gearboxes

[Rusty Lugnuts]

Whats the story on gearboxes? Normally i would think that a later version (higher number) would be better, then i see that clones with version 2 reinforced metal cost more than clones with version 3 reinforced metal.( At velocity arms for example)
This question probably has been asked before- i apologize in advance.

[kalnaren]

Different mechboxes fit into different guns, and sometimes function somewhat differently. Brief overview below (I haven't listed all the guns using them.. too many lol):

Version 1 - TM FA-MAS. High speed, high ROF, low torque. First Mechbox design, not used anymore. Very strong design. A stock TM FA-MAS will run forever. Highest rate of fire of any stock AEG (1,000 rounds per minute).

Version 1 Hybrid - L85. Most L85s have some kind of hybrid Version 1 mechbox. It seems that no two companies make an identical L85 mechbox.

Version 2 - M4/M16/MP5/G3. Free-floating motor. Non-reinforced V2 mechboxes can crack if the spring is too powerful. Don't use in winter if upgraded. Tons of parts available

Version 3 - AK/G36/AUG/MP5k/SIG. Strong design, thinner than V2. Tons of parts available.

Version 4 - Only used in the TM PSG-1. Pre-cocking design. After firing it cycles the mechbox so that trigger response is instant. Designed for semi-auto fire. Can handle very high FPS.

Version 5 - TM Uzi. Good stock mechbox, very limited after market support.

Version 6 - Thompson/P90. Very similar to the V3 in function and support. Larger mechbox, very easy to work on. Motor is fixed horizontally with the mechbox instead of vertically like many other designs.

Version 7 - M14 -Built for torque and high FPS applications. More difficult to work on, very limited after market support.

Version 8 - TM Type 89- Similar to the V2 but uses a mechanical 3-round burst function.

Version 9 - TM AK74/74U -Modified version 3 that includes a recoil function.

Version 10 - Modified V2 with recoil function. IIRC it also features cycle interrupt to stop firing when the mag is empty.

Higher numbers don't necessarily mean a "better" mechbox. A reinforced V2 will generally be as good as a V3, for example, and a V2, V3 and V6 don't really have much difference between them as far as function is concerned.

Like I said, the gun type is what determines which version of mechbox it has. If you're planning on playing a lot in the winter or doing a very high FPS application, you're better off with a gun that uses a V3 rather than a V2.

mechbox.com is an excellent site, but they appear to be down for a while. Check it out when it comes back up.

[venture]

Kalnaren pretty much said all that needs to be said.

In general, the higher version gearboxes have a few improvements because of the factors the OP mentioned (just learning from mistakes in earlier versions). However, each version also seems to have its own pluses that other ones don't have. All are unique and because a version 7 is newer than a version 3 doesn't mean it is much or any better.

[Forever_kaos]

With an STG-44 (MP44/43) it uses a V2 with a motor cage.
That's the only case (AFAIK) that uses that weird setup.

[Rusty Lugnuts]

Thanks that explains a lot, Since most games limit FPS to a number that any AEG can do (with a little tuning) and i don't feel the need to have any particular configuration....
The next purchase will have a version 3 mechbox.

[kalnaren]

Also be aware that you can't fit a different mechbox in a gun designed for another version.

[MaciekA]

The Version 3 mechbox is a pretty cool design.

The first time I tried to put that trigger mechanism back together I was swearing up a storm, but after some practice it became pretty easy.

What I really like about the V3 is the motor cage and how much it helps in doing proper motor pinion to bevel gear alignment. It also just feels solid.

That said, what I dislike about the V3 is the ambiguity in shopping for parts.

I know very few people who are really "into" AKs, yet most of the motor cages and selector plates on the market are AK ones, even though I see far more G36s around. The fact that these parts differ between various guns that use the V3 gearbox makes me less confident in shopping for those parts than if I'm shopping for M4 (V2) parts. I've also been burned on cylinder head compatibility. The Modify G36 cylinder head sold on airsoft parts completely does not fit into the JG G36 mechbox. The head has an extra piece of metal for which there is no matching space in the mechbox.

So if you're tempted by the V3 design and are looking to buy what seems to be the least-expensive, most common, easy-to-get, and most-frequently-upgraded G36 in Ontario, the VA36/JG36, you're going to need to know some of these quirks.

[kalnaren]

It's not unique to the JG G36, either. The CA36 has it's own cylinder head, and is likewise different on the AUG.