swapping out locking lever

**indy_Muaddib** · December 24, 2006, 20:56

what inch locking levers will fit a IMBEL lower?

the current one is so tight i have to use a screw driver to move it.

Pluribus · December 25, 2006, 00:04

A locking lever is a locking of whatever flavor FAL and will interchange.

It's more likely that the locking body itself is to tight(oversize(?)) or, may be rough. Try polishing it's surface first and see if that helps.

**mhobtr** · December 25, 2006, 09:22

I had the same problem. Tried everything. Polished, fit, refit. Still too tight.

Then it hit me! The spring was too long, causing the lockup to be way too tight.

I ground off about half a loop and it worked better but still too tight.

Kept going, slowly, and got it to work smooth as a baby's butt.:

But then it should have because all mating surfaces had been polished with 2000 grit sandpaper.

I don't remember if this was an original spring or one I bought as a replacement.

Good Luck

Mhobtr

NHBandit · December 25, 2006, 09:30

I had one that did the same thing and the lock assembly itself moved freely so I knew the problem was with the lever. After much head scratching and light sanding, etc. I discovered that the pin part of the lever (the large pin that goes all the way through) that goes through the hole in the lower was bent. It is easily bent right where the diameter is really small for the retaining screw that holds it in. Straightened it and it now works slicker than owl poop...

**indy_Muaddib** · December 26, 2006, 04:05

a bit of sanding loosened it up a bit.

there are ridges inside the area where the locking lug goeslook like machining marks, those supposed to be there?

Para Driver · December 26, 2006, 19:59

wear safety glasses when you remove that spring, almost caught one in the face last week... I was being stooopid..

December 24, 2006, 20:56	#1
indy_Muaddib Curio & Relic Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 17581 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 3,046	swapping out locking lever what inch locking levers will fit a IMBEL lower? the current one is so tight i have to use a screw driver to move it. __________________ All government, in its essence, is a conspiracy against the superior man: its one permanent object is to oppress him and cripple him. If it be aristocratic in organization, then it seeks to protect the man who is superior only in law against the man who is superior in fact; if it be democratic, then it seeks to protect the man who is inferior in every way against both. One of its primary functions is to regiment men by force, to make them as much alike as possible and as dependent upon one another as possible, to search out and combat originality among them. All it can see in an original idea is potential change, and hence an invasion of its prerogatives. The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is very apt to spread discontent among those who are. -H.L. Mencken 1919 Were not that lucky.

December 25, 2006, 00:04	#2
Pluribus Registered Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 5600 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wichita, America Posts: 3,259	A locking lever is a locking of whatever flavor FAL and will interchange. It's more likely that the locking body itself is to tight(oversize(?)) or, may be rough. Try polishing it's surface first and see if that helps. __________________ W. W. J. W. D? (What Would John Wayne Do) Were it not for ignorance, thus we would remain. Never hate your enemy, it only clouds your judgment.

December 25, 2006, 09:22	#3
mhobtr Member Contributor Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 20291 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 337	I had the same problem. Tried everything. Polished, fit, refit. Still too tight. Then it hit me! The spring was too long, causing the lockup to be way too tight. I ground off about half a loop and it worked better but still too tight. Kept going, slowly, and got it to work smooth as a baby's butt.: But then it should have because all mating surfaces had been polished with 2000 grit sandpaper. I don't remember if this was an original spring or one I bought as a replacement. Good Luck Mhobtr __________________ mhobtr Obama, OneBigAssMistakeAmerica

December 25, 2006, 09:30	#4
NHBandit Registered Contributor FALaholic #: 7986 Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 3,933	I had one that did the same thing and the lock assembly itself moved freely so I knew the problem was with the lever. After much head scratching and light sanding, etc. I discovered that the pin part of the lever (the large pin that goes all the way through) that goes through the hole in the lower was bent. It is easily bent right where the diameter is really small for the retaining screw that holds it in. Straightened it and it now works slicker than owl poop... __________________ Live Free or Die

December 26, 2006, 04:05	#5
indy_Muaddib Curio & Relic Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 17581 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 3,046	a bit of sanding loosened it up a bit. there are ridges inside the area where the locking lug goeslook like machining marks, those supposed to be there? __________________ All government, in its essence, is a conspiracy against the superior man: its one permanent object is to oppress him and cripple him. If it be aristocratic in organization, then it seeks to protect the man who is superior only in law against the man who is superior in fact; if it be democratic, then it seeks to protect the man who is inferior in every way against both. One of its primary functions is to regiment men by force, to make them as much alike as possible and as dependent upon one another as possible, to search out and combat originality among them. All it can see in an original idea is potential change, and hence an invasion of its prerogatives. The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is very apt to spread discontent among those who are. -H.L. Mencken 1919 Were not that lucky. Last edited by indy_Muaddib; December 26, 2006 at 04:30.

December 26, 2006, 19:59	#6
Para Driver Registered FALaholic #: 6350 Join Date: May 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 6,297	wear safety glasses when you remove that spring, almost caught one in the face last week... I was being stooopid..

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