Army Armament R85 Warning

[action1804]

Before I start my explaination for the title, to all those reading just so they can reply saying "what do you expect, it's a cheap gun" i'm not dissing this weapon, I'm actually amazed at the high standard of build campared to any AEG regardless of price, and i am only a newb to this site,this is mearly an early warning of a possible flaw that could cause a catastrophic failure, yet has a cheap and easy fix.

 

during my latest skirmish i started to get a strange noice coming from the gearbox, hard to explain, did not sound detramentle just not quite right. On returning home i field stripped it, then removed the top part of the gearbox, on inspection i noticed i lot of brass fouling and the sector gear wobbled, I decided to investigate further by removing and spliting the gear housing, to my amazment on removing the sector gear all that was remaining of 1 of the bushes was what looked more like a washer or thick shim, looking at its opposite it was blackend and worn down on 1 side, my conclusion to this is that the bushes are made of a very soft brass, with 1 half wearing this caused the other side of the gear axle to force itself into the bushing instead of just spinning, thus putting excesive force onto it and eventually desintigrating from inside the recese. I would say no more than 2000 rounds have been fired and no burst longer than 2 seconds. the picture below shows uneffected bushes on the left, with the damaged ones on the right.

 

 

[Xaccers]

Where from and when did you buy the gun?

[Pilko]

Well i'll be damned, I just had a look back at FarEast's review and I can see the brass bearings on some of his pictures. I haven't seen anyone do a gearbox takedown with pictures yet, i don't think. I'll try googling it.

[action1804]

Where from and when did you buy the gun?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

it was part of Airsoft worlds first post mod batch, ie, the re-worked ones, got it last wednesday. another note this is not a complaint thread, AW have been brill with there constant updates about there orders, forgot to say aswell, when i took the motor out the pinion gear was left in the housing as the grub screw had become loose, so might be worth giving it a tweak.

[Xaccers]

it was part of Airsoft worlds first post mod batch, ie, the re-worked ones, got it last wednesday.  another note this is not a complaint thread, AW have been brill with there constant updates about there orders, forgot to say aswell, when i took the motor out the pinion gear was left in the housing as the grub screw had become loose, so might be worth giving it a tweak.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks for the info, just wondered if it was pre or post official release.

I've got someone who's after one, so before I get round to popping over to AH for it I want to find out about the possible failures first.

CA pinion gears can slip off too, and it's a really awkward grub screw size to boot.

Teenie tiny.

Loctite helps

[jonny2400]

Interesting post, myself and a freind have one on order from RSOV. Fingers crossed its a MKII version. Other than that what is your option on the AEG as a whole?

[action1804]

Interesting post, myself and a freind have one on order from RSOV. Fingers crossed its a MKII version. Other than that what is your option on the AEG as a whole?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

on the whole this is the most realistic looking l85 on the market, my job allows me to campare, i would suggest changing the hop rubber due to both mine and my mates who has a MKI was very contaminated with oil, so we have both put the new madbull shark, at £5 and giving better range than most systema using M4's it's highly recomended. an interesting point is that his has been flawless so far, but after seeing what's happend to mine he's goin to strip his down and i'l let you know if he finds anything. overall buy 1, it looks ace a few niggles but its ace, did i just repeat myself?i use mine for woodland and have numerous kills to count.

[jonny2400]

Thanks I have one on order. Me and a friend purhased of RSOV. However I should have just went with Airsoftworld as we have both been hit with customs which of course increased the price in total well above airsoft worlds

[Tom Andrews]

Was the bearing/bush lubricated in any way? Because its normal engineering practise to have a hardened steel shaft running in brass bushes. Should hast for years if lubricated, but as you found, fails very quickly if not.

[action1804]

Was the bearing/bush lubricated in any way?  Because its normal engineering practise to have a hardened steel shaft running in brass bushes. Should hast for years if lubricated, but as you found, fails very quickly if not.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

the gearbox was quite litterally packed with grease, the most i'v seen in an AEG, I think the problem is that it is just poor quality brass.

[adam888888]

It appears a friend of mine is having the same problem as you, it started making a weird grinding noise then stopped working completely. what did you replace your bearing/bush with? how easy is it to do?

[Stealthbomber]

Are we sure the bushes ARE brass?

 

As I've said, the bushes on my JLS F2000 were copper (or an copper-alloy). Copper is NOT a good material to make bushes out of. It's too soft.

Makes like real easy for the machine tools, of course.

[adam888888]

Stealth was you the one who posted a disassembly guide for the g&g l85/r85 on the R85 review topic? iv tried to find it with no luck.

 

 

*edit* Never mind i found it

[Stealthbomber]

Stealth was you the one who posted a disassembly guide for the g&g l85/r85 on the R85 review topic? iv tried to find it with no luck.

*edit*  Never mind i found it

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ha!

[Xaccers]

Brass is a copper alloy...

[Stealthbomber]

Brass is a copper alloy...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah but it contains zinc to make it hard.

 

Did I mention that I tried biting the F2000 bushes and they bent?

Irrespective of make-up, that's TOO soft to use as a bush.

[Arminius0]

Does anyone know what size bushings the R85A1 takes?

[fraserb21]

hi i also have an R85 which i have bought from AH. i used it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it would lock up compleatly on single shot, would this be part of the same problem or a differant one. cheers fraser

[GuzziHero]

fraserb21 - what you describe there happens periodically to ALL AEGs. Locking on single shot means the gearbox hasnt cycled fully so is still part-cycled. Its too far gone for the semi-cut off lever to allow it to fire again. All you can do is put it into full auto, fire a shot, then back to single.

 

You can reduce the possibility of it happening by ensuring you give a quick and full pull on the trigger, rather than squeezing gently like you would on a real gun.

 

Try it, you might like it!

[fraserb21]

cheers GuzziHero ill give it try next time im out.

[Stealthbomber]

You can reduce the possibility of it happening by ensuring you give a quick and full pull on the trigger, rather than squeezing gently like you would on a real gun.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd say less of the "quick" and more of the "full".

 

You definately don't want to sqeeeeezzze an AEG trigger like a real gun cos it'll damage the trigger contacts but what you DO need to learn to do, when shooting in semi, is listen for the gun to cycle and fire before you take your finger off the trigger. It does take a bit of practice.

[fraserb21]

see im gonna have to unlearn everything i know and get shouted at when at work oh well

[SniPeR-ESO]

it was part of Airsoft worlds first post mod batch, ie, the re-worked ones, got it last wednesday.  another note this is not a complaint thread, AW have been brill with there constant updates about there orders, forgot to say aswell, when i took the motor out the pinion gear was left in the housing as the grub screw had become loose, so might be worth giving it a tweak.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks for the info, will watch out for this.

[greebo_Brat]

On the review comments thread it was mentioned that constant locking up on semi auto could mean the gears needing re-shimming, if this true and I need to go into the gear box anyway would it make sense to replace the bushes as well ?

 

If so what size bushes do I need to buy? I've not been into a gear box before (though dismantled / replaced all other parts of an AEG .. not that there's much .

 

At the same time I might as well replace the hop up sleeve and bucking (big out h-hop and a prometheus or best I can source in the UK) and a mad bull 6.03 barrel.

[Domz]

IF the problem is generated by the gears, Im not sure what its actually caused by so if anyone knows in more detail, sounds like it might be selector plate or something.

 

And bushings you just need metal ones of the same diameter, but I cant say right off what they are on the R85, either 6 or 7 I think, yeah according to this thread could be worth it.