Problem unscrewing Ares ETR illumination cap

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Sanctify7 said:
Thanks, Ranchibi. Yes, I already marred a Helix cap. As I said previously, I am going to purchase a pliers with rubber or, more likely, plastic jaws. The good ones are a bit on the pricier side ($30 -- $60), so I am shopping around. There are some cheaper ones, but I don't want to butcher the job due to stinginess. Shed a tear is what I would do, too. I am on the perfectionist side! S7

Edit: Ranchibi, I just connected the dots of your post and my present Amazon viewing. Knipex sells plastic jaw covers for their pliers, by the way. S7

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Ha! That's awesome....I didn't know Knipex sold plastic jaw covers for their pliers....guess what I will be ordering 👍! I too am somewhat of a perfectionist (I'm more anal retentive)....😂....just ordered a pair for my 10! Thank you 🙏
 
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Sorry about your problem. I've had some caps that were tough to get off but not that tough.

How about wrapping a small zip tie to the edge of the Illume cap then using pliers. I run the parallax all the way to the end of it rotation to stop it. That way you aren't fighting the turret turning as you take the cap off.

Could also try putting a tiny amount of lube going around the cap and letting it sit overnight.

Still all something you shouldn't have to deal with.
 
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Thanks, rcs9250.
I will bear this in mind when using the pliers. I am not sure how the threads work in my cap. I wasn't even thinking about male/female threads. I'll start easy and see if that works. I am now thinking that I will need two sets of pliers: one to grip the coin-edged cap and one to steady the illumination dial that abuts it. Here's a picture. S7
 
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jps2486 said:
I cut two pieces of naugahyde (leathet works too) and used two small wrenches, one to hold the focus ring and one to turn the battery cap. Carefully loosened the cap. O ring was pretty dry.
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Copy. There are a few ways to skin this cat (cap). I just said to another member I realize I will need two sets of wrenches/pliers. Thanks. S7
steve123 said:
Sorry about your problem. I've had some caps that were tough to get off but not that tough.

How about wrapping a small zip tie to the edge of the Illume cap then using pliers. I run the parallax all the way to the end of it rotation to stop it. That way you aren't fighting the turret turning as you take the cap off.

Could also try putting a tiny amount of lube going around the cap and letting it sit overnight.

Still all something you shouldn't have to deal with.
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Steve,
Would Crosman silicon chamber oil be a proper lube? Probably not, I am figuring. As I said in another thread, I am neither skilled nor handy, nor do I know products well enough to be confident in application. Also, could I damage the scope?
Thanks. S7
 
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Here is my Ares BTR, not sure if yours is the same.
E2EA8795-B88E-4CB6-9FFC-2FFAC18BF4DE.jpeg
3B93538B-9142-4C51-ACF0-8CCBDAB52A0C.jpeg
 
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Ranchibi said:
Ha! That's awesome....I didn't know Knipex sold plastic jaw covers for their pliers....guess what I will be ordering 👍! I too am somewhat of a perfectionist (I'm more anal retentive)....😂....just ordered a pair for my 10! Thank you 🙏
Click to expand...
I am quite happy that my present dilemma has resulted in something useful so far. Great! You are welcome. S7
 
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steve123 said:
Sorry about your problem. I've had some caps that were tough to get off but not that tough.

How about wrapping a small zip tie to the edge of the Illume cap then using pliers. I run the parallax all the way to the end of it rotation to stop it. That way you aren't fighting the turret turning as you take the cap off.

Could also try putting a tiny amount of lube going around the cap and letting it sit overnight.

Still all something you shouldn't have to deal with.
Click to expand...

steve123 said:
Steve, I just reread your post. You made the simple but extremely critical point that I neither realized in my own efforts, nor did I catch it on the first read of your post: put the parallax wheel at the end of its travel!!! This should help a lot. Here I am with the two hands that God gave me fighting both of those issues—trying (in vain) to hold back the parallax knob while going in the other direction with the cap—and trying to hold the scope too! I told my wife that I needed three hands. Now, two should do. I’ll let you know. (Stupid me!) S7
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2L8 said:
David, you have given it your (all of our) best shot(s). Time to bow out and send it off to the "warranty gods" for reparations.

Patrick
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Patrick, I am holding off until my plastic-jawed pliers come in. Some good advice, I am sure, has been given about using temperature, but I am a tad reluctant to do so. (But I may do so.)
If the plastic-jawed pliers do not work, which are slated to arrive tomorrow, I think, and neither zip-tie (Steve123) nor something like Naugahyde (jps; first time I heard that one) nor leather wrap work, it could come to that. I want to give those pliers a try, especially since Steve mentioned stopping the travel of the parallax knob. Thank you. David
2L8 said:
David, you have given it your (all of our) best shot(s). Time to bow out and send it off to the "warranty gods" for reparations.

Patrick
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boscoebrea said:
OK isn't there a rubber oring?Remember is to never compress rubber o-rings so hard they are smashed,sometimes tight is too tight,I guess after getting it off a tiny bit of the right lube would help.....I have a big problem with a stuck sunshade on a scope....got it that way,tried one rubber pipe wrench,looks like I need another one.
Those rubber pipe wrenches are sometimes better than pliers for a lot of things,and not expensive, look them up.they have a rubber belt that you tighten around the piece you want to move,it is not a vise it is a clamp,,,,think like a oil filter removal tool.....round man..
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I am just now rereading your post. On my first read, I missed your comment about the pipe wrench. I will look up this tool. If my oilers do not work, it could be the move.
And I do not know if there is an o-ring. I will find out eventually. Copy: tight may be too tight. Thanks. S7
 
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rcs9250 said:
I do not know what your cap design is. If it is internal threads like the top sketch, when gripping hard with pliers, whether hard jaws or soft jaws, it can be squeezing the threads tighter on the scopes male thread. Gripping as little as possible of the top of the cap is critical.
If your cap is like in the lower sketch, squeezing the cap will not cause the threads to squeeze tighter on each other.
When I was working, I have made more than one special wrench to remove caps just like on scopes. Always custom made for the job at hand.

View attachment 321779
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If my situation is the same as Scotty1’s with his Ares BTR (the photo is in this thread), the second photo seems the match. Thanks. S7
 
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