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Why the CHS GMT movements are failing

Dr Fun Socks

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KJ2020 funnily enough i was going to report back on the two beta testers ive got today. The ln has been running fine, no issues what so ever. The blnr with the replacement balance assembly was running fine until this week. It stopped and wasn’t winding so I finally opened it up today. The main spring had busted open, taking the click and the intermediate train wheel out with it. Ive replaced them and all is running well. I very much doubt it’s anything to do with what’s happening on the other side of the main plate or the next wheel in the train would be brown bread too but thought it was worth mentioning. If you want to run the modded 2824 there is no stable option other than kj’s. Luck might be on your side and its just works, and i do have an example of that also on my winder, but if you want bombproof it doesn’t get any better than the solution described above.
 
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KJ2020

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KJ2020 funnily enough i was going to report back on the two beta testers ive got today. The ln has been running fine, no issues what so ever. The blnr with the replacement balance assembly was running fine until this week. It stopped and wasn’t winding so I finally opened it up today. The main spring had busted open, taking the click and the intermediate train wheel out with it. Ive replaced them and all is running well. I very much doubt it’s anything to do with what’s happening on the other side of the main plate or the next wheel in the train would be brown bread too but thought it was worth mentioning. If you want to run the modded 2824 there is no stable option other than kj’s. Luck might be on your side and its just works, and i do have an example of that also on my winder, but if you want bombproof it doesn’t get any better than the solution described above.

Damn that was a brand new main spring too. But what can you expect from s $7 Chinese part, lol. Glad you got it sorted. Once these two flaws are defused these movements run great IME. They are just 2824s after all. Simple and reliable. Really egregious there 's no IDW support arm. Those things are a pain to make, so small!
 
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Dr Fun Socks

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Damn that was a brand new main spring too. But what can you expect from s $7 Chinese part, lol. Glad you got it sorted. Once these two flaws are defused these movements run great IME. They are just 2824s after all. Simple and reliable. Really egregious there 's no IDW support arm. Those things are a pain to make, so small!

I expect them to have a few flaws designed in so they take out a few more parts and make people send a few more yen their way :p to be honest its hard to say which of the three parts went first. The intermediate train wheel came clean off its pinion. Could of been that because normally you would expect a few teeth to shear before the whole assembly implodes.

I appreciate the effort you’ve put in to sort them out mate. Found a great seller on ali for tools and movements has recently got some vrf gmt movements and all three colours of hands to suit which is useful. The movements are about £105 and the hands £25. Was going to do it for fun but all of my time
bombs are still ticking so im going to hold off!

Great seller though if he has what you need.
OULIGUAN WATCH TOOLS Store
https://a.aliexpress.com/_dY4xyyt
 

Dr Fun Socks

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Yeah ive had nothing but good experiences with the seller. Gentle over on rwg put me on to him, now im putting his kids through college :p
 

Troklo

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Damn guys the info in this thread is pure gold
Am I the only one that reads this thread super interested even though I don't plan to buy any of these movements or watches?
 
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andygrey

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Very interesting and useful thread. I have bought a GMT with an A3186 V10, do you know if the issue has been solved on this movement?
 

Dr Fun Socks

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Very interesting and useful thread. I have bought a GMT with an A3186 V10, do you know if the issue has been solved on this movement?

Nope. Noob watches all have the time bomb movements if they are chs. The ichs models should be fine though.
 
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Timerajput

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Very interesting thread, I have just recieved my Explorer 2 from GM factory and its already buggered, hour hand no longer clicking, now smooth. Also at around 10pm the hour hand will auto jump back to 9pm, when I am in position 2 i go past the 10 hour marker and the hour hand just clicks back and forth as if it is restricted to go past 10pm. Only just got it literally been 2 days, wish I knew this before. Movement is otherwise fine. Is anybody available here I can send it to rather not send it back to Chyna! Ta folks
 

Dr Fun Socks

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So ICHS are reliable? Could you suggest some factories with that movement? I am not able to find nothing...

Probably best off just getting a vrf these days. The whole chs problem was before the new arf and vrf models came out.
 
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p0pperini

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Thanks to tickleshoes and all the contributors to this invaluable thread. But with everything that's been said... I have to admit I quite like the low stakes game of Russian Roulette that owning this watch allows me to play. Today, I grabbed the GMT (as it doesn't get enough wrist time) and then sat out in the garden with my first cuppa of the day. Only then as I went to set the time/date did I notice that the date was set to the 30th - and today's the 29th.

But, I'm too lazy to go all the way back upstairs to swap watches.

So I go for the ultimate thrill-ride - using the jumping hours position to cycle all the way from 30 on, on, on around the date wheel to 29. And I didn't break it.

I tell you - I've never felt SO ALIVE!!
 

Vvvlllooo

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Thanks to tickleshoes and all the contributors to this invaluable thread. But with everything that's been said... I have to admit I quite like the low stakes game of Russian Roulette that owning this watch allows me to play. Today, I grabbed the GMT (as it doesn't get enough wrist time) and then sat out in the garden with my first cuppa of the day. Only then as I went to set the time/date did I notice that the date was set to the 30th - and today's the 29th.

But, I'm too lazy to go all the way back upstairs to swap watches.

So I go for the ultimate thrill-ride - using the jumping hours position to cycle all the way from 30 on, on, on around the date wheel to 29. And I didn't break it.

I tell you - I've never felt SO ALIVE!!

Lol
 

kennygconspiracy

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Thanks to tickleshoes and all the contributors to this invaluable thread. But with everything that's been said... I have to admit I quite like the low stakes game of Russian Roulette that owning this watch allows me to play. Today, I grabbed the GMT (as it doesn't get enough wrist time) and then sat out in the garden with my first cuppa of the day. Only then as I went to set the time/date did I notice that the date was set to the 30th - and today's the 29th.

But, I'm too lazy to go all the way back upstairs to swap watches.

So I go for the ultimate thrill-ride - using the jumping hours position to cycle all the way from 30 on, on, on around the date wheel to 29. And I didn't break it.

I tell you - I've never felt SO ALIVE!!
Going off of Fun Socks, with balls that large must be hard for you to walk, leaving giant trails in the concrete behind you like that :Spock:

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
 
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kavorca1

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You could almost hear the "rocky" theme song as he runs around with his arms up and correct date on his watch :dancing:
 
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