Gear Lightening

[alfaguy@xxxxxxxxxxxx (David J. Anderson)]

Doug Bender asked "how deep" to lighten gears.  We back-cut and removed one 
fourth the thickness from each side of 1st and 2nd for the main shaft, and 
the 5th speed cluster.  Since 1st and 2nd gears measure about 20 mm, we 
removed 5mm from each side (you must press out the syncro broached hub to 
get to the gear backsides).  Make a jig to hold the gear with the syncro 
snap ring (per instructions from Steve Schwitters - the gearbox wizard) to 
do this  The 5th speed cluster is thinner, at about 17.5mm so less was 
removed there.  Be careful on it so you do not get too close to the 
broached "splined coupling" portion and weaken the gear.  We did 101 Series 
gears and found that carbide tools would not cut the gears.  We made a jig 
to hold an electric grinder and went real slow.  This job is not for the 
faint of heart.  dave anderson, alfaguy@domain.elided     

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