has anyone used this gear drive?

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moperformance

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-350-440-DUAL-IDLER-BUSHING-INDEX-TORRINGTON-BEARING-GEAR-DRIVE-1956-1978-/261401088156[/URL]
I've been collecting parts for ever and these seem too good to be true?
Thanks in advance!
 
I've never used one, but from reading about them I don't see how they can be good. Not just this one but any with the dual idler gear setup. To me the way the idler just kind of floats it doesn't seem that they can hold an accurate mechanical timing which would also affect the ignition timing. Maybe others will chime in. These are just my personal thoughts.
 
the cam/ignition timing is the brains of the engine. it tells everything what to do and when to do it.


would you pay for a discount brain surgery? i never understood why people payed so much money to get the gear drive sound. id run a belt drive set up long before i went to a gear drive. I am a die hard timing chain guy. you get what you pay for.
 
During my build. I bought a set up like that for my 440. I tried to install it. It got bounced off the garage floor and quality chain when in!
 
I am not a fan of the Torrington type needle bearings. Too many small pieces to fail and get splattered from chit to shinola. Now, I HAD one of these.

[ame="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Idler-Timing-Gear-Drive-Set-Big-Block-Mopar-Quiet-383-426-440-3-bolt-440Q-/221157024223?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item337dfc61df&vxp=mtr"]Dual Idler Timing Gear Drive Set Big Block Mopar Quiet 383 426 440 3 Bolt 440Q | eBay[/ame]

See how it has a solid bronze thrust washer instead of the Torrington? I like those better, even though they are the "cheaper" design. More surface area for better support and no small terrifying shrapnel to go flingin around in your engine. I didn't get to use mine before I had to end up selling everything, but I gotta say, I was very impressed with the quality. I know they are total chinkesium, mine was a CAT product, but I WAS gonna use the thing. It was a good quality piece.
 
The Torrington bearings are known to fail and you may not know it until one of the pieces bounces up between the cam and lifters. The thrust washer type gear drives are the way to go. If you buy one, get it from one of the "Known" sellers (i.e. Mancini others other retailers.
 
I agree. At least that way, IF there's a warranty issue, you're dealing with someone such as Mancini instead of chasin your tail with an ebay seller.
 
Thanks everyone I appreciate the feedback. I've always used a quality dual roller and have never had any issues. Gear drives have always been out of reach financially, and I',ve never been a fan of "noisy" drives trying to sound like a blower but, I did like the amount of advance allowed and that it uses a three bolt cam. what I wish I could afford is a dry belt drive with a quick access.
Thanks again,
Bill
 
Buddy has one on a 351C, same setup and I built a 451 with same part. You set timing with either a bushing for big moves, and the multi key bottom gear for small moves. You set clearance with a piece of newspaper on a single idler ,If the gears turn blue they are too close! The floater does not have this issue as the idlers rock back and forth just a hair, setting their own clearance. Never had a torrington come apart on one of these, but did have a rocker bearing fail. Single idler had a torrington, the dual idler had a bronze bushing. They are not for everyone, once you have one, you usually get a good chain on your next build as the noise is distracting.
 
Unless youre running circle track- real high revs constantly-then stick with a double roller chain from a good company. I saw a youtube video about these same things from a engine mech with certs out the arss. Also- unless youre running insane hp= dbl roller chains are the way to go. Tried and true for years for a reason.
 
with a chain, set the cam where you want it and time the thing. now go racing and recheck everything. oh wow did it change, retarded the cam centerline and the timing. that won't happen with a gear drive. do or think what you want but a gear drive is the way to go. the only other thing is a belt drive that will keep the engine right but you have to change the belt every year. no maintenance with the gear drive.
 
I think that Pete Jackson (the original gear drive) makes a "quiet" version now.
If they only bevel the gear, it woud run alot quieter. Remember the straight cut trans and diff gears? They howl!
 
A local racin legend around here, WL Kitchens showed me a trick years ago to make gear drives completely silent. He made a jig that held the gears and tensioned them together. Took some coarse valve grinding compound and slobbed it all over all of the teeth. Then he drove the gears with a hand held drill and lapped the gears together. That was with Chevy gears, but I am sure it could be done with others. He had an El Camino with a small block and a complete exhaust and you could not hear one iota of a gear drive in that joker, but it was sure there.
 
"certs out the arss" mean nothing without common sense. I've seen master techs that didn't know their *** from a hole in the ground. Plenty of book sense but zero common or on the job sense. Could barely get the right tool out of the box for the job.
 
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