A idea just popped in my head. My differntial is making alot of noises and i had a previous situation with chipped pinion gear teeth so i was thinking. Since the ring gear has short teeth, it is pretty sturdy but since the pinion gear has longer sharper teeth, its weaker so what if i take my pinion gear to a shop and tell them to duplicate it but in stronger metal such as titanium or something. Would that work. What do you guys think?

 

I think you'd also better bring along a trunk full of $$$$$$$

 

Yes, you are right but instead of spending over a grand on a new gear set, why not do this so the teeth wont chip anymore.

 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$thats what that will cost

 

you could buy another S for the cost of a titanium pinion gear

 

A custom TI shift knob is under 200, so a TI pinion gear would run under 2K, but would it be any better? TI is a strong *LIGHT* metal. Steel is probably the better choice, since pinion gear isn't a place where lightweight metals are needed. Cryo treated steel has been the usual choice for rear end gears.

 

aside from the astronomical costs of getting something like that made, the question then becomes what's going to start breaking now that the actual gears can't? Probably the differential housing....

 

I'll admit I was exaggerating but a shift knob is a simple piece to make and is made frequently, we are talking about a 1-off forged piece of titanium here... I would be SHOCKED if it came in at 2K or less

 

http://www.evertibikes.com/why_titanium.htm
"this means that titanium is nearly as strong as, but is lighter than steel"

Titanium is a great metal for a lightweight application. but steel is stronger and cheaper especially in this application. That was the point of my earlier post.

EDIT: On a strength to weight ratio, TI wins, but on a strenght to volume ratio, steel wins easily, and in a pinion gear strength is more important than weight. Now saying all that there are a few types of steel. A good stainless steel is stronger that a cast iron pinion gear in every way.
http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=53299&page=3

 

So you guys are saying, it would make more sense to duplicate the pinion gear in steel because its stronger and cheaper, correct?

maybe its not such a bad idea. I should probably do this and see how it turns out and then maybe start a mass production.