Cyma G36 - worth upgrading?

[Gunboat Diplomat]

The boy is generally happy with his G36 (very much so on the ergo and looks front), but inevitably has had his head turned by the snappy trigger response, high rate of fire and less agricultural sound signature of more modern AEGs. 

I'm loosely thinking a motor upgrade and shimming the gears (if it needs it, presume it will) will get him towards his goal, but I'm loathe to chuck triple digits at it as the upgrade path is likely to dictate new gun at some point or another. It's a budget AEG after all (albeit a pretty admirable performer if you set aside the fact it sounds like an old VHS player ejecting a tape when it fires).

Accuracy and range are not a problem with it and he's no desire to sling particularly heavy weight BBs so no need for upgrades on that front at least.

Note this is not the G36 High Speed variant that Cyma also do, so lacks the 13:1 gearset and full metal toothed piston that one comes with, in hindsight I should have gone for that but was ignorant of the option at the time.

 

[mp5a4]

A shim and a MOSFET with precocking will probably give a nice boost. Quite a few options for a V3 gearbox and easy to open it up

 

[Adolf Hamster]

Tbh if he's happy with the external build quality then there's nothing wrong with spending a bit to jazz up the internals and frankly the g36 is an under represented platform, guess folk feel their use as a common rental gun must somehow mean they're bad or not worth a bit of spicing up.

In terms of the actual spicing up there's 3 main avenues to consider:

1. Mosfet, something like a perun ab++/gate warfet or equivalent mosfet with precocking could do a lot of work with the percieved snappyness. On the v3 you can access the trigger contacts from the outside of the box to do the wiring but you'll need to be familiar with a soldering iron.

2. Motor, budget seems to preclude the brushless options, but a decent neo brushed motor paired with the above will also add to snap and/or auto rof

If you dont go too crazy with the end rof figure then a plastic toothed piston isn't the end of the world, indeed there are those that would argue it's a good thing to have an intentional weak spot that lets a cheap part die to save more expensive parts.

The stock shimming will likely be ok, improvable yes, likely to explode or cause serious issues no, so it could be skipped depending on your confidence level working on the box.

 

[Leo Greer]

Are you already using an 11.1v? I don’t know what the spring strength on those G36s is like, but if you can get away with it an 11.1v LiPo is by far the easiest and most effective trigger response upgrade.

If you suffer from double shots, you can short stroke and increase spring power, or even shorten the inner barrel and increase spring power.

 

[Gunboat Diplomat]

In terms of the actual spicing up there's 3 main avenues to consider:

1. Mosfet, something like a perun ab++/gate warfet or equivalent mosfet with precocking could do a lot of work with the percieved snappyness. On the v3 you can access the trigger contacts from the outside of the box to do the wiring but you'll need to be familiar with a soldering iron.

2. Motor, budget seems to preclude the brushless options, but a decent neo brushed motor paired with the above will also add to snap and/or auto rof

If you dont go too crazy with the end rof figure then a plastic toothed piston isn't the end of the world, indeed there are those that would argue it's a good thing to have an intentional weak spot that lets a cheap part die to save more expensive parts.

The stock shimming will likely be ok, improvable yes, likely to explode or cause serious issues no, so it could be skipped depending on your confidence level working on the box.

Thanks that's really helpful.  Good point on the piston teeth, if they strip under load then it's a cheap sacrificial part.  Soldering is no issue.  Perun AB and an XT High Torque for about £75 from AK2M4 fit the budget (though the motors are OOS at the moment).  I can always make a judgement call on the shimming when the gearbox is out.

Are you already using an 11.1v? I don’t know what the spring strength on those G36s is like, but if you can get away with it an 11.1v LiPo is by far the easiest and most effective trigger response upgrade.

If you suffer from double shots, you can short stroke and increase spring power, or even shorten the inner barrel and increase spring power.

Running 2S/7.4 currently.  Not tried a 3S/11.v in it yet, honestly because I just assumed it would be too much on a stock setup and lead to overspin or fire, but that's not founded on anything concrete.  I might just order up a 3S while I wait for AK2M4 to restock their motors and do some test shots indoors and see how it goes.

 

[MrTea]

 I might just order up a 3S while I wait for AK2M4 to restock their motors and do some test shots indoors and see how it goes.

Whenever he restocks his motors, I buy up a few ready for future projects because they sell incredibly quick. Last time he restocked I picked up 3x of those SHS High Torque motor with the fans.

 

[Sewdhull]

My src g36c has a high torque motor and that runs with a home made MOSFET. On 11v lipo I don't have feeding issues, but I do prefer a 9.9v life.

 

[Rogerborg]

I'll echo the above.  My JG G36 is running:

Big Dragon M140 motor from Ali Express, these are decent value for money.

11.1V lipo

I can't recall the spring, it may be stock. Either way, it's running at 1.1J with 0.28g

Perun AB++ with pre-cock, active brake to deal with over-spin, 3-round burst, and a touch of ROF reduction as it was running very slighty faster than the mags wanted to feed.

A zoomier motor and a 9.9V LiFe might be the sweet spot for snappy-brrrting without overspin, on a budget.

 

[Sewdhull]

Are you already using an 11.1v? I don’t know what the spring strength on those G36s is like, but if you can get away with it an 11.1v LiPo is by far the easiest and most effective trigger response upgrade.

If you suffer from double shots, you can short stroke and increase spring power, or even shorten the inner barrel and increase spring power.

This is the first move, things are very different on 11.1 from 7.4. You'd want a mosfet with it really. A simple one would do.

 

[Leo Greer]

This is the first move, things are very different on 11.1 from 7.4. You'd want a mosfet with it really. A simple one would do.

A MOSFET, or the very simple old-school dielectric grease on the contacts, which I should've mentioned. Most people have no idea that you don't actually need a MOSFET to avoid arcing on the trigger contacts.

 

[Sewdhull]

Dielectric grease cant stop contact arcing, just corrosion over time leading to high contact resistance, the heat then generated at the contacts and carbon build up, which can extend their life. A contact lube is a good thing for airsoft type contacts which slide against each other in any case. It wont stop damage because of the arcing either. Airsoft contacts are electrically awful.

It wont help much with our inductive (motor) loads tho. Diodes, capacitors and resistors can effectively eliminate the arcing if used correctly.

Mosfets, or a relay,  just put less energy through the trigger contacts so they last lots longer and we still have to protect the mosfet from the inductive load.

 

[Gunboat Diplomat]

Looks like AK2M4 are getting the XT motors back in at the start of Oct so will be ordering one of those alongside the Perun AB++.  Should be a fun little project.  I might do it in secret and not tell the boy anything has changed until he tries it at our next skirmish (foreshadowing the moment it shits itself on the field here I realise).

Anyone know off hand if I need the long or short shaft motor for the G36?  Lazy I know, but since there's been decent advice so far I thought I'd take advantage!

 

[Lozart]

Looks like AK2M4 are getting the XT motors back in at the start of Oct so will be ordering one of those alongside the Perun AB++.  Should be a fun little project.  I might do it in secret and not tell the boy anything has changed until he tries it at our next skirmish (foreshadowing the moment it shits itself on the field here I realise).

Anyone know off hand if I need the long or short shaft motor for the G36?  Lazy I know, but since there's been decent advice so far I thought I'd take advantage!

Short.

 

[The_Lord_Poncho]

Looks like AK2M4 are getting the XT motors back in at the start of Oct so will be ordering one of those alongside the Perun AB++.  Should be a fun little project.  I might do it in secret and not tell the boy anything has changed until he tries it at our next skirmish (foreshadowing the moment it shits itself on the field here I realise).

Buy your Double Eagle Noveske before you do (!) so you have a spare to lend him just in case it doesn't go to plan!

 

[Gunboat Diplomat]

Perun AB++ and XT 22TPA motor ordered for the G36.

Also picked up another XT motor, ZCI hop chamber and a Maple Leaf bucking + Omega nub combo to go in my Double Eagle whilst I'm at it.  Doesn't really need anything doing to it, but the parts were cheap.

 

[gavinkempsell]

I can understand the 'need' or 'want' to upgrade a gun you love, my go to is a two tone Scar-L, I'll use it till it stops working (snipers tape holding the broken stock together), no tech skills so my maintenance is simply clean the barrel & a spray of silicon oil in the gearbox.

 

[Gunboat Diplomat]

I’m an inveterate tinkerer so can’t leave anything standard for long. 

 

[Gunboat Diplomat]

Bit of an update, had a couple of hours to myself this afternoon so set about installing the Perun and XT motor in the G36.

Quick before video of how it fires stock:

Hope the boy likes it.   

 

[Rogerborg]

Noice. I assume the Perun pre-cocks based on timing. I find that it does help a little if you get the right setting, but that V3 trigger limits the snappiness. If - when - you go to 11.1V then it all pays off, especially the active-brake, ROF reduction, and burst modes.

 

[Sewdhull]

That metal disc is to spread the load from the motor height adjustment screw, in the bottom of the cage, to the bottom of the motor. Otherwise the screw could press against the motor shaft instead.

Have you adjusted the motor height?