Replacement Crown Tube - Subs And Sds

[TJGladeRaider]

I am not a total clutz, I managed a machine shop early in my career (about thirty years ago), and I know a little about tool & die. I have read the wonderful tutorials, and I know what drills, taps and such I need to do springbars and crown/tube replacements on my twenty plus collection of Subs and SDs.

I am not completely clear on the stem part, but since all my watches are ETA, once I have actually done one, I am sure everything will fall into place.

What I don't know for sure is exactly what crown/tube parts to look for.

I also don't know what the tool is that you use to unscrew, rescrew, the stem into the crown.

Is there a single best tutorial that I may have missed covering this from start to finish?

Also, where do you recommend I get GOOD tools, at a reasonable price - I am so tired of buying tools that turn out to be junk . . . like my Rolex case back remover set that doesn't fit.

I have a good job, and at my hourly rate, I am quites sure that I could buy a brand new Sub and an SD from any AD for what I'll probably spend in time learning how to do this right, but so what? By the time I learn how to take one of these little darlings completely apart, do whatever the Ziggys of the world do with them, and put it all back together, I'll probably have blown enough time and money to buy my own AD before I actually make one run.

Yes, I know. Sick beyond all redemption.

I cannot for the life of me figure out why some people invest a freaking fortune in steel sticks just so they can dress up in ridiculous plaid pants, to go chasing a little white ball all over creation, ostensibly for "exercise" yet riding electric carts and paying some guy to carry their bag.

I can remember watching the old Star Trek and feeling sorry for Spock -- imagine what a dreadful existence it would be if the things we do all had to make sense.

Anyone willing to share some more guidance?

Bill

[Jetsons]

This The Zigmeister tutorial might be of help.

http://www.replicacollector.com/members/in...mp;#entry113788

Best of luck with the project(s). I haven't done this myself but the OEM crown & tube upgrade performed on my 1665 was well worth it.

Tools: I've picked up quality tools on Ebay and new @ JulesBorel.com. Their shipping is on the slow side but they have quality stuff at somewhat better prices than most. Ofrei.com is a very reputable source as well.

Very funny, Bill. Not long ago I was one of those guys hemmoraging the wallet just to chase a little white ball with a stick on some pretty grass field. The little electric cars came in handy when lugging the heavy beer filled coolers around.

Jet

Edited July 30, 2006 by Jetsons

[TJGladeRaider]

Very funny, Bill. Not long ago I was one of those guys hemmoraging the wallet just to chase a little white ball with a stick on some pretty grass field. The little electric cars came in handy when lugging the heavy beer filled coolers around.

Jet

You see, now that just goes to show . . . what looks like madness can make perfect sense!

LOL

Bill

[alligoat]

Hi Bill,

Here's a tool that I got to take out tubes:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...%3AIID&rd=1

And here's a link from TRC

http://www.replicacollector.com/members/in...showtopic=24060

Crown on a sub and sd is 7mm, and the tube is 6mm w/ 3.0mm x .35 hole.

Rep tubes are a piece of junk, and of the four that I've taken out this week, not one of them had grooves on the inside. I managed to get them out by jamming the tool in there and turning. You can also use a small three sided file and jam it in there and turn. Threads on the rep tube and the gen tube might be the same, or slightly different- to play it safe, it's best to retap the hole w/ the correct tap. Check Ofrei.com and julesborel.com for tools and generic tubes. OEM crowns and tubes are available on ebay, but usually not cheap and you could end up w/ rep crowns and tube. Good Luck.

Edited July 30, 2006 by alligoat

[ubiquitous]

MD-

So, that tool works well with removing the rep tubes?

Gah... One of my biggest pet peeves. Rep tubes. Once you go gen, you never go back...

[alligoat]

Yep ubi, just jam it in there and make your own grooves! And then pray that when you turn the tool, the rep tube will come out. There's always the rat tail file as back-up. LOL

BTW, have you tried the generic tubes from borel or ofrei?

[TJGladeRaider]

Yep ubi, just jam it in there and make your own grooves! And then pray that when you turn the tool, the rep tube will come out. There's always the rat tail file as back-up. LOL

BTW, have you tried the generic tubes from borel or ofrei?

Has anyone ever tried using a standard screw extractor set to remove a tube?

Looks to me like it's a very good thing that the rep crowns fit the gen tubes - tubs are easy, but those crowns seem to be very hard to find.

Bill

[2005SUBMARINER]

MD-

So, that tool works well with removing the rep tubes?

Gah... One of my biggest pet peeves. Rep tubes. Once you go gen, you never go back...

hey UBI what type of glue do you use to water proof the new crown tube ?

[ubiquitous]

Yep ubi, just jam it in there and make your own grooves! And then pray that when you turn the tool, the rep tube will come out. There's always the rat tail file as back-up. LOL

BTW, have you tried the generic tubes from borel or ofrei?

I've only had experience with genuine tubes and the helfands tubes. The helfands ones work great with the genuine crowns; very good quality in my opinion. And of course, you just can't beat genuine. Nice, smooth precision with the threads. The crown glides perfectly when threading it to the tube, and is very reassuring; not much worry about cross threading (whereas the rep tubes always leave me worrying).

Has anyone ever tried using a standard screw extractor set to remove a tube?

Looks to me like it's a very good thing that the rep crowns fit the gen tubes - tubs are easy, but those crowns seem to be very hard to find.

Bill

Actually, only gen crowns will fit gen tubes and some aftermarket tubes. The inside diameter of the gen crown is much, much larger than a rep crown's; as such the tube has a larger mating thread for the crown.

I buy my crowns in bulk from my supplier- usually in batches of 10 to 12 at a time. I need to purchase more... I think I'm currently all out (it's been a very busy past few months).

hey UBI what type of glue do you use to water proof the new crown tube ?

Well, you'll want to simply use the rubber gaskets that come with the tube. There's a total of 3 on the tube, and one in the crown. The gaskets will do the job of sealing. For securing the tube to the case, a very small dab of threadlock like loctite will do the job.

[alligoat]

Bill,

A screw extractor should work, it would be a small one. Like all the other tools to remove a rep tube, it's kinda like whatever works is fine. First, remove the gasket and go to work. It's amazing when you look at the rep tube- it's completely smooth and round on the inside- you gotta wonder how they even get it in there in the first place, it's no wonder if the watch's not waterproof.

I'm not sure if rep crowns always fit a gen tube or a generic tube for that matter. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Gen crowns are around on ebay, they're just not cheap, maybe $25 plus shipping.

[ubiquitous]

This is why the rep crown and the genuine tubes will not work together.

Genuine crown on the left; replica on the right.

Notice the inside diameter, and that the rep crown's opening is smaller. This is how all of the 7mm Rolex replica crowns are that I've come across. They are simply too small to work with a genuine tube.

[TJGladeRaider]

This is why the rep crown and the genuine tubes will not work together.

Genuine crown on the left; replica on the right.

Notice the inside diameter, and that the rep crown's opening is smaller. This is how all of the 7mm Rolex replica crowns are that I've come across. They are simply too small to work with a genuine tube.

Can you refer me to a source that would give me a good price on a dozen or so.

Bill

[bertieng]

I've only had experience with genuine tubes and the helfands tubes. The helfands ones work great with the genuine crowns; very good quality in my opinion. And of course, you just can't beat genuine. Nice, smooth precision with the threads. The crown glides perfectly when threading it to the tube, and is very reassuring; not much worry about cross threading (whereas the rep tubes always leave me worrying).

Actually, only gen crowns will fit gen tubes and some aftermarket tubes. The inside diameter of the gen crown is much, much larger than a rep crown's; as such the tube has a larger mating thread for the crown.

I buy my crowns in bulk from my supplier- usually in batches of 10 to 12 at a time. I need to purchase more... I think I'm currently all out (it's been a very busy past few months).

Well, you'll want to simply use the rubber gaskets that come with the tube. There's a total of 3 on the tube, and one in the crown. The gaskets will do the job of sealing. For securing the tube to the case, a very small dab of threadlock like loctite will do the job.

Hi Randy,

Do I have to retap the tube hole on my Sub LV to accept the 6mm Rollie tube? Or it will fit straight in?

Also I am quite confused about the gasket. Some said there should be one between the tube and the case interface, and some said no. Which is correct on the gen.?

Thanks.

[dachshund]

Hi Randy,

Do I have to retap the tube hole on my Sub LV to accept the 6mm Rollie tube? Or it will fit straight in?

Also I am quite confused about the gasket. Some said there should be one between the tube and the case interface, and some said no. Which is correct on the gen.?

Thanks.

bertieng

I'm not Randy, but I'll try to answer your question.

You might be able to force the tap without redrilling, but I don't suggest it, your are subject to seize the tap thus breaking it, much better to drill first, then make sure to lubricate the tap while doing the tapping.

The case on the rep does not have the same milling where the tube screws into the case to accomodate the gasket properly, rep case is flat and gen is recessed for lack of a better term. I find it very helpful to countersink the tapped hole, and I countersink by hand not machine, this lets the tube set a bit deeper into the case and doesn't hold the crown too high from the case when all is reassembled.

[bertieng]

Hi Randy,

Do I have to retap the tube hole on my Sub LV to accept the 6mm Rollie tube? Or it will fit straight in?

Also I am quite confused about the gasket. Some said there should be one between the tube and the case interface, and some said no. Which is correct on the gen.?

Thanks.

bertieng

I'm not Randy, but I'll try to answer your question.

You might be able to force the tap without redrilling, but I don't suggest it, your are subject to seize the tap thus breaking it, much better to drill first, then make sure to lubricate the tap while doing the tapping.

The case on the rep does not have the same milling where the tube screws into the case to accomodate the gasket properly, rep case is flat and gen is recessed for lack of a better term. I find it very helpful to countersink the tapped hole, and I countersink by hand not machine, this lets the tube set a bit deeper into the case and doesn't hold the crown too high from the case when all is reassembled.

Thanks.

Won't redrilling enlarge the tube hole? This will completely destroy the dimension of the hole diameter, and there is no way back to make the hole smaller in case anything goes wrong.

[ubiquitous]

Sometimes the case hole for the tube is just too small to even fit the tap. So... You must drill the correct diameter hole for the tap to fit in order to cut the new threads. Think of it this way- If the tap doesn't fit, then the tube's not gonna fit either.

This is not always the situation, but not all Sub and SD cases are the same (variation across manufacturers can be common). And yes... You must be very careful not to drill too large of a hole. Once metal is gone, it' gone.