Problems with Rodzilla Trex 5-Axis or Raptor

[Ruger15151]

I have had a Rodzilla Trex 5-Axis for about 6 months now. I have to say it is an amazing product!

However, I shoot F-Class with a 284 Win and I can't figure out how to keep the top blocks from spreading. Doesn't matter if I use the roller or felt lined blocks. I have cleaned the contact surfaces with alcohol to remove any oil residue, cranked them down with a 3/8 ratchet handle, and yet they still spread within about 30 shots. I feel that if I tighten them any more I will start pulling threads.

For those of you that have this rest, have you had the same issues? If so, have you found a fix?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I have had a Rodzilla Trex 5-Axis for about 6 months now. I have to say it is an amazing product!

However, I shoot F-Class with a 284 Win and I can't figure out how to keep the top blocks from spreading. Doesn't matter if I use the roller or felt lined blocks. I have cleaned the contact surfaces with alcohol to remove any oil residue, cranked them down with a 3/8 ratchet handle, and yet they still spread within about 30 shots. I feel that if I tighten them any more I will start pulling threads.

For those of you that have this rest, have you had the same issues? If so, have you found a fix?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

I've not had that issue and against Rod's advice, for your reasons, I replaced the nuts with adjustable handles so that I didn't need a wrench when swapping between guns etc. I haven't seen the need to really tighten them a lot. No idea of a torque value...just good and snug on I think a 2-1/2" handle. The only thing that comes to mind is to loosen up the tension adjustment that allows the top to rotate but I'm all ears and hoping to hear what you find as the cause. Again, it hasn't been a problem on my Raptor. I think I got it about the first of December.

 

[Rset]

After owning one of the Original T-Rex for a while now and talking with a few others using them, I have found that how you adjust the width when changing rifles can make a difference.
When I first got the rest, I would grab the TOP of the blocks and squeeze them into place when changing rifles and tighten the nut firmly. Worked great for my dasher, the 284 always had a tendency to walk a little.
I now loosen one side to allow the stock to sit in the top. Push the rest to one side from the BOTTOM of the loosened roller assembly, and then, using the supplied wrench, tighten the nut with a very firm application of force while holding it firmly in place against the stock.
Applying pressure to the bottom of the roller block as opposed to the top solved my issue.

 

[TylerFromMS]

@Ruger15151
Make sure the bottom of the rest sides are fitting into the channel. It sounds like it may be riding on top. I had to hit mine with a file to fit and slide right. I don’t know if @Hotrod6.5 recommends this, but I did it and it worked.



Also, just call Rod tomorrow. He's awesome about addressing concerns like this and he may have seen it before.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

@Ruger15151
Make sure the bottom of the rest sides are fitting into the channel. It sounds like it may be riding on top. I had to hit mine with a file to fit and slide right. I don’t know if @Hotrod6.5 recommends this, but I did it and it worked.

View attachment 1405214

Also, just call Rod tomorrow. He's awesome about addressing concerns like this and he may have seen it before.

Good call! That might be the issue...and yes, Rod is great about wanting to make sure you're happy after the sale. I can see how the roller top might be a contributing factor vs the felt or IBS top, too. It's pretty much rigid, so I can see how things could be pried apart with it more so than either of the other top blocks,bag.
Another thing that some might want to try is...I bought some .040 thick heat shrink tubing and put it on the rollers. They also make it in .080 and I wish I had bought it. The .040 is still pretty hard. On my new style blocks, there's plenty of room but I'm not sure about the previous design. Might not have room for the tubing over the roller on those. I plan to try the .080 soon. I think they could stand a little give vs being so hard. fwiw.

 

[TylerFromMS]

Good call! That might be the issue...and yes, Rod is great about wanting to make sure you're happy after the sale. I can see how the roller top might be a contributing factor vs the felt or IBS top, too. It's pretty much rigid, so I can see how things could be pried apart with it more so than either of the other top blocks,bag.
Another thing that some might want to try is...I bought some .040 thick heat shrink tubing and put it on the rollers. They also make it in .080 and I wish I had bought it. The .040 is still pretty hard. On my new style blocks, there's plenty of room but I'm not sure about the previous design. Might not have room for the tubing over the roller on those. I plan to try the .080 soon. I think they could stand a little give vs being so hard. fwiw.

Try this: Don’t squeeze the rollers up tight right next to the stock. Put a business card in there and tighten it down then pull the business card out. That’s how Rod told me to do the rollers, and it seems to shoot better when they’re not up there super tight.

 

[Ruger15151]

Try this: Don’t squeeze the rollers up tight right next to the stock. Put a business card in there and tighten it down then pull the business card out. That’s how Rod told me to do the rollers, and it seems to shoot better when they’re not up there super tight.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am actually using his new felt lined blocks which have some give, unlike the rollers.

I also push in from the bottom when setting the blocks because the weight of the rifle will cause the blocks to cant in at the top.

 

[Ruger15151]

I've not had that issue and against Rod's advice, for your reasons, I replaced the nuts with adjustable handles so that I didn't need a wrench when swapping between guns etc. I haven't seen the need to really tighten them a lot. No idea of a torque value...just good and snug on I think a 2-1/2" handle. The only thing that comes to mind is to loosen up the tension adjustment that allows the top to rotate but I'm all ears and hoping to hear what you find as the cause. Again, it hasn't been a problem on my Raptor. I think I got it about the first of December.

Do you have a link to the levers you are using. Seems like a great idea as long as you are careful when lifting your rifle in and out of the blocks. I think the long levers similar to the cant adjustment on my Atlas bipod would work great. They allow you to tighten, then reposition the lever so is out of the way.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Try this: Don’t squeeze the rollers up tight right next to the stock. Put a business card in there and tighten it down then pull the business card out. That’s how Rod told me to do the rollers, and it seems to shoot better when they’re not up there super tight.

He did tell me the same. I think the tubing is a step in the right direction for mine. If I do the thicker tubing, I'll try to update on the results of it. Those rollers are so hard that every imperfection in the stock, even clear, can be felt. I can see where loosening it up a bit might help but I still like the idea of those rollers having just a bit of give. It's easy enough and is easily reversible if it doesn't work, so not much to lose trying it. fwiw.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Do you have a link to the levers you are using. Seems like a great idea as long as you are careful when lifting your rifle in and out of the blocks. I think the long levers similar to the cant adjustment on my Atlas bipod would work great. They allow you to tighten, then reposition the lever so is out of the way.

Here ya go. They are the type that can be repositioned after tightening, similar to ones used on a seb and a farley. They're working good so far is all I can say but Rod didn't seem to care for the idea because of the potential of the op's issue, if not tight enough. Again, so far, so good. I just didn't like the idea of needing a wrench to swap between rifles each time is all.

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[Dusty Stevens]

Rod will be around to help soon i bet