Ics L85 - Time for a Rebuild

[SammieSurrey]

It's been a long (and I mean years) time since I had the chance to use my old L85 in anger at all. So, I'm planning a complete internal and external RIS rebuild.

Now cards on the table, I'm not the best at this sort of thing so, I've had a read around and can't seem to find out. Does anyone know if there was ever an upgrade complete mech box for the ICS L85. Really, I want to put a mosfit on it, new 11.1 LiPo and it will need a lot gearbox work to get that right. In terms of the hop, I customised it years ago to take account of the useless rotary arm thing. I ended up using a filed down arm and ball shaped bucking. In fairness, the rage was always awesome but, RoF was always very poor.

Anyway I think we are at the limits of my ignorance here so, rather than get anything else wrong, I thought I'd ask the hive mind for any advice. Anyone rebuilt, any idea where to get parts, fitting mosfet etc. 

Thanks in advance

 

[Cr0-Magnon]

It really depends what kind of a person you are. Sounds like you're not confident opening the gearbox but would you enjoy the challenge? I'm much the same but immediately regret trying to do any teching past changing a barrel and bucking. If you're like me, maybe be worth reaching out to a proper tech? If you're more adventurous, hopefully someone with more experience can guide you.

 

[EDcase]

You can try to do everything yourself and worst case scenario if you can't get it back together or make it work then send the box of bits to a gun tech ??

Would certainly be a good learning experience and may not be as difficult as you think.  From my experience doing simple mods it just takes patience.

 

[Cr0-Magnon]

Unless they have this price scale...

View attachment 67753

 

[Alimcd]

There’s a good rule of thumb on this forum worth sticking to - If it’s your only pew, leave it alone.

If you’ve got a few bits and pieces, why not have a crack at it. The ICS L85 gearbox is a piece of cake to work on all controls are housed externally and the spring can be inserted after closing the box. The variable spring tension system makes fine tuning the power easy as pie, just make sure you’ve got a chronograph to check output.

The receiver has bags of space for a rewire straight from motor to fore grip and the connection to the trigger contacts is a standard 2.8mm spade (might be a 4mm, been a while) so it’s almost perfectly suited to a Gate nano/merf/warfet. 
 

The task gets more complex the higher the rof you want to achieve. The forum’s other rule of twenty is plenty neatly avoids almost all of the issues with high speed builds self destructing, although if you want to pursue a true wanker gun build SittingDuck is a seemingly bottomless source of wisdom on how to unfuck things

If you just want to nudge the ROF up a bit, you may find that using 11.1v does just that. If you want a bit more, the next place to investigate would either be motor or gearset. The ICS motor pinions always had a tendency to not play particularly well with others so you may have to change both. 
 

The ICS compression parts (piston head/cylinder/cylinder head/nozzle) were excellent in terms of seal and shouldn’t need any more than lubricant to work very well.

What’s the ideal outcome?

 

[Davegolf]

As above the gearbox and compression parts are very good.

I have owned 3 and built others for customers to varying levels but you don’t need much.

The gear set is also very good quality - DO NOT CHANGE THEM!

This is all you want parts wise;

ZCI high torque motor with ICS pinion

Prometheus EG barrel 455mm

Prometheus type 2 cylinder

Renew the piston head O ring

Nice bucking and nub

Gate PicoAAB

Alpha Wire 16awg

11.1V LiPo

New ICS spring if it’s sat around for years.

Renew ICS parts in the lower receiver related to the cut off lever - I cannot remember the part numbers but if you look in your manual at the parts diagram you can order them direct from ICS.

This keeps fire selector semi issues at bay.

Free upgrades / work;

Re shim the gearbox.

Set motor height.

Polish / de burr the gearbox shell.

Check all air seals.

Support the inner barrel agains vibration.

Shim the hop unit toward the gearbox 0.5mm-0.75mm, this fixes double feed.

Icing on the cake, semi pro job;

Ditch the trigger contact assy and replace with a micro switch, short stroke the trigger.

Yes I like the ICS L85 ?

 

[MadMole]

The ICS L85 takes a 510/500mm barrel perfectly assuming a full size L85 and not the carbine. The Maple leaf 6.02 barrel and Mr Hop are a great combo in it, with an Omega nub you don't need to do anything with the hop unit. It will take 11 v through the original trigger contacts no probs (just not  needed, works fine  on 7 or 9v ), just solder a Gate Warfet in against the top receiver. I have the Gate Pico AAB in one of mine as  well

The ICS gearbox is extremely good, mine needed a single .2 shim to make it perfect (Pinion), most are almost there from factory, gears are as good as aftermarket.  If you want to increase ROF, put a faster motor on and use a Warfet to set pre-cock etc

Guarder SP110 spring will get you 340 fps on the middle setting assuming all air seals are good.

I've got one firing at 15 rps and one at 20 (both on 7v Titans). Don't want it any faster as that slight gap makes it easier to follow each BB through my 4x sight and walk it onto target if needed.  Shooting 60m+ and laser straight

Oh and yes, you do need  some barrel support!

One thing to watch for, if you fall and stick barrel in ground, it flexes easily and can bend the inner barrel. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maple-Leaf-Airsoft-6-02-Stainless-Steel-AEG-Precession-Barrel-Softair-6mm-bbs/372661978425?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=641684415126&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maple-Leaf-Super-Macaron-Hop-Bucking-50-60-70-75-80-Omega-Nub/324330603677?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=513398421328&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Guarder-Phantom-Airsoft-SP-AEG-Spring-6mm-bbs-Softair/133332996564?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=432737303176&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maple-Leaf-Hop-Rubber-50-Degree-MR-HOP-for-AEG/224090967398?hash=item342cdccd66:g:s4sAAOSweENfGX-R

 

[Keldon]

I know everyone has mentioned internals and I'm no Airsoft tech so I and other than changing battery connection, barrel and hop rubber I've done bought. 

But for your externals o know the English kiwi has mad a conversion kit to make the rif into an SA80 A3 version that you may want to look at.

 

[Davegolf]

OP Foxtrot Romeo Oscar ?

 

[Cameron West]

As above the gearbox and compression parts are very good.

I have owned 3 and built others for customers to varying levels but you don’t need much.

The gear set is also very good quality - DO NOT CHANGE THEM!

This is all you want parts wise;

ZCI high torque motor with ICS pinion

Prometheus EG barrel 455mm

Prometheus type 2 cylinder

Renew the piston head O ring

Nice bucking and nub

Gate PicoAAB

Alpha Wire 16awg

11.1V LiPo

New ICS spring if it’s sat around for years.

Renew ICS parts in the lower receiver related to the cut off lever - I cannot remember the part numbers but if you look in your manual at the parts diagram you can order them direct from ICS.

This keeps fire selector semi issues at bay.

Free upgrades / work;

Re shim the gearbox.

Set motor height.

Polish / de burr the gearbox shell.

Check all air seals.

Support the inner barrel agains vibration.

Shim the hop unit toward the gearbox 0.5mm-0.75mm, this fixes double feed.

Icing on the cake, semi pro job;

Ditch the trigger contact assy and replace with a micro switch, short stroke the trigger.

Yes I like the ICS L85 ?

For me the ics l85 trigger is getting quite annoying, it's so slow on trigger pull and sometimes when trying to single fire quick the trigger slips and sticks. I've never come across anyone mention a micro switch for the ics l85, could you please give some advice on how to do this and what to use, and links to any other forums would be massively appreciated. 

My L85 shoots brilliantly at the minute, great range and accuracy, it's just the rof and trigger that bug me.

Thanks in advance, hope to hear back.