If FX Pumps are sealed units - why are spares for servicing being sold - ??

[PCPShooter]

Two months ago I sent my FX3 Stage pump to SGC for service. I checked this was OK and was told shop manager confirmed it was.

It turns out the engineer cannot take the pump apart, informing me FX have not supplied correct tools, and that when they have difficulties in Sweden like this they simply send out a replacement pump.

I have emails from FX in Sweden offering to help, but no progress, no pump, simply going round in circles.

So this seems a strange situation - and my question is this - FX pump spares are sold both retail and trade in UK, but it appears a 'secret' that really the pump is a sealed unit and cannot be serviced. So why sell spares - this seems ' misleading' under fit for purpose laws.

Despite years of positive experience with both SGC and FX it seems that in this instance they are simply passing the buck between themselves, SGC saying they have had no contact with FX, other bits of SGC having told me 'Sweden just send out a new pump if they can't get one to bits' -

So all those posts on here about Hills pump or FX - did I get it really really wrong - is it only Hills pumps that can actually be maintained ?

Any thoughts or experiences please _

[AC all day]

I think as you eluded to sometimes companies use special fittings when putting stuff together that requires a unique tool to strip down. This prevents misguided tampering but is a real PITA when you do need to and know what your doing.....
So yes it may be serviceable, but not without specialist /specific tools.
Just my thoughts though...

[nikvanorton]

I thought there were ‘right to repair’ rules coming in soon, if not now. This forces companies to provide tools and parts so that 3rd party’s can repair them.

[averageplinker]

I thought there were ‘right to repair’ rules coming in soon, if not now. This forces companies to provide tools and parts so that 3rd party’s can repair them.

I hope that's not an EU ruling!

[Steyr]

Apple being the worst offender by miles

[angrybear]

There's a big difference between an item being "a sealed unit that cannot be serviced/repaired", and needing a manufacturers tool to disassemble it

It may be that the contract stipulates only FX supplied tools may be used on FX products, the "tool" needed might be the manual on how to strip it.

A few years back when I spoke to them, I was told they didn't do any 'in house' repair work on anything, it was all 'outsourced' but I imagine they're now FX trained to work on the guns.

[PCPShooter]

There's a big difference between an item being "a sealed unit that cannot be serviced/repaired", and needing a manufacturers tool to disassemble it

It may be that the contract stipulates only FX supplied tools may be used on FX products, the "tool" needed might be the manual on how to strip it.

A few years back when I spoke to them, I was told they didn't do any 'in house' repair work on anything, it was all 'outsourced' but I imagine they're now FX trained to work on the guns.

SGC are sole UK importer, and the FX service centre, they have FX trained technicians, and have regular update / trainings. More significantly - they said yes, no problem to service pumps, after all they supply spare parts to trade, and retail for servicing said pumps - a bit tricky to explain if they cannot do the job themselves.
My pump was fully working / operational - it had minor gauge damage - I asked simply for a new gauge and change of seals as it was a few years old.

[bighit]

From some one who serviced his own one .

Quote.

The FX is not user friendly for rebuild, I think it was designed as a very expensive disposable item. Difficult to get apart the first time with the liberal use of locktite in the assembly and no spanner flats, so pick a non sealing surface and get the pump pliers out :facepalm:


There is two rebuild videos on youtube but he does not show the stripping.

[PCPShooter]

I finally got an update - 'Out of Goodwill' FX are sending SGC an ex demo pump, to send onto me - probably next year.
To me that is a satisfactory conclusion as long as I have a pump that works - timescale is 'shoddy' but .......

It still does not address the selling of spares for a unit that clearly, is not exactly 'service friendly' but I resolved my own problem (well I haven't got it yet) until the next few years that is ...

[--ped--]

i resealed my fx pump a few years ago with no bother
anything round with no flats for spanners just need a collet to grip it

[PCPShooter]

i resealed my fx pump a few years ago with no bother
anything round with no flats for spanners just need a collet to grip it

I hope SGC employ you for a while, or that I had asked you nicely to do the job in the first place !

[RobF]

I've seen things made deliberately awkward before so that the servicing didn't go elsewhere and the 'magic' was kept inside. Left handed threads etc

Everything can be opened, it's just an application of time and knowledge that costs. Sometimes it's more economical to do replace a whole unit, but that's annoying when out of warranty. I had a car which was under warranty and the clock on the instrument cluster would run 10-15 mins fast. I mentioned it at the dealer, the whole instrument cluster was replaced. It was quicker to do that than train someone to take the thing apart further and replace that part and put it all back together and back in.

Fx seem to have a strange reputation.

[PCPShooter]

F X do indeed need to get a handle on their pumps / spares / servicing .......
They only have one main competitor - and I am now inclined to go with what a guy in a local gunshop told me - better off buying UK made re pumps - any probs they'll sort it.

I like FX stuff but

I probably 'should' have done what I usually do - don't ask salesmen, or take much heed of reviews, but ask folk that fix / repair things - it's usually the best way to make a choice on which product as repairers know what can be fixed, what is a nightmare, what has easy to get spares, what doesn't, and sometimes which models even to avoid - I'm talking everything here, not just airgun stuff, from cars to tv's to kitchen appliances

[RobF]

F X do indeed need to get a handle on their pumps / spares / servicing .......
They only have one main competitor - and I am now inclined to go with what a guy in a local gunshop told me - better off buying UK made re pumps - any probs they'll sort it.

I like FX stuff but

I probably 'should' have done what I usually do - don't ask salesmen, or take much heed of reviews, but ask folk that fix / repair things - it's usually the best way to make a choice on which product as repairers know what can be fixed, what is a nightmare, what has easy to get spares, what doesn't, and sometimes which models even to avoid - I'm talking everything here, not just airgun stuff, from cars to tv's to kitchen appliances

Yep, we have a mechanic in the family, his advice on what they see often, what is a pest to work on, and what isn't, is invaluable.

[brk1]

I have one that someone else did a service on, the only way it comes apart is by use of grips on smooth surfaces , these failures are basicaly just a little rubber ball wearing out or a simple "O" ring needing to be replaced and a relube of certain areas , I've got all the "O" rings needed for a full sela change and it could do with it, it still works fine but needs a good few extra pumps to get anywgere near things being full .

The magic part of them , little glass balls at the base of the filter, then depending on what model you have purchased sometimes, a 2nd lot of glass balls ahead of the pressure guage inside the brass fitting, some don't come with it but do have a particle filter instead , thats basically an inline fag butt , totally useless . Your best to download both manuals foer the FX3 and the FX4 model if you want to be able to see all the neccessary fittings available , also the split diagrams show each "O" ring in position and list what it is , but as many have found out, no real useful instructions at all , the available videos are better than nothing but not of much real use . For ages the glass "Magic" balls weren't even mentioned on their diagrams , if you don't know and open up your bottom brass fitting, they fly out everywhere , I didn't find that out, Andy did, he managed to get some spares sent over, they aren't available to buy , I tried the same trick myself , told them I'd opened it for cleaning/servicing and the little glass balls had gone everywhere , why wasn't this on the manuals instructions, about 6 weeks later I got a very small bag of "complimentary " glass balls turn up, I think they must have counted them to the exact amount , but now all the instructions clearly state a "Warning" about the loose glass balls inside the fittings .

AS to buying British , Andy who I got the FX from also had a Hills Mk4 , he's a heavy user and gone onto tanks and compressors now , but the MK 4 Hills with its so called dry pack he had was totally rusted inside in a matter of months , he'd done nothing wrong with it, Hill's didn't really want to know , told him he was pumping it up wrong , I think he was pumping up and down instead of down and up

I have added an inline filter to mine to be extra sure , it as the Charcoal, dessicant and cotton roll type filters , I've never found one fit of moisture in them whatsoever, those magic balls really do work well , but any moisture found is basically hot compressed air cooling down. You won't stop that, simply several slow sessions stops that happening rather trying to fill in in one go, Do a set amount of pumps , stop, then let things cool down, never had a problem doing it that way, yes it takes longer as does having the inline filter in place as well .

Stripped down both my HW100 tubes and my Air Arms S510 cylinder, no signs at all of and water sitting inside them, no corrosion either in any of them. Yes we'd all love to have a nice shiney compressor and multiple bottles /cylinders to not need the extra exercise a pump provides , I'm nealry 60 and I manage fine with a pump still. I do make sure I don't pump then shoot staright away, the old ticker rate is slightly raised , if you look trough your scope too soon it looks like your in a boat at sea going up and down on the waves