Installing T-Jet Crown Gears
For some time now, I have been using the following technique to install crown gears
in my T-Jets. I thought I would share it with you.
REQUIRED TOOLS: Wheel press, Tyco axle, calipers, race axle, and shims to control
lateral movement of the race axle.
Using the Tyco axle, install the crown gear in the chassis as shown above. Install the complete gearplate onto the chassis and measure the lateral movement of the axle. Lateral movement should be in the .008/.012 range. If it is less than .008, remove material from the right side of the boss (as shown above). If more than .012 movement is found, shim the crown gear closer to the pinion.
The next step is to remove the Tyco axle, add shims to the left side of the crown gear, and reinstall the Tyco axle. The goal here is to limit the lateral movement of the rear axle to .002/.004. This will keep the teeth of the crown gear in constant proper mesh with the 9-tooth pinion gear.
The final step is to install the race axle. I accomplish this by using my wheel press and push the race axle into place while still having the Tyco axle in the gear. (A small chamfer on the race axle is a good thing.) As you can see, the Tyco axle is simply pushed out of the way by the race axle. The good part is that the Tyco axle provides perfect alignment every time so you never screw up the axle hole in a gear or a chassis. (JWs titanium race axle shown.)