Airsporter help

[BRET22]

I Have an Airsporter that needs both the spring and the ball bearing for the loading tap.

Does anyone have these to sell please??

It is the later model with the square forend if that helps?
Sorry if this is in the wrong section but if anyone can help I know it will be you guys!

[Phil Russell]

I have not checked but I guess the Chambers site will sell them ... at a price.
I cannot remember what size the ball is but I do remember replacing one with a cycle bearing ... most likely a 1/16 or 3/32 size that are used in pedals and headsets. The ball just needs to be a sliding fit in the tap hole. Again, if I remember right, a new tap will come with the ball and spring fitted such that the ball is captive. But in practice I had no problems with fitting a new ball... its just a bit fiddly to refit the tap while holding the ball down against the spring.
The spring is nothing special except that it is a small diameter so a biro spring may not fit. A good tool shop may help. You can cut the spring length to fit ... you just want enough push to keep the ball out of the tap but still allow the spring to compress enough to allow the ball to go into the tap when you rotate the tap.
Cheers, Phil

[Airsporter1st]

Phil is dead right you need a ball which is a sliding fit in the hole. I suggest you take the tap into your local bike shop. Chambers are brilliant but this sort of thing is expensive from them - especially with p&p.

Any spring that fits will do although for positive indexing - but it does need to be quite strong. It doesn't protrude too far from the hole (otherwise it would get coil bound when compressed as the tap is rotated).

If you continue to have problems, let me know and I'll strip my MkV to get the dimensions of ball and spring.

[BRET22]

Thanks for your help GENTLEMEN you as always come to the rescue
Now I need to find a bike that nobody is using and a powerful biro spring

[dogsbody]

Hi,
I've just measured the spring and ball (new) which I have lined up for my airsporter.
The spring has 8 coils and is 9.6mm long. Outside diameter is 3.47mm
The ball is 3.96mm in diameter.
This is assuming my calipers are reasonably accurate.
atb
dogsbody

[T 20]

Hi,
I've just measured the spring and ball (new) which I have lined up for my airsporter.
The spring has 8 coils and is 9.6mm long. Outside diameter is 3.47mm
The ball is 3.96mm in diameter.
This is assuming my calipers are reasonably accurate.
atb
dogsbody

Throw away fag lighter flint spring

All the best mick

[Phil Russell]

'Throw away fag lighter flint spring'

Now that is the sort of information I love. I try to collect all springs from items we throw away but had never thought of the 'fag lighter'. Maybe because I do not smoke, but I do use one to light my pencil gas torch that I use when fettling mainsprings.

So... thanks.

Cheers, Phil

[Rob M]

I was refurbishing an old German air pistol, but had to stop work on it due to needing a tiny spring, the old one had fatigued and broken and was useless. I couldn't find anything suitable anywhere in my house or workshop. I put the pistol and its parts away, then went to the bathroom. When I pulled on the light switch in the bathroom, the switch broke... Amazingly, in amongst the bits of broken plastic inside the switch, was a pair of springs, either one of which was a perfect replacement for the one in the pistol!

It's often worth checking stuff like switches, electrical equipment and stuff for parts like springs, washers, screws etc. before you throw them out.

[T 20]

'Throw away fag lighter flint spring'

Now that is the sort of information I love. I try to collect all springs from items we throw away but had never thought of the 'fag lighter'. Maybe because I do not smoke, but I do use one to light my pencil gas torch that I use when fettling mainsprings.

So... thanks.

Cheers, Phil

No problem Phil

They also fit Crosman 22xx and 13xx pistols as the safety spring and for the small ball bearing I use a dressmakers pin (the ones with the ball end).
If you leave some of the pin on the ball end it acts as a spring guide.


All the best Mick