diff --git a/examples/controllers/handControllerGrab.js b/examples/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
index 4037ae66dc..e756866b1c 100644
--- a/examples/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
+++ b/examples/controllers/handControllerGrab.js
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ var MSEC_PER_SEC = 1000.0;
 // these control how long an abandoned pointer line will hang around
 var startTime = Date.now();
 var LIFETIME = 10;
+var ACTION_LIFETIME = 120; // 2 minutes
 
 // states for the state machine
 var STATE_OFF = 0;
@@ -81,16 +82,6 @@ var STATE_RELEASE = 8;
 var GRAB_USER_DATA_KEY = "grabKey";
 var GRABBABLE_DATA_KEY = "grabbableKey";
 
-// HACK -- until we have collision groups, don't allow held object to collide with avatar
-var AVATAR_COLLISIONS_MENU_ITEM = "Enable avatar collisions";
-
-
-// HACK -- until we have collision groups, don't allow held object to collide with avatar
-var initialAvatarCollisionsMenu = Menu.isOptionChecked(AVATAR_COLLISIONS_MENU_ITEM);
-var currentAvatarCollisionsMenu = initialAvatarCollisionsMenu;
-var noCollisionsCount = 0; // how many hands want collisions disabled?
-
-
 function getTag() {
     return "grab-" + MyAvatar.sessionUUID;
 }
@@ -173,28 +164,6 @@ function MyController(hand, triggerAction) {
         }
     };
 
-    // HACK -- until we have collision groups, don't allow held object to collide with avatar
-    this.disableAvatarCollisions = function() {
-        noCollisionsCount += 1;
-        if (currentAvatarCollisionsMenu != false) {
-            currentAvatarCollisionsMenu = false;
-            Menu.setIsOptionChecked(AVATAR_COLLISIONS_MENU_ITEM, false);
-            MyAvatar.updateMotionBehaviorFromMenu();
-        }
-    }
-
-    // HACK -- until we have collision groups, don't allow held object to collide with avatar
-    this.revertAvatarCollisions = function() {
-        noCollisionsCount -= 1;
-        if (noCollisionsCount < 1) {
-            if (currentAvatarCollisionsMenu != initialAvatarCollisionsMenu) {
-                currentAvatarCollisionsMenu = initialAvatarCollisionsMenu;
-                Menu.setIsOptionChecked(AVATAR_COLLISIONS_MENU_ITEM, initialAvatarCollisionsMenu);
-                MyAvatar.updateMotionBehaviorFromMenu();
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     this.lineOn = function(closePoint, farPoint, color) {
         // draw a line
         if (this.pointer === null) {
@@ -328,9 +297,6 @@ function MyController(hand, triggerAction) {
 
     this.distanceHolding = function() {
 
-        // HACK -- until we have collision groups, don't allow held object to collide with avatar
-        this.disableAvatarCollisions();
-
         var handControllerPosition = Controller.getSpatialControlPosition(this.palm);
         var handRotation = Quat.multiply(MyAvatar.orientation, Controller.getSpatialControlRawRotation(this.palm));
         var grabbedProperties = Entities.getEntityProperties(this.grabbedEntity, ["position", "rotation"]);
@@ -349,7 +315,7 @@ function MyController(hand, triggerAction) {
             targetRotation: this.currentObjectRotation,
             angularTimeScale: DISTANCE_HOLDING_ACTION_TIMEFRAME,
             tag: getTag(),
-            lifetime: 5
+            lifetime: ACTION_LIFETIME
         });
         if (this.actionID === NULL_ACTION_ID) {
             this.actionID = null;
@@ -373,9 +339,6 @@ function MyController(hand, triggerAction) {
 
     this.continueDistanceHolding = function() {
         if (this.triggerSmoothedReleased()) {
-            // HACK -- until we have collision groups, don't allow held object to collide with avatar
-            this.revertAvatarCollisions();
-
             this.state = STATE_RELEASE;
             return;
         }
@@ -450,19 +413,13 @@ function MyController(hand, triggerAction) {
             linearTimeScale: DISTANCE_HOLDING_ACTION_TIMEFRAME,
             targetRotation: this.currentObjectRotation,
             angularTimeScale: DISTANCE_HOLDING_ACTION_TIMEFRAME,
-            lifetime: 5
+            lifetime: ACTION_LIFETIME
         });
     };
 
     this.nearGrabbing = function() {
 
-        // HACK -- until we have collision groups, don't allow held object to collide with avatar
-        this.disableAvatarCollisions();
-
         if (this.triggerSmoothedReleased()) {
-            // HACK -- until we have collision groups, don't allow held object to collide with avatar
-            this.revertAvatarCollisions();
-
             this.state = STATE_RELEASE;
             return;
         }
@@ -491,7 +448,7 @@ function MyController(hand, triggerAction) {
                 relativePosition: offsetPosition,
                 relativeRotation: offsetRotation,
                 tag: getTag(),
-                lifetime: 5
+                lifetime: ACTION_LIFETIME
             });
         }
         if (this.actionID === NULL_ACTION_ID) {
@@ -514,9 +471,6 @@ function MyController(hand, triggerAction) {
 
     this.continueNearGrabbing = function() {
         if (this.triggerSmoothedReleased()) {
-            // HACK -- until we have collision groups, don't allow held object to collide with avatar
-            this.revertAvatarCollisions();
-
             this.state = STATE_RELEASE;
             return;
         }
@@ -539,7 +493,7 @@ function MyController(hand, triggerAction) {
         this.currentObjectTime = now;
         Entities.callEntityMethod(this.grabbedEntity, "continueNearGrab");
 
-        Entities.updateAction(this.grabbedEntity, this.actionID, {lifetime: 5});
+        Entities.updateAction(this.grabbedEntity, this.actionID, {lifetime: ACTION_LIFETIME});
     };
 
     this.nearGrabbingNonColliding = function() {
diff --git a/examples/grab.js b/examples/grab.js
index 3e0212bbba..43a5ed220b 100644
--- a/examples/grab.js
+++ b/examples/grab.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 var MAX_SOLID_ANGLE = 0.01; // objects that appear smaller than this can't be grabbed
 var ZERO_VEC3 = {x: 0, y: 0, z: 0};
 var IDENTITY_QUAT = {x: 0, y: 0, z: 0, w: 0};
+var ACTION_LIFETIME = 120; // 2 minutes
 
 function getTag() {
     return "grab-" + MyAvatar.sessionUUID;
@@ -307,7 +308,7 @@ Grabber.prototype.moveEvent = function(event) {
     }
     this.currentPosition = entityProperties.position;
 
-    var actionArgs = {tag: getTag(), lifetime: 5};
+    var actionArgs = {tag: getTag(), lifetime: ACTION_LIFETIME};
 
     if (this.mode === "rotate") {
         var drag = mouse.getDrag();
@@ -322,7 +323,7 @@ Grabber.prototype.moveEvent = function(event) {
         // var qZero = entityProperties.rotation;
         //var qZero = this.lastRotation;
         this.lastRotation = Quat.multiply(deltaQ, this.lastRotation);
-        actionArgs = {targetRotation: this.lastRotation, angularTimeScale: 0.1, tag: getTag(), lifetime: 5};
+        actionArgs = {targetRotation: this.lastRotation, angularTimeScale: 0.1, tag: getTag(), lifetime: ACTION_LIFETIME};
     } else {
         var newPointOnPlane;
         if (this.mode === "verticalCylinder") {
@@ -346,7 +347,7 @@ Grabber.prototype.moveEvent = function(event) {
             }
         }
         this.targetPosition = Vec3.subtract(newPointOnPlane, this.offset);
-        actionArgs = {targetPosition: this.targetPosition, linearTimeScale: 0.1, tag: getTag(), lifetime: 5};
+        actionArgs = {targetPosition: this.targetPosition, linearTimeScale: 0.1, tag: getTag(), lifetime: ACTION_LIFETIME};
 
         beacon.updatePosition(this.targetPosition);
     }