18-55mm re-assembly instructions

chattphotos · 08-31-2013, 08:46 PM

My DA 18-55 got caught on the wrong side of a color run and got a lovely coat of purple dust inside.

Putting on my engineer cap for the day, taking the thing apart was a piece of cake. The elements and body are now so clean they could be sold to a high-precision optics laser company, but that's not important right now.

My question is, how do I put it back together? There are about 400 different ways to put the ~~mystic helicoid~~ ~~dark magic~~ zoom mechanism back together, and I have not been successful in finding that order yet.

Every time I put the assembly inside the body, it's always too long by about 1/4 of an inch which prevents it from sliding into the focus ring slots.

Any tips/photo instructions will be appreciated.

**Just1MoreDave** · 09-01-2013, 11:36 AM

This set of photos looks pretty good. It's not mine, I found it in the Articles - Maintenance and Repair - Pentax Lens Assembly Database section:

Pentax 18-55 DA II Disassembly/Reassembly - a set on Flickr

chattphotos · 09-03-2013, 02:58 PM

I'm working through that,

Still can't get the external zoom ring to connect to the internal mechanism, that's the hardest part is getting the zoom to connect in all the right places.

I guess I have to look for very tiny details to get the lens to connect properly.

08-31-2013, 08:46 PM	#1
chattphotos Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: TN Posts: 53	18-55mm re-assembly instructions My DA 18-55 got caught on the wrong side of a color run and got a lovely coat of purple dust inside. Putting on my engineer cap for the day, taking the thing apart was a piece of cake. The elements and body are now so clean they could be sold to a high-precision optics laser company, but that's not important right now. My question is, how do I put it back together? There are about 400 different ways to put the ~~mystic helicoid~~ ~~dark magic~~ zoom mechanism back together, and I have not been successful in finding that order yet. Every time I put the assembly inside the body, it's always too long by about 1/4 of an inch which prevents it from sliding into the focus ring slots. Any tips/photo instructions will be appreciated.

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09-01-2013, 11:36 AM	#2
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	This set of photos looks pretty good. It's not mine, I found it in the Articles - Maintenance and Repair - Pentax Lens Assembly Database section: Pentax 18-55 DA II Disassembly/Reassembly - a set on Flickr

09-03-2013, 02:58 PM	#3
chattphotos Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: TN Posts: 53 Original Poster	I'm working through that, Still can't get the external zoom ring to connect to the internal mechanism, that's the hardest part is getting the zoom to connect in all the right places. I guess I have to look for very tiny details to get the lens to connect properly.

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