rod, in any ram position - and of course if I drop it like that, it won’t index, it’ll break a ratchet -

Without the rod, I can spin the tool head into alignment no problem, but not otherwise - I feel like a complete idiot - what am I doing wrong?!

IMG_2524.jpeg

[Fyodor]

Thanks much guys - this is most helpful - will apply and advise! Rhodora, not familiar with the case kicker over the rod - can I see a pic or a link or something? Heard of this, just never got eyes on!

This is my setup:

The case kicker also comes with a reverse indexing rod, as I just remembered. Inline Fabrication makes them. When they were just new I asked if they would make me a four way kicker, which they did. Not sure if they still do, but with a drill and tap it would be easy to add that feature.

But that means, I'm not using a factory indexing rod. Completely forgot about that. This should not matter, but I should mention it.

My press still has the first ratchet installed that it came with.

[GasGuzzler]

I rounded the square piece on mine after about 12K pulls. I did not polish anything or lube it properly when new.

When you say "tool head" do you mean turret? I can't tell from the picture if you're talking Classic Turret Press. If it's an auto-press, I am no help. If it's an LCT ... I'll guess.

Take the turret off and use one hand top hold the index rod down. Operate the handle with the other hand. See what it does. It should free wheel going up the rod and index going down.

[Urban Mongoose]

Fyodor- very cool, thank you!
Gas, yeah, it’s a LCT 4 Hole - will check that out, thank you!

[Urban Mongoose]

Thanks for the tip, Fyodor - Inline Fabrication still makes that rig, so I snagged one, as well as good handles for both presses.