Upgrading

[tactical assin]

Hi everyone, lately I've been trying to get into the swing of learning how to upgrade my own guns. I do have a project gun I am ready to upgrade but I don't know the first thing about internals. So I was just wondering if any of you would be so kind as to teach me how to install new parts etc.

[P90Airsoft]

What are you installing? Tightbore, hop bucking, spring or something else in the gearbox, etc.?

[Outty]

For mostly all of your repairing needs just youtube it. You will find that mechbox on youtube has very nice videos on version 2 gearboxes and you will most likely be able to find videos specific to the project gun you want to work on. Videos will be better then anyone can describe in words rather then in person training which I believe Old Man has classes on from time to time. Good luck let me know how you make out or if you have trouble finding what you are looking for. V2 Gearbox and Tightbore m4

[tactical assin]

I have no clue. I decided on turning one of my m4's into a "sniper rifle" type thing. I have a silencer so I planed on running a tightbore through it, maybe giving it a more powerful spring, and whatever else has to do with a long range set up. I did also already buy a set of metal, actually maybe steal gears that I would like to install. I guess the first thing on my list is to install the gear set, re shim and re lube everything, than install the longer tightbore, and just build off of that until I have a very accurate gun. The problem with my m4 now is that I find it heavy so I wouldn't be running around with it a lot, so why not just make it into more of a sniper rifle.

Edit: also mods, could you correct the spelling on the title please. I accidentally hit a wrong key and it's bothering me.

[mardivdoc]

See when Old Man is having another AEG repair class. If they have another one soon, I can't think of a better place to learn how to work on your own gun, but it isn't free.

[WolfBattleCry]

Originally Posted by tactical assin

I have no clue. I decided on turning one of my m4's into a "sniper rifle" type thing. I have a silencer so I planed on running a tightbore through it, maybe giving it a more powerful spring, and whatever else has to do with a long range set up. I did also already buy a set of metal, actually maybe steal gears that I would like to install. I guess the first thing on my list is to install the gear set, re shim and re lube everything, than install the longer tightbore, and just build off of that until I have a very accurate gun. The problem with my m4 now is that I find it heavy so I wouldn't be running around with it a lot, so why not just make it into more of a sniper rifle.

Installing gears and a new spring are both going to require you to open the mechbox, though when it comes to that sort of procedure, Ed is right in telling you that a video is the best way of demonstrating it aside from seeing it done in person.

Mechbox.com is a very good site to learn from, as they have disassembly and reassembly videos for several different gearbox versions, including the V2, which is what the M4 uses.

As for installing a TBB, that's fairly easy. There are many videos on youtube demonstrating the process as well as the videos on mechbox which will show you how to get down to the barrel and hop-up. Essentially you just pop out the body pins and slide the front end off, and you can then pull the hop-up and barrel assembly right out. At which you point, you pop off a little "C-Clip", and remove the hop-up chamber, slide the bucking off, and you then have your barrel. Be careful with the hop-up chamber though, if you take it off and aren't careful, a little black rubber piece might fall out. It's called the nub/nubbing, and it is what puts the little bump in the bucking that in turn puts a back-spin on the BB. Sometimes though they are included with new buckings if you buy sets, or you could also snip the end of a BIC pen's ink cartridge, and use that as a replacement DIY nub. Hopefully, you won't have to do any of that though. Just be careful with the hop-up unit, flipping it upside down before removing it would be the safest way, on top of maybe removing it over a bowl or something to confine any small pieces that might fall out.

As far as FPS goes, I'm sure you already understand that FPS isn't everything, so I won't go to length, I'm just going to say that the only thing it allows you to do is essentially use heavier BB's, which will be more accurate at the expense of range. If you want effective range, I'd focus on getting a good quality barrel and hop-up first.

If you still want to up the FPS, go for compression first, spring second. The more powerful the spring, the lower the gearbox's lifespan in the long run. Good compression however will add a decent amount of FPS, and won't put as much strain on the gearbox. Also keep in mind that a tightbore might raise you by about 10-15 FPS as well. With the cap on AEG's being 400, you want to be careful that you don't go over.

That all being said, I still don't necessarily recommend going for FPS in the build. What I would do is something of a low power set-up consisting of an M100 spring (About 330FPS), a Tanio Koba Twist Barrel, and a Firefly bucking, or other effective bucking. There are people who report being able to hit out to 200' accurately with this type of set-up, minus the danger of using a high FPS on the field, as well as the stresses of a high spring o the gearbox. That's just what I would do though, for what it's worth.

Best of luck with your rifle!

/Edit: Woops, just saw you had never mentioned a new bucking. Sorry about rambling about them, I just kind of associated them in my mind with the new barrel while I was typing. Just ignore that part if you only want to do a barrel swap, though still be careful with the hop-up chamber if you decide to do a barrel swap in the future. Again, best of luck with your rifle!

[Jeep]

The TK twist barrel, the jury is still out on. My seat of the pants experience is so far favorable and you might be able to loft a bb to 200' but I would NOT consider that effective range. At least not yet.

Otherwise I pretty much agree with everyone elses post here, especially mechbox.com. Something else that works well is the First strike chamber This is a hop up mechanism change that I heard about I think from either Lou or Jay It prevents the hop up creep that is prevalent in armalite replica.

[WolfBattleCry]

Originally Posted by Jeep

The TK twist barrel, the jury is still out on. My seat of the pants experience is so far favorable and you might be able to loft a bb to 200' but I would NOT consider that effective range. At least not yet.

I agree that there is no solid evidence as of yet, however there are several people that have, or are still using TK twist barrels that report that 200' shots are well within their guns' capabilities. Although I cannot support or refute the claims myself, I thought it best to mention it anyway, just in case he'd be interested in learning more about the setup.

I'm sure you've already seen this thread over on AirsoftForum, for now though I'm just referencing the testimonials, in which, several people do report 200+' shots. Again, I'm in no way supporting or refuting these claims, just offering them up as evidence.

[tactical assin]

Ok, today I was able to take out the mechbox on my p90 but I had problems with figuring out how to take out the gearbox. Does anybody know where I can get a video of that? I you tubed it but I couldn't find anything out on a TM p90, just a echo.

[mrhappycow]

The echo is a direct clone of the TM.
It is so simple. Take off the butt plate and you will see two phillips head screws right below where the battery goes in.

Take off the screws and be very careful the nuts connected to the sides of the gun that hold the plate on are very fragile.
After the screws are off pull the gearbox plate off the gun and the gear box slides right out, one of the easiest dissemblies and that's a reason I love p90s!

[tactical assin]

No but I mean take off the gearbox shell and be able to see the gears themselves to install my new gearset.

[mrhappycow]

All Echo Ks CA and TM dissasemble the same This is most likely the video you talked about

V6 gearboxes work basically the same as a v2, the gears are in the same positions just the motor was swung up to the rear of the gearbox.

Again since ECHO is a clone of TM and it's pretty much the same they disassemble the same.

It's very simple, if you feel inadequate to open the gear box go to a professional. It's really simple though just don't loose anything

[tactical assin]

That wasn't the video I looked at but it helped a lot. Thanks!

[tactical assin]

Ok, well I just opened the gearbox, I don't know exactly why. I guess just because I want to get used to being comfortable doing that kind of thing. anyways I am having some trouble reasembling it. my main problem is that next to the big gear there was this little piece and a wire, I couldn't figure out how it goes back.

another update, since I didn't want to perminately screw anything up I decided to just put everything in ziplock bags and wait for some further help. I did have a pretty good run, untill i opened up the gearbox. Please tell me I'm not the only one the has happened to.

[Rheed]

That's your anti reversal latch. There should be a hole in the gearbox that one end fits in, the purpose of that piece is to stop the gears from spinning backwards, and thus damaging the rest of the internals.
And it's happening to me with my fn2000 too man.

[tactical assin]

Ok, I'm just going to wait for some help. I really don't want to screw up my gun. I don't even know how to put in the new gearset. I guess if you do you have to relube and re shim, and I don't have shims or lube.

[Jeep]

Just to throw this out there, I believe that Oldman gives gearbox upgrade and maintenance classes, maybe you could wait until the next one and do this supervised. I did not take one and for sure it might have cost me a piston and a spur gear in damages.

[Cleric]

Hey, sorry I'm late to the party, just popped in to give my two cents on the TK twist. I run one in a p90, and yeah, it shoots pretty darn straight, I haven't touched the gearbox one bit (on this p90, at least), so with the only change being a new barrel, it's pretty nice.

The only drawback is that those BB's just float out there without any sort of urgency, they don't rocket out there, and more times than not, unless your target is wholly unaware of you, he'd have ample time to duck back into cover and change mags before your rounds reached him.

[tactical assin]

Originally Posted by Cleric

Hey, sorry I'm late to the party, just popped in to give my two cents on the TK twist. I run one in a p90, and yeah, it shoots pretty darn straight, I haven't touched the gearbox one bit (on this p90, at least), so with the only change being a new barrel, it's pretty nice.

The only drawback is that those BB's just float out there without any sort of urgency, they don't rocket out there, and more times than not, unless your target is wholly unaware of you, he'd have ample time to duck back into cover and change mags before your rounds reached him.

Well that already happens with me doing something like 260.

[Jager]

Best bet for you now is to give it to Maveric and have him put it back together.
And Josh last time you and I chronoed the P90 it was at 280 FPS. How in the world did that dropped to 260?

[tactical assin]

Originally Posted by Jager

Best bet for you now is to give it to Maveric and have him put it back together.
And Josh last time you and I chronoed the P90 it was at 280 FPS. How in the world did that dropped to 260?

I don't know, but it was ok for full auto at the warhouse.