-TJ

Some of you may remember I was looking into making adj. B series cam gears about a month ago. I'm doing it.
Here's a few shots of what I'm building (compare mine to the Spoon/TODA units):
http://tjshondas.20m.com/misc/bgears.html

I don't have extra cores yet, so if interested YOU send me a set of Honda B series gears (B16A, B17A, B18A/B/C, B20B/Z, they are all the same).

What I will return to you:
(2) modified Honda B-series cam gears
(2) adjustable aluminum insert made of 7076-T6 (harder than 6061)
(8) M6 x 10 black oxide, button head screws, grade 10.9
(8) M6 Schnorr Spring washer
(2) M8 x 30 flange bolt, zinc plated, grade 10.9 (non-VTEC)
or
(2)M10 x 35 flange bolt, zinc plated, grade 10.9 (VTEC)
(2) M8 x 19 x 4 insert washer

The price is $215/pair, free shipping in the lower 48.

email schmtj@ispec.com

I've also got ZC adj. gears in the works, I'll have the pricing on those Monday (and they will be cheaper, because they require less machine work). Anyone interested in the ZC gears, please e-mail me. I'll need at least 10 people. The more that are interested, the lower the price gets.

SOHC D series are next...


[Modified by -TJ, 4:57 PM 8/22/2002]

Chugger

they look very good and i have 2 sets of stock gears too bad i just bought a set of skunk2 for 100bucks i caught a deal but none the less if i had the money all over again id buy yours
great work
if youd like you can hook me up with a set
lata
chris

-TJ

Thanks Chris. I've tried to keep the price as low as I can without paying people to buy them. Most of the cost is in the 7075-T6, and having to machine a new hub with a 4mm key broach didn't help the cost either....

tonyxcom

I think that is a little expensive considering you have to send in a "core".

Is there anything about yours that make them better then Toda, Spoon, Skunk2 etc, which are only a little bit more and don't require a core. Just asking to see what your selling point is.

-TJ

Well, sorry about the core thing, but I personally don't have 20 extra B series gears laying around and the local yards have been fairly dry lately. I have been visiting regularly and I intend to acquire as many as possible. I fully understand the inconvenience of sending the only gears you have (which are in the only car you have).

tonyxcom, the following is by no means directed at you. I've been asked the same basic questions since I started this thing, it's just my opinion of what I found on the market.

The whole reason I built these (aside from not supporting the big name companies who can get them made for less because of the large quanity they order) is to make something that was better, or to combine the best features. Funny how when an individual enthusiast tries to do this, the response is divided - I either get compliments, or I get flames...just look at the same thread over in the Integra section.

I've been told in more than a few BBS's that Toda makes Spoon's gears. They make them out of factory cores as well. I suspect the reason for the $300 price tag is that they buy new gears from Honda at whatever price. I can certainly order a set of new gears to start with, but the price goes up accordingly - there's enough whining at the current price, so we have to play the core game.

My design is exactly the same as the toda/spoon units, or as closely approximated as a couple of different pictures off the net could provide. I have not yet found any retailers that advertise what thier insert is made of. Mine is 7075. 7075 because it's a harder alloy than 6061 and I didn't want the keyway broach to get sloppy with the softer material. So, compared to toda/spoon units, the price is what makes mine better and possibly the material.

Skunk2 makes their gears out of 7075 and I like thier design as well. Mine are the same price. I can put 5* more adjustment in them if anyone wants, but there are very few situations where you need that much adjustment.

As for the rest, STR advertises that they are made of 6061. As I said above, I don't trust 6061 with the keyway. If that gets sloppy, there goes the precision adjustment. I've also seen pictures of 6061 tooth profiles that have been worn away by the timing belt - right through the annodizing. If 6061 was a viable material, why didn't Honda use it?

AEM. This is the best one to critique because they give the most info. Read their schpiel on their site http://www.aempower.com/cam_gears.htm.
Again, 6061. Here's a quote I like "AEM’s new hard-anodizing on the outer edge of the gear (right) is 40% harder than our previous anodizing process. This new anodizing procedure offers superior wear characteristics and features a titanium-look finish." Hmm. Maybe it was them who had the problem with the belt surface being eaten away by the belt. I know that performance is all about a titanium-look finish too. I gotta watch more hi-rev tuners on the speed channel.

Notice they also provide grade 8 fasteners - that's an admitted improvement over what they used to provide, read the schpiel! Mine are grade 10.9. They aren't shiny either. AEM advertises an integral washer flange for greater load distribution - translated that means the bigger flange is responsible for the fasteners ability to stay tight - a good thing especially when there are only 3 of them. I use a dual serrated Schnorr spring washer under my bolts. Check them out here http://www.schnorr.com/washer.html. The illustration should speak for itself.

tonyxcom

No problem. The information above is exactly the information that I was looking for. I just wanted to see what makes you believe your design superior....and to justify the core.

Second question. Do you use the cores that people send you for their gears, or do you work a core exchange, meaing they order gears, pay a core charge, get a set, send their stockers back and get a core refund.

What means do you use to ensure the cores are still "good".

And what would be the turn around time once you receive someones core, assuming they sent it first?

thanks.

-TJ

Sorry for the delayed response, I've been here all weekend:

Capitol Peak, near Aspen/Snowmass CO.

Currently, the way I'm doing it is you send me your gears, the machine shop cuts the middle out and drills/taps the holes in the spokes for mounting the adj. insert. I send you back what you sent me, only now, it's adjustable.
The machine shop will be finishing up all 20 of the 7075 inserts this week, as well as the customers gears that have already been sent to me.
I can do the core exchange like you describe above, but right now I'm only 2 sets ahead - I personally own two B motors. If you're interested in going the core/exchange route e-mail and we'll sort it out.
Oh, and to ensure that the cores are good, I clean them up in the solvent tank and visually inspect them before delivering them to the machine shop. The machine shop also inspects them during and after the lathe work. A final inspection of the gears is made after they have had a ride in the Fadal CNC.


[Modified by -TJ, 9:05 AM 8/26/2002]