I need advice to remove WAY over-torqued barrel nut - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I need advice to remove WAY over-torqued barrel nut

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:09:49 AM EDT

I bought a PSA barreled 10.5 upper earlier this year with a front sight post on the barrel and wanted to swap the upper for an A2 to have a decent handle + iron sights built in. Problem is, that barrel nut is torqued way over 100 ft-lbs. When I say way over, I was able to steadily hit 100 with just my static pulling using a long torque wrench (yes I know, don’t use one when removing nuts) and the barrel nut was going nowhere. Then I switched to a standard socket wrench and bounced it using my weight. It’s probably approaching 200 ft lbs of stuck. I had fired maybe 1 mag through it and it’s only 6 months old kept climate controlled so there should be no corrosion etc in the threads. Even if they didn’t use antiseize on the barrel nut threads, it should not be this tight. I’ve been using a magpul barrel wrench and attempting to keep the upper in a vise using a magpul bevblock. I’m already worried something has bent from this way out of spec nonsense. I also tried to heat the barrel nut in case some genius decided red locktite was the same thing as antiseize but no dice.

So any suggestions on how to deal with this mess?

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:11:15 AM EDT

[#1]

Breaker Bar? EDIT...To add, I have had one PSA upper without grease on the barrel nut. I used a Bev Block, generic Armorer Wrench and bought a 14" breaker bar to use on the upper. No issues disassembling any upper since then, the extra leverage works well. Hope you get it apart and nothing is damaged.

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:17:56 AM EDT

[#2]

Heat the barrel nut.

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:18:57 AM EDT

[#3]

Try warming it up with a butane torch a bit. Don't need to get it stupid hot, just warm it. Only the nut. Hot metal will expand slightly and if you can get just the nut hotter, it might let go just enough.

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:20:37 AM EDT

[#4]

heat it

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:41:43 AM EDT

[#5]

PSA barreled uppers are kind of notorious for this.

Personally, I just view a PSA barrel as one piece with the upper. If I wanted a new barrel ca/length/profile, I would remove my optics and BCG then sell the old barreled upper and buy what I want next.

Not what you wanted to hear OP but all I have to offer.

You can buy a stripped upper receiver for ~$50 (no FFL required) if you want something truly custom.

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:44:59 AM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
Try warming it up with a butane torch a bit. Don't need to get it stupid hot, just warm it. Only the nut. Hot metal will expand slightly and if you can get just the nut hotter, it might let go just enough.

View Quote

^ this. Target the heat on the barrel nut only as much as possible. You can also try a few sharp wacks on the wrench with a dead blow hammer. Sometimes giving a single wack in the tightening direction first can break it free, then start going the opposite direction (loosen).

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:49:20 AM EDT

[#7]

I did heat it with a torch and went at it with 14”+ of leverage. Didn’t budge. This is why I’m concerned.

My next step is to slip a pipe over a socket wrench and get 3 ft of leverage, but if the nut doesn’t give, that upper is going to twist into a churro with 500 ft lbs of torque. Either that or I’m going to toast my barrel extension/indexing pin and possibly snap my bev block.

@psa there are frickin specs and standards for a reason!

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:54:01 AM EDT

[#8]

I've had to cut the delta ring off with a dremel and used a pipe wrench to remove a nut before. Was on way too tight.

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:56:54 AM EDT

[#9]

Heat the nut, hot.

i has a BCM that would not budge. Broke teeth off of the nut trying. Heated it up and at a certain temperature had brownish liquid flow out of the joint., then it came right off. BCM must use locktite on the nut threads

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:58:47 AM EDT

[#10]

Proper response #1 is to hit it with your purse

#2 involves heating the nut and using a breaker bar

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:59:52 AM EDT

[#11]

Dremel cutting wheel 180deg apart and split it.

That way you aren't out an upper just a nut.

Posted: 12/25/2019 12:11:19 PM EDT

[#12]

I have had the best success in the PSA nuts by placing a wrench in it and striking the end of the wrench with a large rubber mallet (can also use a dead blow hammer). Having the upper very secure is needed to make sure all force is being applied to the nut.

The striking force works to ‘shock’ the torque you are feeling with using a long lever.

Generally only a few blows are needed to get the nut to loosen.

As for heat I would avoid as aluminum expands about twice as much as steel so when you apply heat to the steel nut it may transfer enough to the aluminum threads and may make getting the nut off even more difficult.

Posted: 12/25/2019 12:15:54 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
Dremel cutting wheel 180deg apart and split it.

That way you aren't out an upper just a nut.

View Quote

Posted: 12/25/2019 12:16:25 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Heat the barrel nut.

View Quote

This.

I broke a barrel nut on a PSA upper for a buddy that he was sure was never coming off. 24" breaker bar didn't budge it. I put some heat on it and it broke free easy peasy.

Posted: 12/25/2019 12:21:04 PM EDT

[#15]

Heat/breaker bar/ cheater pipe/ DEAD BLOW HAMMER.

Posted: 12/25/2019 12:29:11 PM EDT

[#16]

I heated the nut evenly, not red hot, but hot enough that it sweated and oozed whatever was on the threads.

Posted: 12/25/2019 12:38:17 PM EDT

[#17]

Alright, y’all convinced me to give heating another shot. If I combine it with a pipe and get a 2nd pair of hands, something will move..... if the upper is still usable afterwards is a different matter.

Edit: I want to leave the delta ring intact since I don’t have spares. With that in mind, should I heat the barrel nut from the receiver or muzzle side? Or is this a “why not both” situation?

Posted: 12/25/2019 12:51:55 PM EDT

[#18]

Muzzle side. Already accept the fact the delta ring assy is toast, and if it survives Big Win!

Posted: 12/25/2019 12:52:26 PM EDT

[#19]

My last PSA assembled host came apart easy.
Like 15 foot pounds easy.

Posted: 12/25/2019 1:16:37 PM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
My last PSA assembled host came apart easy.
Like 15 foot pounds easy.

View Quote

Psa is all over the place on this topic. The last upper I bought from them, the barrel but was handtight.

Posted: 12/25/2019 4:00:22 PM EDT

[#21]

Here is what worked for me numerous times.

Place wrench on barrel nut then your breaker bar on the wrench. Apply pressure with the breaker bar. While applying pressure start tapping the barrel nut wrench with a hammer. Medium whacks. You don't have to wail on it.

Works great every time I've tried it. Even when I re-barreled a Ruger Precision Rifle.

Posted: 12/25/2019 4:47:47 PM EDT

[#22]

If you suspect it never had any grease or oil on it when it was assembled you might try a little Kano Kroil. Might help loosen and slip it a little. Can't hurt anyway, but be careful if you apply flame heat after since it is flammable.

Posted: 12/25/2019 10:20:59 PM EDT

[#23]

Attached File

Posted: 12/25/2019 10:32:41 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
Dremel cutting wheel 180deg apart and split it.

That way you aren't out an upper just a nut.

View Quote

+1 , was going to post this

Posted: 12/25/2019 10:42:50 PM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
Try warming it up with a butane torch a bit. Don't need to get it stupid hot, just warm it. Only the nut. Hot metal will expand slightly and if you can get just the nut hotter, it might let go just enough.

View Quote

This and blow air from an air compressor through the barrel. This will make the nut expand faster than the receiver. If the nut was put on with loctite you may be out of luck...some of it will not release even under moderate heat.

Posted: 12/25/2019 10:52:12 PM EDT

[#26]

Just get a detachable carry handle. If the front is f marked the height is different than on an a2

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:21:00 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/383515/46D59D78-6D52-41E8-A0AA-12A97CDDACFD_jpeg-1209068.JPG

View Quote

This!

Posted: 12/25/2019 11:22:00 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
My last PSA assembled host came apart easy.
Like 15 foot pounds easy.

View Quote

Mine came undone while shooting. Lol

Posted: 12/27/2019 5:08:24 PM EDT

[#29]

I ended up getting it free. Did some pb buster oil soak overnight, put my wrench on with a 3ft pipe and used my body weight + impulse energy to free it. It was at least 300 ft lbs to free it. Fortunately the threads were fine and I got the uppers swapped and reassembled with a sane amount of torque and moly grease. Not sure if the Hulk works for PSA or if they have a pneumatic tool that wasn’t set correctly, but there’s zero chance a normal human torqued that nut that amount accidentally by hand.

Posted: 12/27/2019 6:26:40 PM EDT

[#30]

I had heard all the stories about the gorilla that installs the PSA barrels. My son wanted to replace his SS barrel on his creedmor, I warned him 9f just such a situation.

New barrel arrives, got all psyched out, grabbed the rachet and barrel nut wrench and went to town.

Came right off, no fuss, no muss. I felt cheated, and my son had that look of 'why the lecture for nothing?'

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I need advice to remove WAY over-torqued barrel nut

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