flywheel ring gear

Ron Lachniet

Ron Lachniet

Senior Member
I bought a new ring gear at the swapmeet in kalamazoo last week and tried to put it on today. I put it in my gas grill and heated it to 550 degrees and then went around it a few times with my mapp gas torch. I couldn't even get it too start to get on the flywheel. I did notice that it was made in China. Has anyone else had trouble getting them on?
 
I have heated them by using a ring of charcoal on a garbage can lid which is the correct size and they drop right on. I did discover that a covered grill did not get hot enough.
 
I just installed one a couple of weeks ago for a friend. He heated it in his oven at the highest temperature for 2 hours. Didn't go on. I brought my acetylene torch over and heated it for about 5 or 6 minutes and it dropped right on. If you use a torch, lay the ring gear directly above where it goes on and heat it. BE SURE TO PUT IT ON THE RIGHT WAY! Hope this helps.
Rusty Nelson
 
It was somewhat common years ago to replace ring gears on any vehicle.. The only way we have done this is like Rusty said.. It takes 'real ' heat..
 
I just put 6 on awhile ago. I use a weed burner and an old 40 ford axle housing. Heat the ring till it blues and drop it on. Sometimes I put the flywheels in the freezer overnite but today I just grabbed them off the floor. Can't tell much difference.
 
One of our club members was having a problem with a ring gear, made in India. Heated it and wouldn't go on, returned it for another and it went on.
 
I replaced one on my Ford 8N.I first ran a file over the surface to remove any burrs. Then I chilled the flywheel in the freezer for about a half a hour. I heated the ring gear at 450deg for about twenty minutes. I took the flywheel out first and oiled it well, Then the hot ring gear, my brass hammer was handy. I placed the ring over the F.W. and got it started and then I hammered it all around til it was home. It takes longer to write it out than to do it.
Important; Use a brass hammer, not steel! This will prevent accidentally dinging the new ring gear. Slop the oil on the F.W.,Not the hot ringgear. It can be messy. Run ! Don't walk the hot ring gear to the flywheel. This ring gear was also Chinese (Valu-bilt, tractor supply)
Terry
 
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if you do not have a torch then go to meijers and get 2 to 3 pounds of dry ice and place in flywheel. let it sit for 30 minutes while your ring gear is in the oven with the meatloaf. I put the flywheel in a cardboard box to help retain the cold. it will drop right on without any tools.
 
Ive always used an oxy-acetylene torch & always worked well.Never heard of oiling the FW first.I recently switched to a barrel type starter drive-made in India,but seems to be working OK.
 
A friend just put a new one on. He heated it in a Hibachi-type covered grill for about 20 minutes. It would not go on. He heated it some more until it started to get red hot. Then it plopped on with a lot of room to spare.
 
We just put one on and it almost dropped on. The flywheel was in the back of my truck (it was 24 out) and the ring gear was tossed in the wood stove for about 5 minutes.
 
I just helped a friend with his two weeks ago. I started an open pit fire in the back yard and placed the ring on the fire. After 30 minutes or so, we took it out and the ring went easily over the flywheel. Even had side to side play while it was hot. After a few minutes, it cooled down and shrunk onto the flywheel. I was surprised how hot the flywheel got as the heat dissipated from the ring to the flywheel.

If it doesn't go on easily then it is not hot enough. You should not have to hammer it on.

Rich
 
About the heat, I didn't know what effect heat would have on the ring gear. I doubt 450 deg would effect and hardening or tempering of the ring gear. I got the ring about 3/4 the way on without hammering. The hammer was used only to get it home. Within seconds, the ring was locked on and impossible to move.
Terry
 
Take it up to 650 degrees max have your 3/4 inch brass punch and large hammer ready! drop it on and start pounding fast around and around as it will shrink very quickly, remember chamfered teeth side away form the engine!
 
Just a quick update. I put it in my wood burner for about an hour and that did the trick, but it still needed some encouragement with a hammer and block. Thanks again for all your input.
 
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