12 replies to this topic

[Alchemist]

When you are building an anglewinder chassis, do you prefer to set your gear mesh by moving the motor and then soldering it in place or do you prefer to move the gear?

Thank you.

Ernie

[Nebraska Man]

When you are building an anglewinder chassis, do you prefer to set your gear mesh by moving the motor and then soldering it in place or do you prefer to move the gear?

Thank you.

Ernie

Ernie

I prefer to move the motor around. that way you can get a good gear mesh. and also with moving the motor you can get the motor in a

good spot on the chassis for good weight transfer.

Clark

[Mark Wampler]

Ernie

I prefer to move the motor around. that way you can get a good gear mesh. and also with moving the motor you can get the motor in a

good spot on the chassis for good weight transfer.

Clark

Here's what I do. I solder the motor where I want while fitting it against the spur gear, not too snug, WITH an extra axle spacer behind the spur gear. After soldering, remove the extra spacer and you should have a good mesh. Use the medium .024 (I think) spacers, not the real skinny ones.

[68Caddy]

Mark what are you saying? Are you agreeing or.....?


Nesta

[Pablo]

Mark's method works well.
Here is another: Put a THIN cash register receipt between the gears, mesh them tight, tack solder only. Remove paper, test. If it's perfect, solder it home. If it's not, fiddle with it. Then solder for good.

[Zippity]

Even better still, place a scrap piece of the cardboard from the packet your gear came in between the motor and the axle and then place one layer of the plastic from the same bag between the pinion and the spur gear.

Now hold the motor and the pinion hard up against both the axle and gear and solder into place

[Slotgeezer]

Hi, Ernie!

When I start a new project, I always assemble the rear axle set-up, complete w/ tires & gears, & then measure the distance between the oilites to find the proper length of rear axle tube to cut... Plus, I always put spacers between everything, so that if I make a mistake, I can re-arrange the spacers to re-center the back axle assembly on the finished chassis... Tire, spacer, gear, spacer, oilite, then a reversed oilite, spacer, & the other tire... Set the rear track width at whatever is maximum, & measure between the oilites...

Now... I usually set the rear axle gear in the car, w/ the opposite wheel on the axle, to hold everything in-place... Then, I put two ( 2 ) axle spacers between the gear & the oilite or bearing... I use a flat surface, like a test-block to hold everything flat ( very important for quiet gears & best power transfer ), & put the motor in the chassis, & then either bolt it in place using my motor screws, or I solder it in... No backlash on the gears, not really tight against each other, but snug... When I'm finished mounting the motor in, & remove the washers, & add enough washers to give just a trace of gear backlash...

Now, as I run the car, the gears will 'break-in', & the backlash will increase... So, I'll add enough thin spacers between the oilite / bearing & the gear to take-up the excess gear backlash... Remember, I had a spacer between the gear-side tire & the gear... Now, after the gears have worn-in, that spacer won't be there, usually... I've removed it so I can add thin spacers, to adjust the backlash...

It truly does take more time to descibe the entire procedure that it acually takes, but I figured others might benefit from hearing how I finally learned how to do it...

Take care, Ernie!... & good racing!


Jeff Easterly

[Mark Wampler]

Mark's method works well.
Here is another: Put a THIN cash register receipt between the gears, mesh them tight, tack solder only. Remove paper, test. If it's perfect, solder it home. If it's not, fiddle with it. Then solder for good.

Very similar to yours is wad up two lane stickers and jamb them in the gears, lol. Whatever works.

[Wizard Of Iz]

Even better still, place a scrap piece of the cardboard from the packet your gear came in between the motor and the axle and then place one layer of the plastic from the same bag between the pinion and the spur gear.

Now hold the motor and the pinion hard up against both the axle and gear and solder into place

Might know some guys who use "leftover" Joker rolling papers to set the mesh.

I like to use folded scrap window mask paper to keep the motor off of the axle.

[Bill from NH]

I'm a cash register receipt guy like Pablo.

[Guy Spaulding]

Another idea - Use enough washers so the spur lines up with the middle of the pinion. Then use your favorite method of obtaining the desired gear mesh. Then, if you want to try a different ratio, add or remove washers and reassemble the axle with a bigger or smaller spur.

[Alchemist]

Jeff,

Thank you for your detailed explanation it is greatly appreciated as well as everyone else's input. Thank you for sharing your methods.

Ernie

[idare2bdul]

Nobody else uses my method of setting it up slightly tight and then hitting the wall to adjust it? I use the washer method. You want the tooth of the pinion to just miss bottoming in the spur gear. You usually want the motor as close to the axle as possible. What ever method floats yer boat to get you there.