Upgrading your Gunsmith Workbench to Level 3 in ARC Raiders hits you with a harsh reality: you need 3 Rusted Gears, and they're nowhere to be found. Unlike common materials that drop everywhere, Rusted Gear spawns exclusively in Industrial Areas with frustratingly low rates. But here's the thing - knowing exactly where to look and which maps give you the best odds transforms this grind from nightmare to manageable farm.
Why Rusted Gear Farming Feels Impossible
Rusted Gear shares spawn pools with the much more common Rusted Tools, creating a lottery system that favors disappointment. On lower-difficulty maps like Dam Battlegrounds, industrial containers almost always give you tools instead of gears. You're essentially rolling dice with terrible odds.
The key insight most players miss: higher-difficulty maps dramatically improve your chances. While you'll still find plenty of Rusted Tools, the probability of scoring that precious gear increases significantly on Blue Gate and Spaceport.

Essential Preparation for Gear Farming
Before diving into industrial zones, optimize your loadout for pure efficiency:
Critical Equipment Setup
Tip
Equip augments with Safe Pockets immediately. Losing a Rusted Gear to another Raider after hours of searching feels devastating.Your goal isn't combat - it's systematic looting. Bring minimal weapons and focus on movement speed and storage capacity.
Prime Farming Location: Blue Gate Underground
The Warehouse Complex underground area on Blue Gate stands as the ultimate Rusted Gear farming destination. This massive underground parking facility contains over 40 vehicles in a concentrated area, creating the highest gear-per-minute potential in the game.

Access Routes to Underground Paradise
You can enter the underground complex through two main paths:
Route 1: Gate Control Room (Recommended)
- Enter through the Gate Control Room
- Use the zipline to descend safely into the basement
- Minimal ARC encounters
- Quick access to vehicle clusters
Route 2: Outer Gates (High Risk)
- Direct entry from the Outer Gates
- Heavy ARC presence including Bastions and Leapers
- Only attempt with strong combat loadout
Systematic Looting Strategy
Focus exclusively on vehicle engines - Rusted Gears never spawn in backseats or trunks. Check every car, truck, and bus methodically. The underground area contains distinct vehicle clusters, so work section by section to avoid missing spots.
Warning
Cars with blinking red lights have alarms. These will alert nearby ARCs and potentially other Raiders to your location.

Secondary Location: Spaceport Industrial Complex
Spaceport offers excellent Rusted Gear farming through its dense industrial buildings, though with higher competition from other players.
Priority Buildings for Gear Hunting
Rocket Assembly Building
- Contains multiple Red Lockers with high-value loot
- Frequently drops Epic weapon materials alongside gears
- Multi-level structure with numerous containers
Vehicle Maintenance Building
- Concentrated industrial containers
- Ground spawns throughout the facility
- Lower player traffic than main assembly areas
The beauty of Spaceport farming lies in the bonus loot. Even unsuccessful gear hunts yield valuable Advanced Mechanical Components and weapon upgrade materials.

Advanced Farming Techniques
Map Rotation Strategy
Don't commit to single-map farming. Rotate between Blue Gate and Spaceport to:
- Avoid spawn cooldowns
- Reduce player competition
- Maximize loot diversity
Container Priority System
Not all industrial containers offer equal Rusted Gear chances:
- Vehicle Engines (Highest priority)
- Red Industrial Lockers
- Toolboxes in industrial buildings
- Breach containers in warehouses
Timing Your Runs
Early raid timing (first 10 minutes) provides the best gear farming conditions:
- Minimal player interference
- Full container spawns
- Reduced ARC activity
What You Need for Gunsmith Level 3
Understanding the complete upgrade requirements helps you plan efficient farming routes:
Rusted Gear weighs 3KG each and sells for 2,000 Raider Coins. You can recycle them for 4 Metal Parts and 2 Mechanical Components, but save them for the workbench upgrade.
Important
Store found gears immediately in your hideout stash. Don't risk carrying multiple gears across raids.
Troubleshooting Common Farming Issues
Problem: Hours of searching with no gear drops Solution: Switch to higher-difficulty maps exclusively. Lower-tier maps have terrible gear spawn rates.
Problem: Constant player interference Solution: Farm during off-peak hours or focus on less popular underground areas.
Problem: Getting overwhelmed by ARCs Solution: Bring basic combat gear and learn ARC patrol patterns in farming areas.
The Rusted Gear grind tests your patience, but systematic farming in the right locations turns this rare material into a manageable objective. Focus on Blue Gate's underground vehicle paradise, maintain proper loadout preparation, and you'll have your Gunsmith Level 3 upgrade completed efficiently.

