HW30 Vortek Tune Kit Installation
To follow-up from the recent HAM test review, let’s look at HW30 Vortek Tune Kit installation. HAM specialist springer tester Eric Brewer photographed the process and wrote descriptive notes. Here’s how he made the upgrade.
SAFETY FIRST: It is mandatory to use an airgun spring compressor to make this installation. If you do not have one, or do not know how to use it, don’t even think of starting this job! Should you have doubts at any point, don’t guess – seek support from a qualified airgun repair specialist. HAM cannot provide support.
Also note that Eric is a qualified engineer. He has done this HW30 Vortek Tune Kit installation – and similar – upgrades multiple times. For this reason he did not remove the scope. However HAM strongly suggests that YOU DO remove the scope from your air rifle before starting work.
Take it away, Eric…
Firstly, Lay the gun on an old, light-colored towel. That protects the stock and action while undertaking the job. It also makes it easy to see the parts!
Disassemble the gun by removing the screw under the front of the stock, together with the two screws holding the trigger guard in place. Make sure to use the correct screwdrivers to avoid marring the screw heads.
Next, drive out the two pins using a small punch with a wooden, plastic or brass hammer. Make sure to support the action when driving the pins out. I used the old block of wood you can see in the photograph.
Now remove the trigger assembly. Make sure to hold on to the safety while removing the trigger or it may pop out on its own!
Remove the safety button and its spring.
Put the gun in a spring compressor to be able to remove the spring assembly. Once supported correctly with tension on the action you can remove the small slotted setscrew from the side of the action. Make sure the tension of the spring is off the action or you may rip threads out when removing the screw! Slowly expand the spring compressor to release the spring assembly.
For this particular gun I had to place two quarters between the end of the action and the spring compressor to act as spacers to relieve tension on the screw.
NOTE that the spring compressor is NOT shown in this photograph so that the setscrew can be more readily seen. DO NOT UNDERTAKE THIS STEP WITHOUT HAVING THE GUN SAFELY AND SECURELY HELD IN A SPRING COMPRESSOR!
With the spring compressor removed, the spring, spring guide and end cap can be removed from the compression tube.
Next, remove the nut that hold the barrel pin on. The nut is on the right side of the gun and looks like a regular screw head. Use the correct screwdriver size so that you don’t mar the nut. Unscrew the nut and move the nut and lock washer to a safe position.
Turn the action over and unscrew the barrel pivot screw.
Remove the barrel making sure to take note of the 2 shim washers, one on each side of the barrel assembly pivot.
Support the action so that you can drive out the pin that supports the charging handle connection rod up into the piston. Drive out the pin and you will be able to move the charging handle/barrel assembly towards the front of the gun. Then you can disconnect the connection rod from the bottom of the piston.
You can now remove the piston.
Below we see all the original HW30 parts together.
Now we can compare the Vortek spring, piston seal and spring guide to the original Weihrauch parts.
As you can see, there’s a significant difference between the length of the Weihrauch spring and that of the Vortek. However, the Vortek spring is thicker, with the wire being 0.1145 Inch diameter, compared to 0.1095 Inch of the Weihrauch spring.
The Vortek spring is fitted into its top hat before being installed into the gun.
The Vortek piston seal is fitted to the piston, replacing the original factory part. Both piston and piston seal are greased before re-installation.
Ensure that you apply the grease provided to the sides and NOT to the piston face. If there’s grease on the piston face, detonation may result when the gun is fired and that’s bad!
Use the spring compressor to re-install the spring and other components in reverse order. Lubricate all bearing parts with grease, such as the barrel pivot area and the connection rod shoe where it engages with the piston.
Finally, re-install the trigger, replace the stock and test carefully. Enjoy the results of your work!
Thanks Eric! Now you’ve seen how he undertook this HW30 Vortek Tune Kit installation, it may give you solid information for how to undertake the job. Alternatively, it may persuade you that having AoA undertake the work is the right thing to do! It’s your choice…
