Apeks DS4 Tools

[rsingler]

One more thought.
If you like and use the Scubatools hook spanners as I do, you need to make one hand improvement to the pin used for that cap.

The pin as supplied comes with a pretty chamfer of the tip, so you don't cut your wittle fingers. Unfortunately, that chamfer reduces the purchase of the pin in the dimple by 0.5mm. In the case of the env. cap, that means that the stock pin is even more likely to skip!

Take a file and file the chamfer off so that the pin tip is a perfect cylinder, with sharp squared off edges. You now use the full pin length in that shallow 1mm deep dimple when you use the hook spanner to tighten it back up. You know you will, even if you shouldn't! Hand tight is never quite enough...

 

[rsingler]

the relatively shallow depth calls for a different tool to prevent slippage

This.

Sea water percolates into the threads at depth and never gets rinsed out. So many techs tell me that the diaphragm clamp came off with the cap. Good luck separating the two parts when not stabilized by the reg body! If that happens, put the whole assembly back on the reg. Then start again with good tools. The AT30 is quite suboptimal. The Scubatools hook spanner with adjustable pin depth (as modified in my post above), is perfect to hold the diaphragm clamp while a captive pin spanner will break free a frozen cap without spalling the brass.
Just more reason I'm not an Apeks DS_ fan.

But if your reg is regularly disassembled and the cap is lubed, there's no reason that an AT30 can't be used to hold the diaphragm clamp while a Scubatools hook spanner with a filed pin easily unscrews the cap.

 

[rsingler]

I have noticed that if the environmental cap on my regs is just hand tight, the environmental chamber loses the negative pressure to keep the seal pulled in, and they start puffing out after a few dives. I haven't tried lubricating the threads though, that might make it easier to get a good seal without over tightening.

Well, after a good discussion with @Tanks A Lot I must confess to getting educated. I've learned that a puffed out seal does NOT delay the reg's response to ambient pressure on descent, as I used to teach. So it doesn't bother me like it used to.
But if you prefer that that doesn't happen, just experiment with lube and as little extra torque as it takes to keep the seal. Maybe check it every six months with a quick "loosen- tighten" when it's pressurized, so that disassembly is easy when service time rolls around. But I hear ya! A frustrating issue.
At least the env seal is not as bad as Scubapro's!

 

[flymolo]

i've been fine using just the one pin spanner as-is but i don't really care if the regs get scratched

 

[mr_v]

Well, that specific case solved itself. The reg was so banged up that I could not remove anything but the LP and HP ports.

The ports I removed showed excessive corrosion amount and given that DS4s are still cheap (if you buy from EU), I'll go with a new reg. I don't roll dice on equipment as I do mostly cave.

I take my env seals off every 2-3 months and hand tighten them with using a spanner only as a guide. No issues. The reg that started this thread was a new to me but heavily used specimen.

@rsingler, I'll get those spanners you've described. Seems like a good option for the future.

 

[happy-diver]

Never screw them fully in!

This thing also has bodgee pins screws, that need to be polished modified, still able to damage regs

and if you don't have compulsory all reg multi tools you may as well resign yourselves and give it up

Two hook spanners that don't fit, forget it, use a vice and buy from a tool shop, and grind them right

Best thing with new regs is to either early on better immediately smash them a few times into a rock

 

[tongl]

Had to use hammering to loosen up enviromental caps when renovating a couple of ebay dst/ds4, in one occasion even penetrating oil had to be used before the cap would budge.

 

[Jens Bölte]

Hi

You can also wrap the spanners with duc-tape to avoid scratching the housing.

Best wishes Jens