gear sets...

[wca_tim]

Don, Bond-o (others if you like). To the extent you can tell from the pics, what do you think about the following two gear sets wear / wear patterns? Mainly in the context of using either... the first two pics are one, the second two another. Thanks for any time you spend schoolin me / us...

set 1:

set 2:

 

[Pete104]

Re: gear sets...

Why are you showing us these gears?
Clean oil, they'll last for ever! I bet Bond-O can find somethin'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Don S]

Re: gear sets...

Not too bad. Just make sure you have the proper preloads then gear heights and backlash readings.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: gear sets...

Thank You Don. Will do on preload and backlash, etc...

The first ones don't even look like they've worn through the originally machining marks, the second look a lot more worn and are shiny, but with no chips or pitting, etc... I've got a couple more sets from drives i've run. it has become very apparent from looking carefully at them how much of a difference horsepower makes in the way they wear. those are pretty puny gears...

Here's another set... for those who like a little carnage...

 

[Pete104]

Re: gear sets...

Sure, now tell the story!

By the way, your correct in the horsepower theory. But, if you care that much about an Alpha, why aggravate yourself?

 

[wca_tim]

Re: gear sets...

the broken gearset is 1.32 ratio out of an alpha ss drive I broke... The more worn (second) set above are out of a 1.5 ratio drive i ran for a while before I threw a ujoint and broke a gimbal housing. The first set is a 1.84 upper I recently picked up as part of a whole drive for next to nothing. The amount (lack of) of wear on those - even abused as they must have been - is nothing compared to the wear on the 1.84 upper gears I ran hard behind my current 383 before I started to lose a bearing. One of the two pars is going back in the short drive. It'll be faster with the 1.84 - to the point where I can't get props (ie over 30"), sooo I'll probably go with 1.5 gears first so I don't run out of prop options. The timkin stamped bearings on the 1.5 gears both turn the smoothest as well... so there it is. In the interum, we're using a 1.6 gear sei drive until I get the other back together.. clear as mud?

 

[Bondo]

Re: gear sets...

clear as mud?

Ayuh,.... Perfectly....

Too Bad, they don't still make the 1.32s anymore, ain't it....

 

[wca_tim]

Re: gear sets...

yep, for anumber of reasons. I didn't appreciate the difference the ratios made in cooling capacity (both for the drive upper and for the engine) until recently. At least I can still get the gear set to rebuild the drive to that if want to. It's not the ratio I would have chosen anyhow,but the ss drives arehard tocome by so it'swhat I ran acrossin good shape for the right price. The really irritating part is that it was entirely my fault that it broke - I screwedupwhen Imounted it and got the water in it. Live and learn I suppose. :-(

I do greatly appreciate all I've learned from you, Don and others - it's nice that I don't have to learn every lesson by trial and error....

a couple chores to do and then the water is calling my name... ;-)


ps. I was very surprised that the "heavy duty" 1.32 gears didn't seem any more robust looking than the "regular gears". What's up with that?

 

[Bondo]

Re: gear sets...

ps. I was very surprised that the "heavy duty" 1.32 gears didn't seem any more robust looking than the "regular gears". What's up with that?

Ayuh,... It's the Ratio, not the physical gears that makes the Difference....

 

[wca_tim]

Re: gear sets...

Once again, experience proves that water is an insufficient lubricant for this application.

what I learned the hard way this time btw, is that the alpha one ss upper has a little different nose - it's slightly narrower at the end, is stepped with no taper and is a little longer longer (over 1/8 inch). It either needs a slightly different front seal or at least careful attention to be sure the seal remains in place when attaching the drive. I apparently boogered up the seal between the drive and gimbal housing when putting the drive on and got water in the bellows - then of course it leaked into the upper drive made a milk shake out of the gear lube in the upper and carnage ensued. The front bearing assembly won't even turn by hand. At least the housing is still usable and the lower unit with the completely obsolete verticle shaft is in good shape. I'll just put the entire guts from the 1.5 upper in it for now... (set preload, gear positions and backlash, disassemble and clean the lower, etc.). The shorter cle gearcase runs a solid 6-8 mph faster, handles better and yields a good bit better fuel economy than the standard drives do on my boat.