Author Topic: Ruger airhawk...heavy ratcheting noise when cocking... (Read 9351 times))

makenzie71 · « **on:** January 17, 2013, 07:30:35 PM »

10 clicking sounds as it's cocked back. Linear. The gun shoots neatly otherwise. Any ideas?

thekid · « **Reply #1 on:** January 17, 2013, 07:41:32 PM »

The ruger air hawk has a 2 part linkage cocking arm, the sound could be the cocking arm rubbing along the spring.
also could be the piston sleeve, hitting the spring, as it is being cocked.
The last time, I was in a ruger airhawk, this is how it was designed.
No noticeable decrease in power, as this would indicate a broken spring too.

devdem · « **Reply #2 on:** January 17, 2013, 07:42:59 PM »

Wow. So much for being quiet while sneaking around varmints.

makenzie71 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 17, 2013, 08:05:56 PM »

Quote from: thekid on January 17, 2013, 07:41:32 PM

The ruger air hawk has a 2 part linkage cocking arm, the sound could be the cocking arm rubbing along the spring.
also could be the piston sleeve, hitting the spring, as it is being cocked.
The last time, I was in a ruger airhawk, this is how it was designed.
No noticeable decrease in power, as this would indicate a broken spring too.

The two part link...is it suppose to be rubbing along the wood of the stock? There's no slider or anything for the link to run along. Seems like that couldn't possibly help...the noise does seem to be internal, though. I might just have to break it apart and have a looky look inside.

thekid · « **Reply #4 on:** January 17, 2013, 08:10:42 PM »

Last time I looked, the articulating linkage (2 part linkage) had a wheel at the connection.
When you cock the gun it forces the wheel against the receiver and should not be touching the wood.

If the spring is warped, it will catch the piston sleeve.
Without the piston sleeve the linkage will grab the spring.
This is the same setup almost as my 350 magnum.

makenzie71 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 17, 2013, 08:13:28 PM »

hmmmm...no wheel. I may have to go to walmart and "rent" a new one so I can get a good look at what they're SUPPOSE to look like.

thekid · « **Reply #6 on:** January 17, 2013, 08:17:13 PM »

Quote from: makenzie71 on January 17, 2013, 08:13:28 PM

hmmmm...no wheel. I may have to go to walmart and "rent" a new one so I can get a good look at what they're SUPPOSE to look like.

The one I was in, was about 2 years ago, designs may have changed since then.
It was a ruger airhawk though

makenzie71 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 17, 2013, 08:18:32 PM »

This one is fairly aged. Been around the block a few times.

pappa · « **Reply #8 on:** January 17, 2013, 10:03:00 PM »

My Blackhawks are built and operate the same as an Air Hawk. In the center of the cocking linkage, there is a hardened steel shaft that sticks out of the sides of the linkage and rides in a lubricated sleeve. In the center of this is a fairly narrow wheel. Upon cocking, the shaft rolls along two glide ways in the bottom part of the forearm and the wheel is pushed upwards against the bottom of the compression chamber as the cocking bar pushes back on the piston. I don't believe that the sound that is being described can come from this linkage. The fact that there is always 10 clicking sounds leads me to believe that the spring is involved. That is about how many coil winds that would be encountered in the cocking stroke for the end of the linkage. It is possible that the spring may be warped or bent in such a way that something in the end of the linkage or inside back of the piston area is snapping against spring coils during the cocking process. I can't speculate further because I have never encountered any kind of cocking sound problem with any Blackhawk, and beside my own, I have tuned about 5 of these for others.

The only way that I could determine if the spring is the actual culprit would be to take the spring out and check it for warp/bend or possibly something in the spring guide system that is interfering.

makenzie71 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 17, 2013, 11:48:03 PM »

See I got no guides on the side so I think that's part of the problem. The pin's just riding on the wooden stock. It might be causing the links to not be pushing the spring back properly.

FerrumB5 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2013, 12:27:30 AM »

I have exactly the same problem in my BlackHawk, but I believe that it's my own fault - I tried cocking it A BIT (!!) without the stock when I was loctiting the screws. The cocking arm has a link, and that causes the shoe of the cocking arm to slightly bend the thin sleeve inside the chamber. The spring catches on it and makes the noise. Otherwise - the shooting cycle is smooth. I'm building a compressor to take it apart.

Take home message: NEVER cock (even slightly) the Black or AirHawk without the stock, or if needed - remove the cocking arm!

Paul68 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2013, 12:42:28 AM »

Quote from: FerrumB5 on January 18, 2013, 12:27:30 AM

I have exactly the same problem in my BlackHawk, but I believe that it's my own fault - I tried cocking it A BIT (!!) without the stock when I was loctiting the screws. The cocking arm has a link, and that causes the shoe of the cocking arm to slightly bend the thin sleeve inside the chamber. The spring catches on it and makes the noise. Otherwise - the shooting cycle is smooth. I'm building a compressor to take it apart.

Take home message: NEVER cock (even slightly) the Black or AirHawk without the stock, or if needed - remove the cocking arm!

VERY common issue with the Rugers. Almost forgot about it. The sleeve inside the piston gets dented where the linkage tab engages the piston and rubs over each coil. You either have to remove the piston and carefully smooth it out, or just remove the sleeve altogether and polish up the tab that engages the piston. I removed mine.

FerrumB5 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 18, 2013, 12:48:22 AM »

Quote from: Paul68 on January 18, 2013, 12:42:28 AM

Quote from: FerrumB5 on January 18, 2013, 12:27:30 AM
I have exactly the same problem in my BlackHawk, but I believe that it's my own fault - I tried cocking it A BIT (!!) without the stock when I was loctiting the screws. The cocking arm has a link, and that causes the shoe of the cocking arm to slightly bend the thin sleeve inside the chamber. The spring catches on it and makes the noise. Otherwise - the shooting cycle is smooth. I'm building a compressor to take it apart.

Take home message: NEVER cock (even slightly) the Black or AirHawk without the stock, or if needed - remove the cocking arm!

VERY common issue with the Rugers. Almost forgot about it. The sleeve inside the piston gets dented where the linkage tab engages the piston and rubs over each coil. You either have to remove the piston and carefully smooth it out, or just remove the sleeve altogether and polish up the tab that engages the piston. I removed mine.

Did you install a top hat after removing the sleeve or just discarded the sleeve w/o any further mods? I've heard two opposite opinions:
1) removing the sleeve doesn't hurt, a top hat is NOT necessary
2) removing the sleeve doesn't hurt, a top hat is AN ABSOLUTE MUST otherwise the spring will be touching the chamber walls

pappa · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2013, 01:55:03 AM »

I ALWAYS remove the sleeve and ALWAYS install a tophat. Without a sleeve or tophat, the forward end of the spring has nothing to determine where it should be either during the cocking cycle or the firing cycle. Most likely would lead to early spring failure one way or another.

Paul68 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2013, 11:03:32 AM »

Quote from: pappa on January 18, 2013, 01:55:03 AM

I ALWAYS remove the sleeve and ALWAYS install a tophat. Without a sleeve or tophat, the forward end of the spring has nothing to determine where it should be either during the cocking cycle or the firing cycle. Most likely would lead to early spring failure one way or another.

Yup. I installed a delrin tophat. Removing the sleeve increases the inner diam of the piston, giving the spring more room to wiggle around and buzz.

FerrumB5 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 18, 2013, 11:08:15 AM »

Thanks! That's what I thought too. Do you have a link to delrin tophat? I also know MM makes them (anyone knows the price with shipping?)

Paul68 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 18, 2013, 02:16:20 PM »

Quote from: FerrumB5 on January 18, 2013, 11:08:15 AM

Thanks! That's what I thought too. Do you have a link to delrin tophat? I also know MM makes them (anyone knows the price with shipping?)

I usually make my own, but Mike sent me one for $15.00

FerrumB5 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 18, 2013, 02:17:12 PM »

What is the material that you make them of? Do you have dimensions?

Paul68 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 18, 2013, 02:24:07 PM »

Don't have any dimensions. I prefer to use steel to add a little weight which seems to give me a little more power. On the Rugers, the tophat does'nt need a very long shaft, maybe an inch at the most. I'd say the seat will be about 1/4 inch. On the delrin version from Mike I added a polished steel washer for the spring to ride on. If you make one, just try to get it to where it will slide into the piston freely, but not rattle around. The spring should fit with a slight interference fit on the shaft.

EDIT. If you get one from Mike, note that I ground the conical seat flat in order to allow the added thickness of the washer in the pic.

FerrumB5 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 18, 2013, 02:34:09 PM »

So, basically - the heavier - the better? How will that affect the velocities? Will "hard" rubber work?

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Ruger airhawk...heavy ratcheting noise when cocking...

Author Topic: Ruger airhawk...heavy ratcheting noise when cocking... (Read 9351 times))