Struggling to find Rusted Gears in Arc Raiders? You’re not alone. These rare materials are essential for upgrading your Gunsmith to level 3, but they’re incredibly difficult to locate. Many players spend hours searching without success. This comprehensive guide reveals exactly where to find Rusted Gears, the best farming strategies, and how to use them effectively for your workshop upgrades.
Key Takeaways
- Best Locations: Rusted Gears spawn primarily in Parking Garage (Buried City), Warehouse Complex (Blue Gate), and Rocket Assembly (Space Port)
- Farming Strategy: Focus on looting cars rather than containers for higher success rates
- Workshop Upgrade: Required for Gunsmith II to Gunsmith III upgrade (need 3x Rusted Gears)
- Recycling Value: Can be recycled into 4x Metal Parts + 2x Mechanical Components or salvaged for 12x Metal Parts
- Pro Tip: Use free loadouts when farming to avoid losing valuable gear during unsuccessful runs
What Are Rusted Gears in Arc Raiders?
Rusted Gears are rare crafting materials in Arc Raiders that play a crucial role in your progression through the game. These items appear as decayed, corroded mechanical components that have been weathered by time and exposure to the elements. As a rare item, Rusted Gears have a distinctive purple glow when you approach them, making them slightly easier to spot among other loot.
In the world of Arc Raiders, Rusted Gears weigh 3KG each and you can carry up to 3 of them in a single stack. If you choose to sell them instead of using them for upgrades, each Rusted Gear will fetch you 2000 credits from vendors. However, selling them is rarely the best choice since they’re essential for advancing your crafting capabilities.
The primary importance of Rusted Gears lies in their role for workshop upgrades, specifically for upgrading your Gunsmith from level 2 to level 3. This upgrade unlocks the ability to craft more powerful weapons and advanced ammunition, giving you a significant advantage in both PvE and PvP encounters. Without Rusted Gears, your progression in the Arc Raiders extraction game will be severely limited.
Where to Find Rusted Gear in Arc Raiders?
Best Industrial Areas for Rusted Gear?
Rusted Gears are primarily found in industrial areas across all maps in Arc Raiders. These zones are marked on your map with building-like icons and typically contain factories, warehouses, and mechanical facilities. Industrial areas are dangerous zones filled with ARC enemies and often contested by other players, but they offer the highest chance of finding Rusted Gears.
While it’s technically possible to find Rusted Gears outside of industrial areas, the spawn rate drops dramatically. Your time is much better spent focusing on these high-risk, high-reward zones rather than searching in residential or natural areas. The industrial areas in Arc Raiders are designed to be challenging, so come prepared with good weapons and plenty of ammunition.
Parking Garage in Buried City?
The Parking Garage in Buried City stands out as one of the most reliable locations for finding Rusted Gears. This multi-level structure contains numerous cars, which are the primary spawn points for these rare items. Each floor of the parking garage has the potential to spawn Rusted Gears, with many players reporting success finding one on each floor during a single raid.
To maximize your chances in the Parking Garage, start from the top floor and work your way down. Check every car thoroughly, as Rusted Gears can sometimes be hidden in trunks or under hoods that need to be breached. The Parking Garage is particularly effective during night raids or specific map conditions that seem to increase spawn rates for rare items like Rusted Gears.
Warehouse Complex in Blue Gate?
The Warehouse Complex in Blue Gate is another excellent location for Rusted Gear farming. This area features a large basement warehouse filled with cars, trucks, and storage containers. Many players consider this the most consistent spot for finding multiple Rusted Gears in a single run.
When exploring the Warehouse Complex, focus your attention on the basement level where cars are parked. The trucks and larger vehicles in this area have a higher chance of containing Rusted Gears compared to smaller cars. This location can be heavily contested by other players who also know its value, so consider going during off-peak hours or be prepared for potential combat.
Rocket Assembly Building in Space Port?
The Rocket Assembly Building in Space Port offers a third reliable location for Rusted Gears. This industrial facility contains red lockers and various mechanical components where Rusted Gears can spawn. The building is large and complex, providing plenty of opportunities for thorough searching.
In the Rocket Assembly Building, your primary targets should be the red lockers scattered throughout the facility. These distinctive containers have a higher chance of containing rare materials like Rusted Gears compared to standard containers. The building’s layout also provides good cover if you need to defend yourself against ARC enemies or other players.
Should You Focus on Cars or Containers?
Based on extensive player testing and community reports, cars are significantly better targets for finding Rusted Gears than containers. While containers might seem more obvious loot targets, they’re often heavily contested by other players and have lower spawn rates for Rusted Gears.
Cars, especially in the recommended locations, offer several advantages:
- Less contested by other players
- Higher spawn rates for Rusted Gears
- Easier to search quickly
- Provide cover while looting
When searching cars, focus on larger vehicles like trucks and industrial vehicles. These have more storage compartments and higher chances of containing rare items. Remember that you’ll often need to breach car hoods or trunks to access the loot, which creates noise and can attract enemies. Plan your escape routes accordingly.
Best Tips for Farming Rusted Gear?
What Loadout Should You Use?
When farming for Rusted Gears, always use a free loadout provided by the game. Since your primary goal is to locate and extract with these rare materials, there’s no need to risk losing your valuable gear and weapons. Free loadouts provide enough firepower to handle basic ARC threats while keeping your inventory clear for collecting Rusted Gears.
A good farming loadout should include:
- A reliable mid-range weapon for dealing with ARC enemies
- Basic armor for protection
- Plenty of inventory space for Rusted Gears
- Fast movement equipment for quick escapes
The goal is to get in, collect the Rusted Gears, and get out as efficiently as possible. Free loadouts achieve this perfectly without putting your progression at risk.
Do Map Conditions Affect Spawn Rates?
Many players in the Arc Raiders community believe that specific map conditions affect Rusted Gear spawn rates. While the developers haven’t officially confirmed this, extensive player testing suggests that certain conditions do increase your chances of finding these rare items.
Night raids and weather conditions like rain appear to have higher spawn rates for Rusted Gears. The theory is that these conditions make the game more challenging, so the reward system compensates with better loot. Additionally, some players report better success during special events or when the server population is lower.
To take advantage of potential condition-based spawn rate increases, consider farming during:
- Night raids
- Rainy weather
- Low server population times
- Special game events
How to Avoid Enemies While Farming?
Avoiding enemies is crucial when farming for Rusted Gears, as combat can waste valuable time and put your collected items at risk. Here are some effective strategies for staying safe while farming:
- Move quietly: Crouch walk and avoid running to reduce noise
- Use cover: Stay behind cars and containers to break line of sight
- Plan escape routes: Always know where you can run if spotted
- Avoid high-traffic areas: Stick to less popular parts of industrial zones
- Time your movements: Move when ARC enemies are patrolling away from your position
Remember that other players are often more dangerous than ARC enemies when farming. If you encounter other players looking for Rusted Gears, consider teaming up temporarily or avoiding conflict altogether. Your goal is to collect materials, not win every fight.
What Time of Day is Best for Farming?
The best time for farming Rusted Gears depends on several factors, including server population and your personal schedule. However, most players report better success during early morning or late night hours when fewer players are online.
Off-peak hours offer several advantages:
- Less competition for loot
- Fewer player encounters
- Potentially better server performance
- More time to search thoroughly
If you can only play during peak hours, consider choosing less popular maps or focusing on the most remote corners of industrial areas. The key is to find locations where other players are less likely to go, giving you exclusive access to the Rusted Gear spawns.
What Can You Do With Rusted Gears?
How to Upgrade Gunsmith with Rusted Gears?
The primary use of Rusted Gears in Arc Raiders is upgrading your Gunsmith from level 2 to level 3. This upgrade is essential for progressing your crafting capabilities and unlocking more powerful weapons. To complete this upgrade, you’ll need:
- 3x Rusted Gear
- 5x Advanced Mechanical Components
- 4x Sentinel Firing Core
Once you have these materials, visit your workshop and select the Gunsmith upgrade option. The upgrade process takes time, but the result is well worth the effort. A level 3 Gunsmith allows you to craft advanced weapons and high-quality ammunition that can significantly improve your performance in raids.
This upgrade is particularly important for players who want to become self-sufficient rather than relying on looted weapons. With a level 3 Gunsmith, you can replace lost gear more easily and maintain a steady supply of powerful weapons regardless of how your raids go.
Should You Recycle or Salvage Rusted Gears?
If you have extra Rusted Gears beyond what you need for upgrades, you have two options: recycle or salvage them. Each option provides different materials and serves different purposes.
Recycling one Rusted Gear gives you:
- 4x Metal Parts
- 2x Mechanical Components
Salvaging one Rusted Gear gives you:
- 12x Metal Parts
The choice between recycling and salvaging depends on your current needs. If you need both Metal Parts and Mechanical Components for other crafting projects, recycling is the better option. If you only need Metal Parts and want to maximize your quantity, salvaging provides more total materials.
Generally, recycling is more valuable for most players since Mechanical Components are often harder to obtain than Metal Parts. However, if you have a specific project that requires large amounts of Metal Parts, salvaging might be the right choice.
Are Rusted Gears Worth Selling?
While you can sell Rusted Gears for 2000 credits each, this is rarely the best use of these valuable items. The progression advantage you gain from upgrading your Gunsmith to level 3 is worth far more than the credits you’d receive from selling Rusted Gears.
Consider selling Rusted Gears only if:
- You have already upgraded your Gunsmith to level 3
- You have a large surplus of Rusted Gears (more than 10)
- You urgently need credits for a specific purchase
- You’re planning to stop playing the game soon
In almost all other situations, keeping Rusted Gears for upgrades or recycling them into crafting materials is the better choice. The long-term benefits of having a fully upgraded workshop far outweigh the short-term credit gain from selling these rare items.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you find the Rusted Gear?
Rusted Gears are primarily found in industrial areas across all maps in Arc Raiders. The best locations include the Parking Garage in Buried City, the Warehouse Complex in Blue Gate, and the Rocket Assembly building in Space Port. Focus on searching cars rather than containers, as vehicles have a higher spawn rate for these rare items. Remember that industrial areas are dangerous, so come prepared for combat with both ARC enemies and other players.
What’s the best location to find Rusted Gears?
Based on community testing and player reports, the Warehouse Complex in Blue Gate is considered the best location for finding Rusted Gears. This area has a high concentration of cars in the basement level, with many players reporting success finding multiple Rusted Gears in a single run. The Parking Garage in Buried City is a close second, especially during night raids or specific map conditions that seem to increase spawn rates.
Are Rusted Gears only found in industrial areas?
While Rusted Gears are primarily found in industrial areas, it’s technically possible to find them in other locations. However, the spawn rate outside of industrial zones is dramatically lower, making it not worth your time to search elsewhere. Industrial areas are marked with building-like icons on your map and typically contain factories, warehouses, and mechanical facilities. Focus your efforts on these zones for the best results.
Do map conditions affect Rusted Gear spawn rates?
Many players believe that map conditions do affect Rusted Gear spawn rates, though this hasn’t been officially confirmed by developers. Community reports suggest that night raids, rainy weather, and special events may increase spawn rates for rare items like Rusted Gears. The theory is that these more challenging conditions trigger the game’s reward system to provide better loot. While not guaranteed, it’s worth farming during these conditions if possible.
What are Rusted Gears used for in Arc Raiders?
Rusted Gears have three main uses in Arc Raiders. The primary use is upgrading your Gunsmith from level 2 to level 3, which requires 3 Rusted Gears along with other materials. You can also recycle Rusted Gears into 4x Metal Parts and 2x Mechanical Components, or salvage them for 12x Metal Parts. Additionally, you can sell Rusted Gears for 2000 credits each, though this is generally not recommended due to their importance for progression.
Should I focus on looting cars or containers for Rusted Gears?
You should definitely focus on looting cars rather than containers when looking for Rusted Gears. Cars have a significantly higher spawn rate for these rare items compared to containers. Additionally, cars are less contested by other players, giving you more time to search thoroughly. When searching cars, prioritize larger vehicles like trucks and industrial vehicles, as they have more storage compartments and higher chances of containing rare items like Rusted Gears.
How many Rusted Gears do I need for workshop upgrades?
You need 3 Rusted Gears to upgrade your Gunsmith from level 2 to level 3. This upgrade also requires 5x Advanced Mechanical Components and 4x Sentinel Firing Core. The Gunsmith upgrade is essential for progressing your crafting capabilities and unlocking more powerful weapons. Beyond this upgrade, there are currently no other workshop upgrades that require Rusted Gears, making 3 the magic number to aim for in your farming efforts.
Final Wordings
Finding Rusted Gears in Arc Raiders doesn’t have to be a frustrating experience. With the right locations, strategies, and preparation, you can efficiently collect these essential materials and upgrade your workshop. Remember to focus on industrial areas, prioritize cars over containers, and use free loadouts to minimize risk. For more Arc Raiders guides and tips, check out our Arc Raiders materials farming guide and best items to loot for profit. Happy hunting, and may your Rusted Gear collection grow quickly!
