Installing new tank regulator

[Greg2230]

Ok, so I have read into a few threads about installing a new crossfire tank regulator and I understand that is dangerous and not the best idea to do yourself. Here's my issue though. I am playing a game in a week so I do not have time to send it out to crossfire or anywhere like that. I do have a few paintball shops around me. The problem is that they are not in any way "professional" repair shops and I highly doubt that they have the right tools to install the reg properly. I guarentee you that they will load it with lock-tite so it doesnt leak and when it comes time to rehydro I will be screwed. Any ideas or thoughts? Any way I can install it for one day of play without leaks and then have it sent out to crossfire? Anyone know anybody in the South Jersey area that could do this properly soon?
Thanks

[xero28]

I've never had any problems with taking off/putting on regs. As long as the o-ring is there on the reg and you tighten it nicely, you really shouldn't have any problems. I've done it with SP regs and one Crossfire. I think it's just a bunch of "cover their butts" legality stuff that the companies put out when they tell you not to do it yourself. If that's the case, why are the max-flo micros so easy to change? My .02.

-X

[georgeyew]

Very true, I have installed 3 regs on my tanks and just had to screw it in and torque it down. Even the new Luxe (forgive me for using that name here) have built in regs on the marker, so to remove the tank from the marker, you actually have to unscrew the tank from the regulator. If it was that dangerous, they would not have designed it like that.

[C_losjoker]

should you use or can you use the blue lock-tite instead of the red, just to be a little safer? i know with the red its almost impossible to get stuff off, unless you heat up the area, but with the blue its lot easier. dont mean to jack, but i thought it would be good to know.

[georgeyew]

Don't use red, go with a small dab of blue if you want the extra peace of mind. I don't use anything on my so I can swap my regs easily if I want to.

[Dend78]

not using anything is ok but not a great idea, you gotta remember people are stupid and have dumbass attacks all the time and dont see the tank unscrewing from the reg then someone dies, lil harsh but does happen, a lil drop of blue will help solve that issue

[georgeyew]

I am not too worried since the threads on my regs have a vent channel on it. If the reg does turn past a certain point, all of the air would rush out of the vent channel before the reg is unscrewed completely.

[Watcher]

When flying, the reg cannot be on the tank for legality and safety reasons. So if you are going to a competition in another state/country you may have to remove the regulator, store it seperate from the tank, and then re-assemble it when you get to where you are going.

If the reg had to be removed by the manufacturer or by a qualified Airsmith that would severely hinder the ability of people to compete across the nation unless they wanted to mail the tank to the event and risk it not arriving or something stupid like that.

As long as the tank has no air in it, it is safe to remove the reg. Just don't put the tank in a vice or something :tard:

I know shocktech makes an all-in-one reg tool with a small socket and threaded "holders" for the burst disks, a box-end wrench for taking the guage off (if you have the socket type guage), and the actual reg wrench braces against the fill nipple.
Might be worth an investment.

[Dend78]

I know shocktech makes an all-in-one reg tool with a small socket and threaded "holders" for the burst disks, a box-end wrench for taking the guage off (if you have the socket type guage), and the actual reg wrench braces against the fill nipple.
Might be worth an investment.


that tool is called Shocktech Fligh Plan and its 32 bux from shocktech :cheers:

[Greg2230]

Yeah, but I have a game in less than a week. So if i put a drop of blue lock-tite and just screw it in, it should be fine? Don't they need to be torqued?

[Dend78]

Yeah, but I have a game in less than a week. So if i put a drop of blue lock-tite and just screw it in, it should be fine? Don't they need to be torqued?


how r you putting it on there? like whats holding the reg and whats holding the tank? you definately want it tight, tighter than just snug for sure, i put the reg in a vice preferably with rubber jaws so as not to mar the anno then crank it down with both hands as tight as possible, that should be plenty unless your a lil girl :spit_take

[Greg2230]

Thats a great idea. I never thought to put the reg in a vice. Not tight of course. I guess I will give that a try. Is there any harm to putting a drop of blue lock-tite on? Will it be able to come off in another 5 years with no damage?

[georgeyew]

There won't be any harm, it just make it a little harder to get the reg off in the future. When my tank is empty, I can remove the reg by hand, but when aired up...my reg won't budge.

[Watcher]

Blue loctite "cracks" at 15lbs of force. It'll make it hard to remove the tank and definitely keep it from leaking/unthreading, but you will have to "crack" it off and afterward the reg will unscrew like nothing was ever on it.

I use it on the valve screws on my 98. Keeps them from vibrating out yet allows me to remove them for valve maintenance.

All you need is a drop. If you loctite all the threads it will make it very hard to remove and mightbe a problem with the hydro. Plus you may bet locitie chips in the reg :rolleyes:
Just cover the top few threads (nearest the reg) so when you screw the reg in only loctite gets between the tank and reg, not in the tank.

[Dend78]

Thats a great idea. I never thought to put the reg in a vice. Not tight of course. I guess I will give that a try. Is there any harm to putting a drop of blue lock-tite on? Will it be able to come off in another 5 years with no damage?

your gonna want it tight to ensure you arent gonna spin the reg in the vice, but dont kill it also make sure you take out the guage cause those break like no other :tard:

[doc_Zox]

The dive shop that I hydroed at has a vise mounted V trough with 2, 3 inch wide ratchet straps

The tank sits in the padded vice cradle and the straps crank it down

the tech then inserts a pipe with slots over the reg

the slots engage the gauge stems

a rod is run through the pipe as a handle

and the regulator is turned off with hand pressure and ~ 1 foot of leverage

re insertion is one drop of blue locktite near the far end of the regulator

[Greg2230]

Thanks a lot fellas. You guys offered alot more help then the "other" forums would.

[greezypete]

I recommend leaving the loctite off. I've pulled regs before (after applying much heat) that had the bleed off slots and holes clogged up with loctite. There was no possible way it could have vented if it needed to. All you need to do is like stated above , put it in a vice (avoiding damaging the guage and fill nipple) and crank down on it with both hands. Theres no way you could spin it off accidentally with 3000 or 4500 psi pushing against the reg.