Hey there, airsoft enthusiasts! Today, we're tackling a common annoyance with airsoft guns: self-shimming gears. If you've ever been frustrated by these pesky gears, you're not alone. In this article, we'll walk you through a simple fix to convert self-shimming gears into regular gears and shim them manually for a smoother, more reliable performance.

What Are Self-Shimming Gears?

Self-shimming gears are designed with springs on top to automatically adjust their tension within the gearbox. Sounds great, right? Well, not really. In practice, these gears are often too tight, don't rotate well, and put unnecessary stress on the bearings. To fix this, we can remove the self-shimming mechanism and manually shim the gears ourselves.

Steps to Convert Self-Shimming Gears

1.Remove the Spring:

Grab a pair of pliers and carefully yank off the spring from the self-shimming gear. Don’t worry; it’s easier than it sounds.

Look through your spare parts bin (if you're like me, you've got tons of spare parts) and find a suitable spacer to replace the spring. Old spur gears often have perfect spacers. If you don't have any, you can use a stack of shims to fill the gap.

3.Adjust the Spacer:

You might need to use a Dremel to trim the spacer to the right length. This is a quick job, taking just a few seconds.

4.Manually Shim the Gears:

Now that the spring is gone and the spacer is in place, you need to manually shim the gears. This means carefully adding shims to get the gears to rotate smoothly—neither too tight nor too loose. Take your time with this step to get it just right.

5.Why Manual Shimming Rocks

Converting self-shimming gears to regular gears and manually shimming them can greatly improve your airsoft gun’s performance. Manual shimming ensures a better fit and smoother rotation, reducing stress on the bearings and making your gearbox run more efficiently.

6.Conclusion

And there you have it! Converting self-shimming gears to regular gears is a straightforward process that can make a big difference in how your airsoft gun performs. By removing the springs and manually shimming the gears, you'll enjoy a smoother and more reliable shooting experience. If you haven't tried this yet, give it a shot with all your self-shimming gears.