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Noob Rolex Explorer II 42mm 216570 2836 CHS GMT Spring Issue

rs1984

rs1984

Getting To Know The Place
9/10/12
56
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Hello folks,
As the title says, my Explorer 2 has a broken GMT spring, which means the hour hand stops at around half past nine.
Now my question to you is whether it makes sense to install a new, reinforced spring or to install a completely new movement.
I'm not sure which movements would fit, at the moment a 2836 with CHS is installed.
Found these works VR3285 or VR3186. I would also like to reuse my built-in hands.

Thanks in advance

 
rs1984

rs1984

Getting To Know The Place
9/10/12
56
13
8
Would like to know if the movements VR3285 or VR3186 fit in this case?
 
KJ2020

KJ2020

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There have been a few highly skilled modders who have made custom true clone GMT movements work in one of these ETA cases.

The relatively new GMT or CLEAN 3285 movements for this model probably would not fit in the case as these movements were made slightly larger in diameter than the 3186. A 3186 would not work because the datewheel is not correct, it is too close to the dial center hole.

Any 31xx or 32xx option would require a new set of hands.

Your more realistic options:

1. The GMT wheel that contains the jump click can have glue added to it which will permanently lock the hour hand to the GMT hand, but they will both work. You create a GMT offset when pressing the hands and then they are forever synched. A 24 hour hand rotation is necessary for a date change, as hour jumping is no longer operational. Note that it is also possible to mod the mainplate to implement a quickset date change, with or without a glued GMT wheel.

2. Replace the jump click, preferably with the stronger one.

3. Change to a 2836 ICHS movement. This movement has a quickset date change.

More info on these options can be found in the threads below.

Mods for the GMT timebomb

Fix for the GMT timebomb movement

Swap CHS to ICHS
 
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rs1984

rs1984

Getting To Know The Place
9/10/12
56
13
8
KJ2020 said:
There have been a few highly skilled modders who have made custom true clone GMT movements work in one of these ETA cases.

The relatively new GMT or CLEAN 3285 movements for this model probably would not fit in the case as these movements were made slightly larger in diameter than the 3186. A 3186 would not work because the datewheel is not correct, it is too close to the dial center hole.

Any 31xx or 32xx option would require a new set of hands.

Your more realistic options:

1. The hour wheel that contains the jump click can have glue added to it which will permanently lock the hour hand to the GMT hand, but they will both work. You create a GMT offset when pressing the hands and then they are forever synched. A 24 hour hand rotation is necessary for a date change, as hour jumping is no longer operational.

2. Replace the jump click, preferably with the stronger one.

3. Change to a 2836 ICHS movement.

More info on these options can be found in the threads below.

Mods for the GMT timebomb

Fix for the GMT timebomb movement

Swap CHS to ICHS
Click to expand...
Thank you, KJ2020

Can i use this movement? https://a.aliexpress.com/_Ev3AbOL
 
rs1984

rs1984

Getting To Know The Place
9/10/12
56
13
8
When i use the 2386 ICHS, i also need new hands right? Where can i find it?
 
KJ2020

KJ2020

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That movement is correct. You will have to swap over your datewheel overlay (DWO) because the EXP 42 DW position is further right than any 2836 DWO (other than a specific 2836 EXP 42 DWO) provides for. Also your CHS movement is a 2824, not a 2836 so the DW teeth are not elevated like on a 2836. This means you will have to slice off the DWO from both old and new movements and reglue the old DWO onto the new DW.

Regarding hands, only the hour and GMT hands need replacing but for lume matching you probably should replace them all. You'll have to search on here (post a WTB) or AliX for hands. Note that NH34 (Seiko) hour and minute hands are interchangeable with 2836 but GMT and seconds hands are not.
 
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rs1984

rs1984

Getting To Know The Place
9/10/12
56
13
8
KJ2020 said:
That movement is correct. You will have to swap over your datewheel overlay (DWO) because the EXP 42 DW position is further right than any 2836 DWO (other than a specific 2836 EXP 42 DWO) provides for. Also your CHS movement is a 2824, not a 2836 so the DW teeth are not elevated like on a 2836. This means you will have to slice off the DWO from both old and new movements and reglue the old DWO onto the new DW.

Regarding hands, only the hour and GMT hands need replacing but for lume matching you probably should replace them all. You'll have to search on here (post a WTB) or AliX for hands. Note that NH34 (Seiko) hour and minute hands are interchangeable with 2836 but GMT and seconds hands are not.
Click to expand...
Is it difficult? I'm a newbie and don't know if I can do it
 
KJ2020

KJ2020

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rs1984 said:
THX
What about this movement? the datewheel position is more to the right?
Click to expand...
That movement is just like the first one without a ROLEX font DWO. Coincidentally, the DW positions of ETAs and DGs line up with the Rolex EXP 42 and DJ41. The other common smaller diameter models have the date window shifted left which is one reason a DWO is needed. The other reason is to provide ROLEX fonts, which this second movement does not do.

So the only real advantage to it is you don't have to slice off a DWO before gluing your old one on. Even if you wanted to live with the non ROLEX font DW, your EXP 42 date window is likely wide enough it would show some DW edges. That's why DWOs are wider.
 
KJ2020

KJ2020

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If you have never done a DWO swap before, you probably should let someone more experienced do it for you. There is a learning curve and it can take multiple placement iterations and adjustments to get every number centered in the window. I've done dozens of them and just last week had to remove hands, dial and DWO to start over after one cured slightly high on a few numbers, arghh. I didn't catch it in time. It isn't fun and requires extreme patience and attention to detail.
 
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KJ2020

KJ2020

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That a nice find bro, the DW is in the right place for an EXP 42 and it has ROLEX fonts. The only problem is it isn't a GMT movement, heh.

You could however buy it and any other 2836 GMT movement and simply swap the DWs. That's much easier than swapping DWOs. Then you could use or resell the plain 2836 with a ROLEX font DWO in the shifted left position for use on a smaller diameter dial.
 
KJ2020

KJ2020

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Or buy this kit and convert it to a GMT 2836

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
$10.87 50%OFF | Movement Accessories 2836 Modified To GMT Four Needle Universal ETA-2836 Hangzhou 2836 Greenwich Movement
 
KJ2020

KJ2020

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The 2836 ICHS GMT wheel is not the same outside diameter as the 2824 CHS GMT wheel.

However the click springs are both the same and are interchangeable. So you could just buy the kit, scavenge the click spring from the GMT wheel and replace the broken one in your 2824 CHS movement. This was Option 2 mentioned in my first reply.

2824 CHS on left
KQg212.jpeg


KQgfqn.jpeg


KQgA4E.jpeg


The reason the click spring breaks often in the 2824 CHS and never in the 2836 ICHS is that in the 2824 a lot of stress is imposed on the spring when you hour jump through a date change. There is back pressure put on the spring as the calendar parts are forced to move. The click spring is weaker than the datewheel driving wheel spring, which has to be overcome with every date change.

So the way to avoid this excess stress on a 2824 CHS jump click is not to change the date using hour jumping. Rather, switch to time setting stem position from 10PM - 2AM during the date change, then switch back to hour jumping for further date changes til 10 PM again. If you adhere to this practice, the skinny little weak click spring will last. I have several that are 5 and 6 years old.

The click spring in the 2836 ICHS GMT just jumps the GMT hand which is not connected to the calendar parts.
 
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rs1984

rs1984

Getting To Know The Place
9/10/12
56
13
8
KJ2020 said:
Or buy this kit and convert it to a GMT 2836

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
$10.87 50%OFF | Movement Accessories 2836 Modified To GMT Four Needle Universal ETA-2836 Hangzhou 2836 Greenwich Movement
Click to expand...
Yes, this is great but unfortunately he doesn't ship it to my country. I can not buy it.
 
KJ2020

KJ2020

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