What To Keep And What To Recycle In Arc Raiders

Arc Raiders throws a huge mix of resources, trinkets, crafting pieces, and random junk at you while you’re looting topside. The problem is the game never really tells you what’s actually important later on. That’s why so many players end up kicking themselves after recycling something rare—like Rusted Gears—only to realize those are needed for major upgrades such as the Gunsmith.

Between powering up Scrappy, leveling your stations, and preparing for the Expedition that lets you prestige your account, there are a lot of items you should never scrap. In this guide, you’ll find a clear breakdown of what’s safe to recycle and which materials you should always keep stored in your stash so you don’t get stuck later.

Quest Items You Should Never Recycle

Arc Raiders has a long list of quests that require very specific items, and once you scrap them, they’re gone for good. To save yourself from unnecessary backtracking, here’s an organized breakdown of the quest-locked items you should always keep in your stash:

• What Goes Around — Fireball Burner (x1)
• The Trifecta — Snitch Scanner (x2)
• Small, But Sinister — Tick Pod (x1)
• Wasps and Hornets — Hornet Driver (x3)
• Wasps and Hornets — Wasp Driver (x3)
• Unexpected Initiative — Water Pump (x1), Fertilizer (x1)
• Clearer Skies — Arc Alloy (x3)
• Trash Into Treasure — Wires (x6), Battery (x1)
• Out Of The Shadows — Rocketeer Driver (x1)
• Mixed Signals — Surveyor Vault (x1)
• Doctor’s Orders — Antiseptic (x2), Syringe (x1), Durable Cloth (x1), Great Mullein (x1)
• Into The Fray — Leaper Pulse Unit (x1)
• After Rain Comes — Battery (x2), Wire (x5)
• Tribute To Toledo — Power Rod (x1)

These items are all tied directly to quests, so make sure you stash them as soon as you find them. Recycling or selling them will only slow down your progression later.

Bench Upgrade Materials You Should Always Keep

Upgrading your stations in Arc Raiders takes a surprising amount of rare components, and if you recycle the wrong thing, you’ll slow your entire progression. To make things easier, here’s a complete breakdown of the items you must save because they’re required for specific bench upgrades.

Advanced Electrical Components (x10)
• 5 for Gear Bench Level 3
• 5 for Utility Station Level 3

Advanced Mechanical Components (x5)
• Needed for Gunsmith Level 3

Antiseptic (x8)
• Required for Medical Lab Level 3

Apricots (x15)
• 3 for Scrappy Level 3
• 12 for Scrappy Level 5

Arc Circuitry (x10)
• Used for Refiner Level 3

Arc Motion Core (x5)
• Refiner Level 2 upgrade

Bastion Cell (x6)
• Gear Bench Level 3

Bombardier Cell (x6)
• Refiner Level 3

Cat Bed (x1)
• Scrappy Level 4

Cracked Bioscanner (x2)
• Medical Lab Level 2

Crude Explosives (x2)
• Explosives Station Level 2

Damaged Heat Sink (x2)
• Utility Station Level 2

Dog Collar (x1)
• Scrappy Level 1

Explosive Compound (x5)
• Explosives Station Level 3

Fireball Burner (x8)
• Refiner Level 2

Fried Motherboard (x3)
• Utility Station Level 3

Hornet Driver (x5)
• Gear Bench Level 2

Industrial Battery (x3)
• Gear Bench Level 3

Laboratory Reagents (x3)
• Explosives Station Level 3

Leaper Pulse Unit (x4)
• Utility Station Level 3

Lemon (x3)
• Scrappy Level 3

Motor (x3)
• Refiner Level 3

Mushrooms (x12)
• Scrappy Level 5

Olives (x6)
• Scrappy Level 4

Pop Trigger (x5)
• Explosives Station Level 2

Power Cable (x3)
• Gear Bench Level 2

Prickly Pear (x6)
• Scrappy Level 4

Rocketeer Driver (x3)
• Explosives Station Level 3

Rusted Gears (x3)
• Gunsmith Level 3

Rusted Shut Medical Kit (x3)
• Medical Lab Level 3

Rusted Tools (x3)
• Gunsmith Level 2

Sentinel Firing Core (x4)
• Gunsmith Level 3

Snitch Scanner (x6)
• Utility Station Level 2

Surveyor Vault (x5)
• Medical Lab Level 3

Synthesized Fuel (x3)
• Explosives Station Level 2

Tick Pod (x8)
• Medical Lab Level 2

Toaster (x3)
• Refiner Level 2

Very Comfortable Pillow (x3)
• Scrappy Level 5

Wasp Driver (x8)
• Gunsmith Level 2

Keeping these items stored will ensure you never hit an unexpected upgrade roadblock. Anything not listed here? Safe to salvage.

Expedition Materials You Must Save

After you’ve upgraded your benches and wrapped up all your other progression goals, the last major step in Arc Raiders is sending your character on an Expedition to prestige your account. This final stage requires a specific list of materials, and if you don’t prepare early, you’ll end up scrambling for items you accidentally recycled. Here’s everything you need for each Expedition phase:

Phase 2 – Core Systems
• 5 Cooling Fans

Phase 3 – Framework
• 1 Exodus Module
• 5 Light Bulbs
• 20 Sensors

Phase 4 – Outfitting
• 5 Advanced Electrical Components
• 5 Humidifiers
• 3 Leaper Pulse Units
• 3 Magnetic Accelerators

Make sure you stash these items as you play. Expedition requirements can take a while to gather, and keeping this list in mind will save you from wasting rare materials later.

Conclusion

Managing your inventory in Arc Raiders is just as important as surviving the raids themselves, and knowing what to keep versus what to scrap can save you from a lot of frustration later. With so many quest items, upgrade materials, and Expedition requirements, every decision you make in your stash matters. By holding onto the key components listed in this guide and recycling only the items that are truly safe to break down, you’ll stay ready for every bench upgrade, Scrappy improvement, and late-game milestone the game throws your way. Stay organized, plan ahead, and you’ll progress through Arc Raiders far smoother than players who recycle blindly.