Can't get Colt handguard off....what am I missing?

sphen

sphen

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Ok, so I have a best guess and I'm looking for confirmation if I'm right, clarification if I'm wrong. I have a Colt CSR15 and I've run into a handguard situation I've never had before. The armorer's wrench is useless and there are no retention screws holding the handguard to the nut. So I'm not sure how to get this thing off. My best guess, after hours of googling, is that I've run into a Yankee Hill jam nut. Does that look right? So how do I get this off? Anyone have experience with this? Is the Yankee Hill wrench my only option? Anyone know where to get this tool in Canada? Are there other tool options? Help is appreciated.

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If red loctite was used you'll want to get a pen-torch and go round and round until you see the loctite start to smoke.
 
For those interested, after talking to the manufactures it was confirmed to be the yankee hill nut and so begins the near - impossible task of trying to find one in Canada.
 
sphen said:
For those interested, after talking to the manufactures it was confirmed to be the yankee hill nut and so begins the near - impossible task of trying to find one in Canada.
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Is it so special that you cannot use a Hook Spanner Wrench?

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Blastattack said:
Is it so special that you cannot use a Hook Spanner Wrench?

View attachment 422159
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Maybe a different one might work, I tried mine but the rounded hook on it did not catch well on the very shallow grooves.

Boltgun said:
this.....you merely need to loosen the nut at the back of the handguard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXlVf5hu9qQ

go to 13:10'ish.

He uses a RE wrench, which isn't the correct tool, but the spanner is what is needed. A quick call to YHM will likely get you the "correct" type of tool.

Boltgun
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Mine is off by about 1/8" of an inch, I can get it to grab one notch but it's just a hair short of grabbing both to establish some decent torque. I called YHM and they won't ship me one of their tools, they've directed me to a distributor who does international sales so I'm waiting to see if they will send it to Canada. I called 4 stores in the US that has them in stock and none can ship it here. I did find a 5th that supposedly will (online), but the shipping is $40. I'm not in a big hurry so I'm cruising for alternative solutions, at this point I'm not looking to spend $75 on a tool to remove a handguard.
 
and it looks as if its a jam nut so you will have to break the nut free of the back of the hand guard so in essence tighten it more towards the receiver and then the hand guard should spin off???
 
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That's what you need. I had one, but sold it in the EE. Trying a belt wrench or even mod a old leather belt.
 
https://www.wolverinesupplies.com/productdetail/ncstarw2_ncstar-ar15-armorers-wrench-gen-2


Apparently fits YHM (yankee hill machine) nuts. Though I think it's for the "horse shoe" bit for installing the barrel pre-hand guard, dunno if the hooks (it has multiple...) will work.


The NCStar AR15 Armorer's Wrench features a barrel wrench that is compatible with GI Spec barrel nutsimage & free float tubes, and with some types of commercial style barrel nuts (DD & YHM).
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edit

#### my bad out of stock

But Marstars has it in stock -

https://marstar.ca/product/ncstar-ar15-armorers-barrel-wrench-gen-2/
 
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Hook spanner wrenches are not that hard to find, if you can measure the diameter you can buy one in the correct size. Or there are many that are adjustable, I have some used to tighten the tool holders on my CNC machine, and I have an adjustable one also.

Amazon has tons for sale, even Princess Auto usually has some cheap ones

As mentioned if its a cheaper quality tool the tips aren't that great and tend to be rounded instead of sharp causing them not to catch well in shallow notches. A little work with a grinder or file can fix that easily
 
Ravage said:
Just wait until you try to remove the gas block you going to need jackhammers cutting torches and 60 steel workers on a 24hr schedule for a week to get the 2 pins out Laugh2
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Oh great...thanks for that. Starting to wonder if this is worth the effort.

biologic said:
Why not ordering one from brownell wont make a difference they will ship it to you.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/rifle-tools/wrenches/forearm-wrench-prod25016.aspx
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They wouldn't ship it to me. When I talked to them on the phone they said nope. I don't understand why, I've ordered from them a half dozen times over the years. However, nothing since the new bans. With that said, they had it on back order so at this point it was still a no go.
 
Another question is why? I only took mine off because I parted out a Colt CAR rifle to get a Colt A3 flat top upper. Colt never sold any rifle flat top uppers as a seperate part. Then I ended up selling it anyways. I did have to buy the wrench to get the FF tube off.
 
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