Review - AJAX STS

[Azathoth]

Here is the product:

http://www.v2fix.com/

Pictures will be coming soon it appears that my memory card in my camera likes to crash explorer. Honestly it's pretty straight forward from the website what it looks like and how it works.

Well I had a friend order this for me since I was lazy, I've been meaning to try this thing since I heard about it nearly a year ago. In my time playing airsoft in Canada I have never broken or seen a gearbox shell break under normal use but now that I've been testing some high FPS setups with Airsoft Surgeon stage 6 springs I figure this little guy might not be an all that bad a investment.

WHAT IT IS
It is suppose to transfer the shock of the piston hitting the cylinder head from the front of the gearbox into your upper receiver

Installation:
http://www.v2fix.com/sts-installation.html

It is as easy as it looks in the pictures and the description on the website. As a Prometheus Neo owner I had to file down and then sand the hopup unit so that the STS would fit (as mentioned in the website).


Conclusion:
I haven't had the chance to shoot my stage 6 in a v2 beyong a single hicap and then i took the spring out. I'll do some more shooting with the stage 6 back in the gun when it warms up. Reportedly users are using stage 5, stage 6 springs in sub zero temperatures without any problems. Also it has been reported that users with cracked gearbox shells are still able to field their guns with the cracked box when this unit is installed. If anyone has a broken gearbox shell to send me to test this with my stage 6 springs it would be appreciated.

However; I think this product is useful but not required in any standard field in Canada I'll explain more below. I don't feel it provides any value as a durability uprade unless you are a HEAVY tinkerer or have play groups that allow hardball style velocities, or play regularly in -20C temperatures with ~400 FPS guns.

If you own a High quality metal hopup unit (systema, Prometheus) the materials of that unit are heavy and strong enough to transfer much of the shock of impact to your upper receiver (IMO). If you own either of these 2 hopup units all you are really doing is increasing the surface area available for the stock to be transferred into the upper (as is the case with my prometheus neo).

This maybe just how the unit fits into MY guns. Once installed the brass lugs in the STS where completed compressed. I could have achieved the same results using 'ear plug mod' or any solid piece of metal that would shroud the hopup unit and increase contact area with the gearbox.

It you own a TM shell that has been upgraded to 400, & plastic hopup unit this is possibly decent buy, however for the price you could buy a NEO hopup or a systema gearbox shell.

Summary

To repeat what I said above:

• High end guns don't need this unless you are gaming in -20C at least as regularly as you game in the summer
• You are playing Hardball
• You want to use a cracked gearbox¿¿¿

PRO:
Very High quality materials and construction

CON:
May not fit all models of bodies or Hopup units without modification.
Cost nearly as much as a system gearbox shell, and anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 the price of a aluminum CNC gearbox depending on the brand.


EDIT: Jan 30 - 2010
NOT compatible with Madbull ultimate hopup.
May not fit in all Metal body AEG without extensive modification to unit or body/barrel

[Kokanee]

$45US?

I would think that maybe a SORBO pad would work just as well. However I haven't played in cold temps for quite a while - perhaps someone from out west (Edmonton anyone?) could chime in on how much of a problem v2 gearboxes breaking is?

[Azathoth]

LOL I am in Edmonton, in 3 years I have seen no breakages, but people are not as tough as their guns. The only people outside playing in -15 last year were all g36, m14 and AK users, I was one of 2-3 M4 users without sorbo or STS, and i went to every cold weather game without any problems.

However, i've talked to a handful of the people who played before I started again and they claim that they go through 1-2 shells a year. I find that unbelievable.

Sorbo pad is not going to cut it for hardball players.

[Amos]

I don't think sorbo will work as well as this system... but for practical Canadian application.. sorbo is all you need.

I don't think there's too many people that play with AEG M4's over 500 FPS or people that play in -20 weather lol

[Azathoth]

Originally Posted by Amos

I don't think sorbo will work as well as this system... but for practical Canadian application.. sorbo is all you need.

I don't think there's too many people that play with AEG M4's over 500 FPS or people that play in -20 weather lol

I agree it's why I didnt give this item such a glowing review, especially after finger fucking it and trying it. However, if you are fooling around with varmint hunting AEG's then I do recommend STS. I could hit those damn annoying magpies, (gophers) with a pellet rifle but it's not anywhere near as satisfying as full auto with an AEG.

With the way FPS limits are slowly creeping up in Alberta 500FPS maybe the new 400.

I AM STILL LOOKING FOR CRACKED GEARBOX SHELLS to test with the STS.

[Oborous]

Originally Posted by Amos

I don't think sorbo will work as well as this system...

There are a few sorbo's out there, and some are recommended with this system just to have 'the ultimate durability' (whatever that actually means).

Check out a sorbo review that is actually designed to work with Systema silent heads here (I have not tried Toolbox's sorbo, but it's on my list to do after the good performance from ARS sorbo)

But then again, do you need a piston that can have YouTube- Azimuth Piston strength test done to it?

[Amos]

I'm really not inclined to believe in the toolbox sorbo on the grounds of my own personal experience... It states that ARS sorbo chips and cracks after a very few amount of rounds... I've installed well over 50 ARS sorbo pads in guns ranging from 250 FPS all the way up to 500 FPS, I have never see a single ARS sorbo pad crack or chip.

I'm also not a fan of the Systema silent heads to begin with, I personally feel it's an outdated system. For my "ultimate silent/low impact" set-up I strongly recommend an ARS POM piston head aswell as an ARS Sorbo pad, I've had amazing results with both of them... Not to mention that the Toolbox custom ones are huge... they require quite a bit more modification than the normal air-softer would be comfortable with.

[Azathoth]

Originally Posted by Amos

I'm really not inclined to believe in the toolbox sorbo on the grounds of my own personal experience... It states that ARS sorbo chips and cracks after a very few amount of rounds... I've installed well over 50 ARS sorbo pads in guns ranging from 250 FPS all the way up to 500 FPS, I have never see a single ARS sorbo pad crack or chip.

I'm also not a fan of the Systema silent heads to begin with, I personally feel it's an outdated system. For my "ultimate silent/low impact" set-up I strongly recommend an ARS POM piston head aswell as an ARS Sorbo pad, I've had amazing results with both of them... Not to mention that the Toolbox custom ones are huge... they require quite a bit more modification than the normal air-softer would be comfortable with.

I'm indifferent to the silent anything. Their is little to no noise reduction but their is a pitch change with the Systema silent piston heads. I switched from polycarb, and systema Silent piston head to Aluminum piston Head in everything and I got a slight gain in FPS and no appreciable change in volume.

Don't guns go BANG anyways?

I had a theory that the STS would change the pitch or sound of the gun, it doesnt.

[Azathoth]

bump some new info

[TokyoSeven]

I love my STS, I may not get a chance to play in extreme cold or use a high FPS gun, however I see it as one of those preventative maintenance things that will help keep my mechbox in good shape for the years to come. There was a slight amount of work required to make everything fit properly inside a KingArms body with a systema hopup.

[gmds44]

I was thinking about getting one of these STS Systems.
However, I'm still not sure. I have yet to see/hear of an ICS uppear gearbox crack. If there's at least one case, I will get one

[KND]

Originally Posted by gmds44

I was thinking about getting one of these STS Systems.
However, I'm still not sure. I have yet to see/hear of an ICS uppear gearbox crack. If there's at least one case, I will get one

Ah ! Yes, there is at least one crack already and has been post on ASC so far. You should expect a lots of dremel work to put that STS on ICS body. It's a lots of work to do and still not sure if it would fit or not.

Best thing to do is not run high FPS in winter or get a bunch of spare upper mechbox shells.

[Flatlander]

Originally Posted by Azathoth

If you own a High quality metal hopup unit (systema, Prometheus) the materials of that unit are heavy and strong enough to transfer much of the shock of impact to your upper receiver (IMO). If you own either of these 2 hopup units all you are really doing is increasing the surface area available for the stock to be transferred into the upper (as is the case with my prometheus neo).

A solid metal hopup will not be any better than a plastic hopup (perhaps marginally, but I doubt it). Reason being is that the hopup unit is not rigidly fixed between the mechbox shell and the body - it's actually floating in the outter barrel, which is fixed to the body, but this isn't the point. There is a small spring on the top of the hopup units to provide rearward thrust on the hopup unit so that the hopup unit stays in contact with the mechbox shell. Look at how the energy must transfer:

Mechbox shell --> Hopup Unit --> Hopup Unit Spring --> Outter Barrel

On the M4's I've worked on the hopup unit spring is not bottomed out - meaning there is still room to compress it slightly once the upper is in place. The strain the front of the mechbox shell will have will not equal the remainder of uncompressed spring, so the transfer of energy is extremely small.

[yuhaoyang]

my bad dragging this up... but
YouTube- Element piston strenght test
so... not that special?

[KenTsui]

Has anyone gotten it shipped across the border? When I tried to buy it from the website, it said the shipping cost is $97. :/