TCPs and me: Am I cursed or am I doing something wrong?

[The Jayster]

Probably the latter over the former! No huge problem here, but here's what's going on: I have two Phantoms - one from EV and one from CCI. The EV one has a TCP with both the o-ring in the middle and the nylon screw (now I understand they only sell them with the o-ring). Obviously my older CCI one only has the nylon screw.

The TCP on both guns would move around wildly when firing. For the EV one, I tried first to follow Chuck E Ducky's method of threading the TPC into the nylon nut which would stick out a bit into the bolt. The thing was if the nylon screw was sticking out, there was no way I could thread in the TPC without applying great force at the risk of stripping something. I also tried to screw the nylon bolt unto the TPC already in place, but it did nothing.

I then noticed the o-ring smack in the middle of the TPC but it was as if it wasn't there: the TPC was very loose. I should have had the forethought of switching to a thicker o-ring but I opted for blue Loctite (not the Loctite brand per se). The Loctite was strong enough to keep the TPC from moving, but not to the point of preventing required adjustments. I used it thoroughly for a whole season, no problems whatsoever.

Then, I whipped out my CCI Phantom for a a few games and had the same issue: the TPC was moving around while firing. I tried both to screw in the nylon bolt unto the already set TPC which did nothing, and then thread the TPC into the nylon screw slightly sticking out of the bolt but ran against the same issue I encountered with my EV Phantom: I could not twist the TPC into the bolt without using an inordinate amount of force. I then proceeded to use Loctite-brand blue loctite and man, the TPC wouldn't bulge, I almost stripped the TPC's end. I was able to loosen it up very carefully and used as a solution of last resort teflon tape. Subpar solution, but it works.

I must obviously be missing something here. I can't believe TPCs have been that finicky for decades.

[Toestr]

Have you tried threading the nylon locking screw into the bolt less than you were?

[russc]

Yeah the nylon bolt is barely supposed to stick out...just enough for the threads to bite into it.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Your adjusting the Teflon screw in to far back it off a little. You want it so it just barely enters the threads. If it adds to much friction it in to far. If it doesn’t give a little resistance it’s out to far.

[flyweightnate]

A few things -
I'm a fan of the oring to the point where I grooved one of my older TPCs. Get the right size ring, go harder (urethane) if you need to, and call it a day.

Some people want to do Nelspot conversions that require the bolts with the set screw. See if you can swap them a new boot for your old one.

Try vibratite instead of Loctite.

[The Jayster]

All good ideas, thank you (making sure I the nylon screw does not stick out too much - which was most probably the issue, using a larger and/or urethane o-ring on my newer TPC and using Vibratite)

Right now I have no issues but if one day one of the TPC loosens up again I'll test them out.

[Chaos]

You are Cursed!

[Slim]

Installing a new nylon set screw into a TPC is an exact science.

As Chucky indicated, your nylon set screw has been screwed in too far.

How to correctly install the nylon set screw in the bolt so it locks in the TPC...

1) Remove the TPC AND the old nylon set screw from the bolt.
2) Take the bolt in your hand so you can see down into the inner TPC threads from the front of the bolt. Look for the hole in the threads where the nylon set screw will come through.
3) While looking at the hole where the nylon set screw extends up into the threads, screw in the nylon set screw.
4) Screw in the set screw so it is barely extending into the threads where the TPC goes (just under half way up to the highest point of the inside threads).
5) Once the nylon set screw is barely extending into the threads of the bolt, then screw in the TPC.
THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART... The nylon set screw has to be EXACTLY not too far in or too far out when the TPC screws into it. It's trial and error, but you will be able to "feel" if the nylon set screw is at the correct depth because the TPC will turn with a heavy resistance, but it will turn smoothly. Don't look at this like you would a normal set screw that is holding something in place. The whole point here is to have the TPC thread INTO the nylon set screw so it locks it in place. If it takes a ton of strength to turn the TPC, then the set screw is in too far. if the nylon set screw is not screwed in enough, the the TPC will turn with hardly any resistance at all, so the set screw isn't in far enough. Note that if the nylon set screw gets too chewed up, then it's worthless so be patient with the process.

Once you've done it a few times, it really is pretty easy and you'll feel that you've set it at the correct depth.

Three really important things to note here...

1) If you install a new nylon set screw into the bolt with the TPC in the bolt, THEN YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG! The TPC MUST be removed prior to installing the new nylon set screw or it will NEVER function the way it was designed to.
2) The only reason why Mike at CCI introduced the rubber ring on the newer TPCs is because users were not installing the nylon set screw correctly. I know this because he told me so. When installed correctly, the nylon set screw will firmly hold the TPC in place and allow for light and accurate adjustments FOR YEARS.
3) Because the design works so well (when done correctly), the use of any kind of thread locker or Teflon tape is never needed for the TPC. Ever. If you've got thread locker on the inside of your bolt, remove every last speck of it before installing a new nylon set screw.

[The Jayster]

Installing a new nylon set screw into a TPC is an exact science.

2) The only reason why Mike at CCI introduced the rubber ring on the newer TPCs is because users were not installing the nylon set screw correctly. I know this because he told me so. When installed correctly, the nylon set screw will firmly hold the TPC in place and allow for light and accurate adjustments FOR YEARS.
3) Because the design works so well (when done correctly), the use of any kind of thread locker or Teflon tape is never needed for the TPC. Ever. If you've got thread locker on the inside of your bolt, remove every last speck of it before installing a new nylon set screw.

That is freakin' amazing - thanks. I *knew* I must have been doing something wrong; I'll take the teflon out of the bolt on my CCI version and try again with those precise instructions.

[The Jayster]

Installing a new nylon set screw into a TPC is an exact science.

As Chucky indicated, your nylon set screw has been screwed in too far.

How to correctly install the nylon set screw in the bolt so it locks in the TPC...

1) Remove the TPC AND the old nylon set screw from the bolt.
2) Take the bolt in your hand so you can see down into the inner TPC threads from the front of the bolt. Look for the hole in the threads where the nylon set screw will come through.
3) While looking at the hole where the nylon set screw extends up into the threads, screw in the nylon set screw.
4) Screw in the set screw so it is barely extending into the threads where the TPC goes (just under half way up to the highest point of the inside threads).
5) Once the nylon set screw is barely extending into the threads of the bolt, then screw in the TPC.
THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART... The nylon set screw has to be EXACTLY not too far in or too far out when the TPC screws into it. It's trial and error, but you will be able to "feel" if the nylon set screw is at the correct depth because the TPC will turn with a heavy resistance, but it will turn smoothly. Don't look at this like you would a normal set screw that is holding something in place. The whole point here is to have the TPC thread INTO the nylon set screw so it locks it in place. If it takes a ton of strength to turn the TPC, then the set screw is in too far. if the nylon set screw is not screwed in enough, the the TPC will turn with hardly any resistance at all, so the set screw isn't in far enough. Note that if the nylon set screw gets too chewed up, then it's worthless so be patient with the process.

Once you've done it a few times, it really is pretty easy and you'll feel that you've set it at the correct depth.

Three really important things to note here...

1) If you install a new nylon set screw into the bolt with the TPC in the bolt, THEN YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG! The TPC MUST be removed prior to installing the new nylon set screw or it will NEVER function the way it was designed to.
2) The only reason why Mike at CCI introduced the rubber ring on the newer TPCs is because users were not installing the nylon set screw correctly. I know this because he told me so. When installed correctly, the nylon set screw will firmly hold the TPC in place and allow for light and accurate adjustments FOR YEARS.
3) Because the design works so well (when done correctly), the use of any kind of thread locker or Teflon tape is never needed for the TPC. Ever. If you've got thread locker on the inside of your bolt, remove every last speck of it before installing a new nylon set screw.

I finally got around to try this out. I thought I had it down pat - the nylon screw barely sticking out and threading the TPC into it to create just the right amount of resistance. However, I then realized the TPC was still moving around a bit while firing. I wanted to back out the nylon screw a hair but also realized it became stripped (...)

So this is what I did: went to the hardware store and got a 10-32 metal screw to crush out the stripped nylon screw. I also got a 10-32 metal set screw and a nylon screw (I was looking for anything made out of nylon, it could have been a washer, etc.). I cut the 10-32 metal set screw down to about a length of 3 mm and dremeled ouf of the nylon screw a small 'cushion' if you will. The idea was to have a solid metal set screw that could effectively create pressure but with a piece of nylon at the end for the TPC to thread into. Once I got the correct feel for the TPC I locked the metal set screw in with Loctite.

Lo and behold it worked. I can adjust the TPC yet it doesn't move when I fire. I fired about 100 shots and moved the TPC either way between each 25 shots or so and the TPC never moved by itself. Hopefully it'll stay that way.

[Chuck E Ducky]

McMasterCarr has Teflon tipped grub screws in 10/32 I use them on a lot of my cocker slide frames and they work great. Haven’t tried them on the phantom but I bet they would work perfectly for the application.

Sounds like your existing Teflon grub screw was already stripped out. I bet that’s what your issue was all along. Glad you got it figured out.

[flyweightnate]

McMasterCarr has Teflon tipped grub screws in 10/32 I use them on a lot of my cocker slide frames and they work great. Haven’t tried them on the phantom but I bet they would work perfectly for the application.

Sounds like your existing Teflon grub screw was already stripped out. I bet that’s what your issue was all along. Glad you got it figured out.

I'll save you all the pain... McMaster 90291A826 is their 10-32 x 3/16" nylon tipped screw, and it's too long to work by about 0.040".

Using 91301A130 (1/8" hollow set screw) and a nylon plug/ disc might work?

[The Jayster]

Another idea I had: just get a 10-32 nylon screw, cut it down, then dremel a slot at the top to be able to screw it in with a flathead screwdriver. 25 cents solution.

[Chuck E Ducky]

That could work it doesn’t need to be super tight.

[The Jayster]

Plus it'd be much harder to strip since it'll be deep slotted.