View Full Version : Lower parts kits
Arctic Sloth
05-09-10, 11:25
New guy here. I am sure this question has been asked before, but I'm really just asking for assurances or the straight truth.
Can a guy who is new to ARs, who has limited mechanical skills, didn't take shop class and has four thumbs, put a Timberwolf parts kit into a billet, anodized, receiver without messing up the finish and when done, have it function when mated to the complete upper?
Timberwolf? i've never heard of it..
so long as you have the right tools, the right work space, dont rush and be careful, you'll probably get through it totally fine. but dont freak out if you nick the anodize somewhere- i've assembled dozens of lowers, and i still nick the trigger guard roll pin hole every once in a while
I'd never done it before either and I followed the various tutorials on AR15.com and read a lot of the troubleshooting and building areas of this forum and others to tips and the build went great!
Make sure you have proper tools...punches, vise grips, patience. The areas you can mess up on easily are the bolt stop bosses and the trigger guard wings. The pivot pin installation is a bit tricky as well. Learn what the parts are first. Compare them to the pictures and descriptions. Learn the orientation from pictures. Overall, it's pretty easy.
Bruce:)
Yes. If you are reasonably smart you can install a LPK. There is plenty of instructional material online.
The following will help.
1. Install the trigger parts first.
2. Install the hammer. Make sure the legs of the spring go over the trigger pin.
3. Install the safety selector lever and then the detent, spring and pistol grip.
I assume that the lower receiver extension is already in place? If not, then you have whole other issue.
New guy here. I am sure this question has been asked before, but I'm really just asking for assurances or the straight truth.
Can a guy who is new to ARs, who has limited mechanical skills, didn't take shop class and has four thumbs, put a Timberwolf parts kit into a billet, anodized, receiver without messing up the finish and when done, have it function when mated to the complete upper?
Arctic Sloth
05-09-10, 14:41
Okay, you are making me feel better! Good advice.
The Timberwolf tactical parts kit is a stainless steel parts kit. It was not very much more than the competitors and I naively assume that stainless steel is better than non-stainless steel. But, I just had a thought: does stainless steel have any chemical reaction when it comes into contact with aluminum (a galvanic reaction)? For some reason, that thought has popped into my mind. But, if so, would the anodizing prevent such an interaction? I guess I should have paid more attention in high school chemistry class. Perhaps I should have passed on the stainless steel parts kit.
Arctic Sloth
05-09-10, 14:46
I found this with a quick google search:
"Just came across your problem while addressing an identical problem of my own. Hard anodising (not chromic) but thick sulphuric anodising, around 100 microns, will provide electrical insulation between the bolt and aluminium and prevent electrolytic activity. Put a thin preferably soft washer in there to prevent the anodising being scratch (though it's pretty tough).
Other precautions you can adopt are sealing of the connection with a sealant or paint, or using bolts with plating nearer the electrochemical series no. stainless.
David Simpson
Engineering Consultancy - Luton, UK"
Am I chasing my tail or looking for a problem where the is no problem? Surely stainless steel parts kits must work okay in an aluminum receiver??????
im pretty sure stainless actually causes less, or no, galvanic reaction compared to 41xx series steel + aluminum
i wouldn't worry about it either way, though.. there's only a couple reports of this ever actually being an issue with the AR/M4 platform, that i'm aware of, and they were both between receiver threads and 41xx barrel nuts on very old and abused guns.
Look at it this way. There are lots of stainless steel barrels out there mounted on AR's. I have not heard of one eating a reciever yet.:D
Lower parts kits are not hard to install at all with a minimum of tools required. Make sure you find online instructions and follow it step by step. It's just putting parts together in the proper sequence. Pay particular attention to how springs are installed and which one goes where.
Because you care (as I do) my best advice would be to use lots of duct tape to protect your lowers finish during the install of the LPK. Especially when installing the roll pin in the bolt catch. Like bkb0000 I've dinged up (not bad) the area around the trigger guard roll pin hole a couple of times too. I have to make myself be careful when I'm almost finished.
Just jump in and do it. Anybody can put one together. The internet makes it easy to find all the info you need.
Okay, you are making me feel better! Good advice.
The Timberwolf tactical parts kit is a stainless steel parts kit. It was not very much more than the competitors and I naively assume that stainless steel is better than non-stainless steel. But, I just had a thought: does stainless steel have any chemical reaction when it comes into contact with aluminum (a galvanic reaction)? For some reason, that thought has popped into my mind. But, if so, would the anodizing prevent such an interaction? I guess I should have paid more attention in high school chemistry class. Perhaps I should have passed on the stainless steel parts kit.
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I've seen a couple of SS LPK's. One name I remember was R-Guns. A dealer friend at a gun show sold the R-Gun LPK and told me "You don't want to buy that!" so, I didn't?? He just said most of the parts were DPMS. I think the only SS part in the R-Guns LPK was the hammer and the trigger and everything else was regular metal parts.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=41664
Sorry to say but the Timberwolf kit was one of the worst Ive seen. Now Ill only use G&R LPKs, it much easier....;)
Arctic Sloth
05-18-10, 19:30
I guess I lucked out with the Timberwolf kit-they were so slow in shipping it that I canceled it. So, now I have to buy something else.
ohiorifleman
05-18-10, 21:00
Midway USA has Daniel Defense LPKs for 80.00
DSG has Armalite for 82.00
Grant at G&R Tactical has his own- not sure on the price but some highly respected members here recommend them wholeheartedly.
One question I've always had is with Paul's ( Bravo Co's. ) committment to quality why do they sell the lpk's they do?
Watch these two videos a couple times before you start.....they will make life alot easier. Also use some vise grips for installing your triggerguard roll pin. I'd strongly advise having your stock tube in hand before doing the LPK because you'll have to wait on the buffer retainer and spring and you might lose them before your buffer tube arrives. And have a castle nut too.
One of the biggest things that made life just a little simpler for me was getting some 1/4-28x1.25" allen head fasteners for the pistol grip. I HATE flatheads----allen heads are much easier to install IMHO. I remember buying 10 of them from a local fasteners shop for about $4.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA_Vkb2UB1w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq4KfUaVp8M
Arctic Sloth
05-19-10, 05:28
Thanks for the information. I will do some comparison shopping on line tonight.
I don't want to screw up the anodized finish on the lower, so I will watch the videos and go slow.
I build several ARs a year. I use Rock River parts kits. One of the main reasons is because they are never short parts. The triggers are hit and miss with how smooth they are. I ordered a parts kit from Grant at G&R Tactical and will never buy anything else for my personal rifles. Go G&R and never look back.
Stag Arms LPK's are good to go and I have used them on at least 3 different builds.
My first SBR came from Stag as a complete lower before it was papered. The trigger was superb. The one that I got as a separate LPK from Stag was good, but not as good.
I'm impressed with the LPK I got from LWRC recently. Not cheap, but it's a darn good trigger.
i use stag LPKs exclusively right now, and use their FCGs for my neighborhood-famous polished trigger packs. they seem to be the most consistent, for non-Colt price. trigger is where LPK quality comes out, in my experience.. i've used DPMS, RRA, Armalite, LMT (back when they were avail), colt, bushmaster, and probably a couplefew others- its not been my experience that there's much difference between LPKs (though i'm sure if you took a large enough sample, you'd find patterns), but trigger is the teller. DPMS triggers, for instance, are crazy hit-or-miss- you've got a 50/50 chance of getting a trigger that's beyond help. long, gravelly pull that never wears smooth and will not polish right, no matter how much time you spend on the polishing wheel.
stag FCGs polish up real nice, and stay smooth until you wear them out. thumbs up, from me.
I just ordered a couple of Daniel Defense lpk's today from Palmetto State Armory. They were $69.95 but parts are 10% off right now which made them a little under $63, shipping is a flat $7. Never bought anything from them before so we shall see how it goes, but best price I found by a good bit and I have heard good stuff about these kits. And they come with the Magpul polymer trigger guard, which I like.
Alan
I recently installed two DD LPKs and was quite impressed by the quality of the parts. Under 5X magnification the sear surfaces are very smooth with minimal machine marks. I haven't shot either nor, of course, tested these long term. However, I have dry fired them many times and the feel is very silky- among the best out of the box standard triggers I've played with to date.
Grant's LPKs are wonderful as well. I haven't ordered these with the FCGs, but the other parts are definitely GTG.
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