Can I swap differential pinion gear?

[cgenthe 0]

I've got two sets of diff/pinion gears. On one set, the diff gear has a tooth missing, but the pinion is in better shape than the one for the other set. Can I swap the pinion for the better one or will the different wear patterns just lead to trouble?

[stevasaurus 22,869]

Is it the same trans for both or a different one...let us know what tractor you are dealing with and where did you get the other trans. BTW...Welcome to Red Square The answer is yes if everything is the same. :)

[cgenthe 0]

Both sets are from the 5003 tranny. Thanks for the welcome and reply!

[sorekiwi 761]

If the gears are the same I would just go ahead and use the best gears available.

The gears in our transmissions are straight cut gears that will mesh OK. In the automotive world with gears cut on an angle and hypoid gears etc you can run into problems with the wear patterns. But on a garden tractor with probably only a couple of hundred miles on the gears, wear patterns arent really an issue. Our biggest problems are usually due to pitting from water in the trans, I dont recall ever seeing a sigbificant wear pattern on a tooth from mileage.

[cgenthe 0]

Thanks fellas, not too much knowledge about these things here in dirty jersey! People think I'm nuts when I tell them I'm restoring a tractor- that is untill they see it. Then it all makes sense!

[stevasaurus 22,869]

let us know what you find and take some pictures...we never stop learning here. :)

[cgenthe 0]

I am going to swap out the pinion gear, thanks for the advice. Some interesting things I found- on the gearbox sides, there were four small panhead screws per side that I know were not factory. Turns out, someone had drilled holes behind each bearing race in order to remove them easier- they tapped the holes and installed brass screws when they were done. Also, the axles were drilled at both ends- pretty clever, you get a 2nd virgin sealing surface on the axles. I did this on my 2nd set of axles- brand new! New brass sleeves, and seals and I should be good till I'm at least 87!

[stevasaurus 22,869]

can you take any pictures of what you are talking about...I , for one, would like to see what somebody else did to make things work...right or wrong I would like to see. :)