Modifications for old Surefire KL3
- Thread starter jso902
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m4a1usr
Enlightened
I have done some KL3 head mod's for customers. What type of mod do you seek?
EDIT: OP and I have spoken off thread about doing a mod and have found that the KL3 in question is the newer style bezel and I have not been successful in cracking one of these. Surefire did a darn good job at applying enough red locktite to make them a PIA to get apart without special tooling.
EDIT: OP and I have spoken off thread about doing a mod and have found that the KL3 in question is the newer style bezel and I have not been successful in cracking one of these. Surefire did a darn good job at applying enough red locktite to make them a PIA to get apart without special tooling.
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Bump again 
anyone want to tell me the secret in how to open the base.
I saw photos by milky. And it sounds like a bunch of the modding gurus have worked on it. But I can't seem to find any specifics.
Does anyone know the amps it runs on?
I believe I have a kl3 gen 2 with a luxeon emitter.
anyone want to tell me the secret in how to open the base.
I saw photos by milky. And it sounds like a bunch of the modding gurus have worked on it. But I can't seem to find any specifics.
Does anyone know the amps it runs on?
I believe I have a kl3 gen 2 with a luxeon emitter.
m4a1usr
Enlightened
IIRC I was getting 380mah at the LED when I did my initial measurements and 270mah at the TC. Definitely not a power driver. Most KL3's have that slight blueish tint and artifacts are common even with the TIR lens. PM finally replied today.
Blindasabat
Flashlight Enthusiast
I measure 550mA on both of mine. I have XP-E in one and an XP-G in the other with stock drivers. Should have upped them to 800mA and 1.2A drivers. Both are neutral tint of course.
Blindasabat
Flashlight Enthusiast
Also, I broke open one of mine by boiling it and then using strap wrenches. It took a few tries. Let it sit in hot water a looong time.
m4a1usr
Enlightened
Either you have the old style KL3 that is ribbed and has flats around the circumference (has the older type black goo) or you got lucky and found one of the newer style that was not "bathed" in locktite because I have tried several "Round" style KL3 and KL5 heads and there is almost no amount of heat you can add to release the red locktite Surefire uses. Not without damaging things. It requires special tooling and is a PIA to get open. Theres been some threads about this and it seems it can be hit or miss.
Ahhh... the good ole' red loctite!#@! I can say of the many U2 mods I have done you never know what may happen. Some are fairly easy and then some it does not matter how much heat, to the point of starting to bubble the reflector, and the only way is massive force and heat that usually damages the finish.
It's really a shame that they locked the U2 up so tight and installed such a horrible tinted LED with crappy output.
Blindasabat
Flashlight Enthusiast
M4a1usr,
Mine is second gen. I sure didn't feel lucky at the time. Felt like I was going to break the strap wrenches or my arm. Took a lot of tricks to get enough grip between the straps and the light head. I think I used soft silicon rubber pads for grip. I destroyed some other rubber before I figured that out.
Mine is second gen. I sure didn't feel lucky at the time. Felt like I was going to break the strap wrenches or my arm. Took a lot of tricks to get enough grip between the straps and the light head. I think I used soft silicon rubber pads for grip. I destroyed some other rubber before I figured that out.
Eric242
Flashlight Enthusiast
I destroyed a KL3-BK while trying to get it open but was lucky with a KL5 that almost had no loctite at all. Don´t have the KL5 anymore but still do have the c2m adapter from it.
Eric
m4a1usr
Enlightened
I destroyed my kl3 head
Sorry to hear that my friend. Now you know why I stay away from the more modern design KL3 heads. It's hit or miss. More miss. Even I scratched the Sh*T out of my original KL3 trying to get it open and I was SUPER careful, used a flame torch (no chance boiling water would have been enough BTU's to get the job done) and monitored the head temp just to be safe but rubber strap wrenches will never open a stubborn/ problematic KL3/KL5 head. You'll find a replacement on that "Bidding" web site if you give it enough time. You will find a seller who has decided to part out his light. It took me about 18 months to find a decent KL3 to replace the one I buggered up.
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m4a1usr
Enlightened
That should be worth some dineros my friend. Some duracoat in matte would suffice if needed. Cant remember the last time I saw an actual SF C2M available anywhere?
It was my own fault. I roasted it with a butane torch for over 10 mins and tried strap wrenches. Melted parts of the straps. No luck...
Then, i tried to place it on a vice and I only got chunks of the collar breaking off
That red stuff is pretty amazing.
I still have the lens cap and tir. Found out it fits the m2 head. I'm just debating if I want to gamble about 100$ to build a prototype m2 head tir with sold copper to a c host just for fun.
I know that if the Red loctite has fully cured it takes 500 degrees to break the bond. At that temperature the risk of the reflector bubbling the coating is very high and it still requires some really good force to break it loose. It's a gamble, but the stock LEDs used are lousy in tint and output.
WallE
Newly Enlightened
My old KL3
MOHAPX modul 3A in hi, XML2 T3 3500k cri 80+
26mm Ledlink 10' optic
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MOHAPX modul 3A in hi, XML2 T3 3500k cri 80+
26mm Ledlink 10' optic
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