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[Dennis]

I'd say, just try it. You've had them lightened already and sacrificed a gearset from one of your boxes for it. If you blow your box up, pity. If you throw the gears away or store them, pity. So eitherway you've lost money but if you try it and it works, GREAT!

Installing the box (and taking it out again, IF you blow it up) is free.

I like it THAT you've done it. Install and TEST.............

[Mats]

a good case is a pity to ruin too and scattering metal fragments and hypoid oil all over the road/ track can be very dangerous.

Use common sense...

[Micke]

You must be a real GURU to tell only from this picture that they will break.

Whether they do or not, I'm interested and I'll wait to hear the answer after the box is hard driven.

As for if it makes sense or not, I have a clear meaning.
For street - NO. If you have too much $ you can ligthen the gears a bit but why take a risk.

For racing, of course. This will make the shifts faster. However, changing to a lighter (as in less inertia) clutch disk is much more important.

You cannot compare the clutch disk and gear inertia to the flywheels and clutch assy. The latter are also important as they save power for accelerating the car instead of rotating masses but the earlier also improve shifting speed (and syncro life)

[zambon]

Pancho-
Not to come across rude, but where were your words before I did the lightening? I looked for a horror story but found none. Now, that said, I and I am sure everybody else would like to know more about the broken gear. What gear was it that failed? What was the nature of the failure? Did the gear explode sending shrapnel everwhere or was it a benign ¨separation¨ resulting in little more than a broken gear?
I intend to reinstall the box and see what happens. I dont think I have reason to believe at this point that I am creating a huge safety risk with this thing. What about the point on the link about the dog ring? That thing is very very thin.
Thanks to everybody who has given their opinion so far, even if it is not what I want to hear

[Que Boludo]

The main problem on heli gears it that they produce axial load this is what people don’t seem to add in to the equation, this is what will shear the gear.

I wouldn’t like to be chasing you on a racetrack, find that your box exploded sending me into the wall.

Just try-it, just try-it!!

They will not be the ones replacing the box, or worse the engine when it over revs, you will be in constant threat every time you hammer that throttle.
If you have ever blown a box the sound is enough to make you not do it.

Best of luck either way.

[pancho]

Zambon, we saw the broken gear about 4 weeks ago.

Micke - we have PROOF that the gear lightened in a fashion similar to this will break, dont be naieve thinking that by lightening the gearset will improve things dramatically. It may not happen initially but the fatigue will get to it and it will break. Make no doubt about it.

I have seen other ppl on here give their story on gears that have sheared, I remember seing it - it may be in the archives.

I have to go to the mech in the next week or so, I will take a photo to show you guys.

Hope this helps.

[zambon]

Mind sharing which gear it was? Did it destroy everything in the box?

[Dennis]

I kinda felt this coming. After the post I thought about the safety issue. I agree to use common sense when using this box but I'd say just do it. But hey, maybe I'm just stubborn. Zambon knows what it's like to get the gearbox out and so he will know the amount of work it takes to replace one. If your argument not to use it is labour based, why the hell are you driving (maybe even racing) an old Alfa Romeo?

The safety issue is always there. But I believe Zambon won't be using it on the track. I've seen completely blown boxes on race or rally cars, but never on a street car. Yes, you'll probably ruin a case IF it goes. So what, he has one.

You can say "told you so" if the gears come apart........

[Mats]

This is turning sour, that was not my intention.
I just wanted to bring up what can happen if it doesn't hold up.
Who cares about the box (really), what happens if it dumps 2 liters of oil and somebody gets hurt? Thats what I meant by common sense. Plenty of GB's around, only one body per person...

[Micke]

Pancho,

I'm not naive.
That's why I said it doesn't really make sence on the street.
What I actaully was referring to is that at least I cannot tell how much material is left just from this picture.
My gears are lightened and the box is runing now since '96 or so. However, it was done quite moderately. And you're totally right. the difference isn't big.

[Dennis]

Hey Mats, it wasn't meant to be sour. Safety is a big issue, also with me. I just assumed everybody was using their common sense and putting safety first.

I had my 33 1.7 16V stuck in 4th once braking before a corner, because the linkage snapped. NO FUN! Spinning on your own GB oil isn't either.....

[Dennis]

Hey Mats, it wasn't meant to be sour. Safety is a big issue, also with me. I just assumed everybody was using their common sense and putting safety first.

I had my 33 1.7 16V stuck in 4th once braking before a corner, because the linkage snapped. NO FUN! Spinning on your own GB oil isn't either.....

Like Micke said. It's hard to judge by just pics, although the warning is probably with the best intentions.

[Que Boludo]

If you want you GB to shift better the oil you put in it makes a HUGE difference.
I have tried Mobile,Valvoline, Motul and the horrid Penrite.
The biggest noticeable difference is Castrol Syntrax, little shutter on the 47%LSD but its only on hard acceleration, the shifts are extremely slick.

Just put Castrol Syntrax in the box, HUGE difference!

[Greg Gordon]

It might be just fine. I can't even tell just how much metal is left from looking at the picture so I find it hard to believe that someone can say with certainty that they won't work.

I have seen teeth break off from Alfa Gears but that's about it. I might not want to put 300 horsepower through a gear lightened in that fashion due to the fore/aft force the gears are subjected too. However I suspect on a mild motor it will hold up fine with a little care.

[tomp]

Hi James, did you get you box together ok. Im starting to slap some gear on the ole lathe and wondered how your box held up.

-Tom P.