Upgrade choices for Echo 1 RPK

[mzo]

I have the Echo 1 LMG/RPK (completely stock) and want to make some basic upgrades to it. Also all my parts will be purchased from GTA stores which limits my options.

I am looking for suggestions regarding (1) which brand to get for each part and (2) if my planned upgrades will really make a difference in terms of overall performance (range, accuracy and rate of fire) and in durability (how long before things are likely to break, not including lemons).

Also I will not be installing the parts, I will have a gun doc at a local store do that deed.

The parts of I want to replace are:
1-Gearbox
2-Motor
3-Hop-up Chamber
4-Hop-up Rubber
5-Inner Barrel

For Gearbox my options are:
-King Arms V3 8mm Bearing Gearbox
-Lonex V3 8mm Enhanced Bearing Gearbox
I am thinking go with the Lonex.

For Motor my options are:
-Tienly GT-35000
-Guarder Infinite Torque
-Lonex A2
-Lonex Durable
-Lonex Titan A1
I am thinking that I should go with one of the Lonex motors.

For Hop-up Chamber my options are:
-Modify Accurate Hop-up
-LCT AK Hop-up Unit
-Lonex Enhanced Hop-up
-Pro-Win AK Hop-up Unit
I figure might as well go with Lonex once more.

For Hop-up Rubber my options are:
-Lonex Hard Type 70 Degree
-Lonex Soft Type 50 Degree
-Mad Bull 60 Degree Normal
-Mad Bull 60 Degree Shark
-Modify Baton Ryusoku Flat Type
-PDI W Hold

For Inner Barrel my options are:
I want a long 6.03 inner barrel and it seems my only option is Modify Hybrid 550mm/590mm/650mm. Will this work?

As you can see all the upgrade parts that I am considering are Lonex, except for the inner barrel. If you think there are better options (from the options I have listed) for a specific part or all parts please let me know. Also please let me know if I am over doing it or doing something wrong, since this my first attempt at an upgrade.

[lurkingknight]

why would you replace the whole gearbox shell?

You don't need

a new cylinder
a new tappet
cutoff
arl
trigger
trigger switch

have you even tested compression to see if you need to change the cylinder head, piston head and nozzle?

What's wrong with the stock hopup unit, is it deformed or leaking in any way? is it prone to cracking through use?


are you just swapping parts out and throwing money at it?

what do you want out of the gun?

It's quite possible to cut 200$ off the top of your parts list you've put down because they're not needed.

You can then spend that difference on things that will matter, like a nicer barrel like a prometheus eg.

Have you measured any of the components like the nozzle to check to if your new parts will be the same length so you don't introduce a feeding issue or an airseal issue?


I mean if you just want to blindly throw money at your gun and hope it will be magically awesome, stealth and duy will probably love you for it if you're buying all lonex and tienly.

You don't even have sorbo or mosfet in there, I guarantee you within a year you'll be opening up that brand new lonex gearbox to replace the piston or trigger contacts.

IF you are going to dump money into this gun, find out where the shortfalls are and put the money into things that need to be improved. Don't waste money changing things that don't need changing. There's no such thing as a perfect drop in gearbox. yet.

[mzo]

My main concern is that my RPK doesn't give up on me in the middle of a game.

Last summer my CYMA AK's motor just gave up and I hadn't even shot 200 rounds from it.
Keep in mind that I am not knowledgeable about airsoft mechanics and I have heard the Echo 1 is a rebrand of CYMA.
So my worry is that the motor or some other part on the Echo 1 RPK will break in the middle of another milsim (just like my CYMA AK) since I have been told it's a CYMA rebrand.
I am trying to prevent anything from breaking on the RPK as much as possible by getting a better motor and gearbox than the stock ones (I know you can't 100% guarantee against something breaking).

The thing is while I do have back up rifles, I don't have a back up support gun.

If changing to Lonex (or other) motor or gearbox will not make it more durable, then I suppose I should stick with the stock motor and gearbox until it breaks?

The barrel and hop-up were after thoughts... again I figure a better hop-up unit and barrel might increase distance and accuracy.

Obviously my thoughts are that of a person who is not mechanically inclined, which is why I appreciate any suggestions including letting me know if I am going about it completely wrong.

[Comeau-SCS]

Originally Posted by mzo

I am trying to prevent anything from breaking on the RPK as much as possible by getting a better motor and gearbox than the stock ones (I know you can't 100% guarantee against something breaking)..

If you want more durability a spring downgrade and a metal teeth piston should be your primary upgrades. A lighter spring is softer on motor and the gearbox overall and the piston is what causes most of gearbox failures from my experience. From my experience with CYMA a new piston head will help a lot because the stock pistons dont seal very well against the cylinder.

Other that that if you have a good tech just ask him to verify the shimming and the angle of engagement of the piston. Very few things needed here.

Originally Posted by mzo

The barrel and hop-up were after thoughts... again I figure a better hop-up unit and barrel might increase distance and accuracy.

Do you want laser precison with support gun ?

If you need more range a good hop-up bucking and metal hop-up unit could be a good first buy and unexpensive. The lonex chambers are fine and stock cyma can be too. For bucking I personally like to change them for madbull blue and PDI W depending on build, never tried lonex bucking but I heard good things about them.

Then you can start to think about good aftermarket steel barrels like PDI for exemple. (I've heard a lot of bad things with modify aluminium barrels). But again : Do you REALLY need laser precison with a support gun ? Will you be using .superheavy ammo and try to get super long range kills or you intend to spray .20/.25 on full auto with a drum mag ?