4Sevens Quark AA Turbo Head Disassembly

[Erik1213]

I have decided to install a Nichia 219 in my Quark Turbo but I can't get the head apart. Every other 4Sevens light I have had (never a turbo model) came apart easily.

Does anyone here have any tricks to disassemble?

I have used two strap wrenches and a little heat to break the thread locker loose but it just won't move.

 

[think2x]

Check Ti-force's threads. I know he's had them open.


FWIW: I use the rubber from the strap wrenches and use vise grips over that, works much better IMO.

 

[Erik1213]

Thank you for the response! I found this thread:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?275490-Quark-Turbo-XP-E-R2-Mod&highlight=

Looks like I need more heat and more pressure on the strap wrenches. I never did get it hot enough to do damage but it sounds like he is close to the point of melting something before he tries to separate the head.

 

[netprince]

Hey that is a great idea...

That head is a PIA to open in my opinion. I use a belt around the knurling and put it in a clamp. Then I use a piece of rubber around the cooling fins, and an old leather belt around that, then a huge pair of pliers. (make sure to leave the head attached to the body or you'll crush it). Move it back and forth until it loosens. It will give, but the rubber will be ruined because it squeezes into the fins...

 

[Erik1213]

Tried the ti-force method. The teeth on the jaws of my vice grips cut through the rubber belt on my strap wrench, gouged a nice bit of the anodization off of the fins and then the strap wrench broke in half.

I'm going to sleep. Maybe I need more heat and more pressure. I'm either going to get this light open or destroy it trying.

Either way, no more turbohead foursevens lights for me. Absolutely no need for threadlocker.

 

[think2x]

Tried the ti-force method. The teeth on the jaws of my vice grips cut through the rubber belt on my strap wrench, gouged a nice bit of the anodization off of the fins and then the strap wrench broke in half.

I'm going to sleep. Maybe I need more heat and more pressure. I'm either going to get this light open or destroy it trying.

Either way, no more turbohead foursevens lights for me. Absolutely no need for threadlocker.

Add more heat and swap the rubber strap wrenches for leather belts, I had to do this to open an armytek predator and it worked good. I used a MAPP gas torch for ten seconds around the locked area.

You can always polish the fins and it will look nice.

 

[Match]

Lots of good advice above. As stated, keep the body screwed into the head to keep from accidently warping or crushing it. Heat is the key here, for there is a lot of threadlocker that needs to be loosened up. What I did was use a small butane torch to heat the head while slowly rotating it while holding onto the body. Once the body started getting uncomfortable to hold, I used a couple of pieces of heavy rubber hose (split) and two channel-locks. The rubber hose was thick enough to allow decent purchase once compressed on the finned head. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here's the tools I used:

As you can see, it did take a bit of gripping pressure from the pliars to come apart, but there was no damage done in the process to the head. Here's the head:

Like I said...a lot of thread locker was used. Good luck in getting yours apart and let me know if you have any other questions.

-Match

 

[Norm]

Really like your hose idea Match.

Norm

 

[Match]

Thanks. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best.

To the OP: I actually have the opposite problem... the disassembly was fairly straighforward, but I'm having a hard time deciding what led I want to stick in there. Nichia, xp-g2, or the new xp-e2. Decisions decisions...

 

[Norm]

You won't regret a Nichia 219.

Norm

 

[Erik1213]

You won't regret a Nichia 219.

Norm

Agreed. I have been putting Nichia's in everything I have. It's just a great LED.

Also, I will try to use Channellocks with something thicker next time. I was using a heat gun to warm the head but I will try a small torch like what you have pictured.

Thankfully it was just the anodization that was scraped off. The aluminum seems to be clean and without galling.

 

[Erik1213]

I gave it hell today and I am happy to report that I did get the head open without any more marring of the finish. I was able to desolder the LED and reuse the MCPCB for a flawless fit. I had planned on selling this light but I like the build quality, the interface and now the LED so much that I may just keep it. It's a really good medium distance thrower with decent flood.

(Full Resolution)
I am going to sell my Sunwayman V60C instead and keep this one.

 

[tobrien]

good work man!

 

[Match]

Nice work with the nichia. I went a different route...

In sticking with the "pocket thrower" theme of the quark turbo, I decided to forgo the ever popular nichia and even the xpg2 and instead used a Cree xp-e2 (2B). My emitter testing led me to believe this would be a better fit for this little double AA... and it is. Here are the results:

Lux before = 8,250cd
Lux after = 16,000cd

Lumens before = 241
Lumens after = 215

For a minor hit in overall lumen output, lux almost doubled! Suffice to say, I'm very happy with this 'lil Quark

 

[Erik1213]

I can appreciate that. I don't want too much throw because I use my lights when hiking and peripheral vision is very important to me. However, I needed a little more throw than what an EagleTac D25A could provide. I find the balance between flood and throw is great with this light.

However, I do see the appeal of a throw king. Especially since the average person doesn't see overall output, they see the bright spot right in the middle of everything and think that is all you need.