PRODUCT FOCUS: GEARING

How to install bevel gears

for peak performance
ROBERT F. WASILEWSKI, Arrow Gear Co.

You can’t put bevel gears together in the same way as spur and
helical types and get them to work well. They need to be assembled in
a specific way to ensure smooth running and optimum load
distribution between gears.

T o optimize the performance of any

speed reducer, the gears must be ori-
technician share the responsibility for in-
corporating this optimum positioning in
the three parameters on individual gears.
Frequently, the manufacturer also
ented to each other so that they run the gearbox. The designer must provide marks a gearset number on each of the
smoothly without binding or interfer- for ease of measurement, shimming, and two gears in a set. Gears manufactured in
ence. They must also maintain the cor- assembly. And the technician must prop- sets should only be assembled with their
rect amount of tooth clearance (back- erly assemble the gears in the gearbox. mates. Similarly, if one gear in a set fails,
lash) at all operating conditions. For spur the entire set should be replaced.
and helical gears, the best orientation Mounting distance. The distance from
normally requires only that the center Key assembly parameters a locating surface on the back of one gear
distance and shaft alignment be correct Several parameters contribute to to the centerline of a mating gear is
— no further adjustment is needed. proper assembly so that the gearbox op- called the mounting distance, Figure 1.
This is seldom the case with bevel erates smoothly and efficiently. The most This is the most important parameter for
gears, where mounting arrangements al- important are: ensuring proper operation. The manufac-
low for wide variations in position. All • Mounting distance. turer establishes the optimum value for
types of bevel gears — straight, Zerol, spi- • Matched teeth. this distance by running the gearset and
ral, and hypoid — have an optimum posi- • Backlash. adjusting its position to obtain a tooth
tion for best performance. The manufac- Bevel gears of AGMA quality 8 or bet- contact pattern that is consistent with
turer determines this optimum position ter are normally manufactured and smooth running and optimum load distri-
by running tests of individual gearsets. tested in sets. Then, the manufacture bution between mating gear teeth. Be-
But, the gearbox designer and assembly marks the preferred values for each of cause of dimensional variations between
parts, each gear in a set has a unique
value for the mounting distance and, in
Mounting distance most cases, the manufacturer perma-
for pinion
nently marks this value on each gear, Fig-
Gear
centerline ure 2.
Crossing point
It is possible to manufacture all gears
to the nominal mounting distance speci-
Pinion centerline fied on the drawing. But, the additional
cost to do so is usually not warranted.
In cases where mounting distances
Mounting have not been marked on the gears, as-
distance
for gear sembly technicians must resort to a
costly trial and error method of marking
teeth with gear compound and adjusting

Back angles Robert F. Wasilewski is the design engineer-

ing manager for Arrow Gear Co., Downers
Figure 1 — Mounting distances used for assembling bevel gears. Grove, Ill.

POWER TRANSMISSION DESIGN ■ MARCH 1994 51

 PRODUCT FOCUS: GEARING

the gears to obtain a suitable tooth con- of the two gears, preferably the pinion, fore adjusting backlash. This can be ac-
tact pattern. The lack of marked values at its marked mounting distance. The complished either by gaging or by direct
may also indicate that the gearset was reason is simple. Because bevel gears are measurement. Gages are used mostly for
not manufactured for high capacity or conical in shape, they can be assembled large gear production runs, and are based
consistency. in an almost infinite number of positions on the direct measurement method. For
Matched teeth. After optimum tooth (most of which cause poor performance) this reason, only the measurement
contact is obtained in the running tests, and still obtain the required backlash. method is described here.
the manufacturer marks mating teeth in Frequently, a casual user assembles Note that when mating gears are ad-
engagement for identification. These bevel gears to obtain a specific amount of justed to their optimum position, their
marks usually consist of x’s or dots, Fig- backlash without regard to the mounting back angles, Figure 1, will probably not
ure 2, on two adjacent teeth of one gear distance. This is especially true for low be flush with each other. Do not attempt
and the mating tooth of the other gear. quality or lightly-loaded bevel gears. Al- to position bevel gears by making the
When assembling the gearset, position though this method occasionally works, it back angles flush.
the single marked tooth in the space be- is a risky approach where gears are Measurement method. A typical gear-
tween the two adjacent marked teeth. loaded to maximum capacity. It usually box, Figure 4, contains both an overhung
Backlash. The third most important causes shorter life and poor perfor- and a straddle-mounted gear. The proce-
parameter for a bevel gearset is the space mance. Only at the proper mounting dis- dure for assembling the bevel gears in this
between mating gear teeth, called back- tance will a gearset run correctly and still gearbox by the measurement method is
lash. Unless otherwise specified, back- have the right amount of backlash. simple:
lash is measured normal (perpendicular) • On the housing, measure the distance
to the tooth surface, Figure 3, and not in from locating surface to bore centerline in
the plane of rotation. In most cases, the Gear assembly both horizontal and vertical directions
manufacturer marks the normal back- In most bevel gearsets, particularly (HMD and VMD).
lash value on the gear, Figure 2. those with ratios above 2:1, the pinion po- • Record the gear and pinion mounting
Measurements in the plane of rotation, sition (mounting distance) effects tooth distances (MDG and MDP).
called transverse backlash, are as much contact (the most important parameter • Measure the gear and pinion thick-
as 40% larger, and should not be used for for good performance) to a larger extent nesses (WG and WP).
assembly purposes. than the gear position. Conversely, the • Assemble the gears into their sub-
#11444 FIG
Where2 mounting distances have been gear position has a larger effect on back- assemblies.
marked on one or both gears, adjust these lash. For this reason, the manufacturer • Measure the length that controls gear
distances first. Then, use the normal may have marked the mounting distance position in each subassembly (MA G and
backlash value to verify proper assembly. only on the pinion. In such cases, be sure MAP).
The backlash value should not be mea- to accurately position the pinion accord- • Calculate the distance from shim
sured until after assembling at least one ing to its marked mounting distance be- mounting surface to crossing point for each
subassembly (MDV and MDH).
• Calculate the required shim thick-
nesses and assemble the gearbox with
shims in place.
To aid the assembly technician, mark
the housing measurements on the housing
after it is machined and inspected.
Measurements involving the pinion and
gear are taken on the subassemblies, which
Figure 2 — Typical consist of gear, shaft, bearing, and gear
markings on bevel mounting components. This minimizes any
gears include (left variations due to fits between these compo-
to right) the gearset nents and greatly reduces the number of
number, mounting
distance (MD) in
measurements required. In this example,
inches for each only the gear thickness is measured before
gear, x’s on mating X putting together the subassembly. Sub-
X X
teeth, and the tracting this distance from the mounting
backlash dimension distance lets the technician measure from
(B/L) in inches. the front of the assembled gear.

52 POWER TRANSMISSION DESIGN ■ MARCH 1994

1444 FIG 3

Backlash
measurement

Figure 3 — Normal marked with a mounting distance, posi-

backlash in a set of tion the pinion at its mounting distance
spiral bevel gears is first, then adjust the gear position for the
measured perpen- required backlash.
dicular to the tooth
To obtain further verification, you can
surface at the outer
end (heel) of the perform an optional contact pattern
tooth, using a check. This involves painting the tooth
dial gage. surfaces on one gear with a thin marking
compound and rotating the assembled
gears under light load. The compound
Top view of teeth transfers from one gear to the other and
shows how the teeth contact. Numerous
publications contain charts with typical
contact patterns (ANSI/AGMA 2008-B90
and ANSI/AGMA 2005-B88). The patterns
Normal seldom look exactly like the published ex-
backlash Pitch circle
amples and frequently require some in-
terpretation.
Technicians familiar with contact pat-
Verifying proper Tooth outer end tern checking may believe that this tech-
FIG 4
assembly. Use the nique is the preferred method of assem-
measurement bly. However, the manufacturer has
method to assemble both gears, making gears at their mounting distances should already performed this check as part of
sure that the matched teeth are properly you measure backlash to verify proper as- the testing (to determine mounting di-
engaged. Only after positioning both sembly. In cases where only the pinion is mensions) and interpreted the contact
patterns so you don’t have to.■
Straddle mounted Assembled gearbox
gear subassembly
Shim thickness
= MDV – VMD
Figure 4 — Measurements
required for mounting both
overhung and straddle-mounted
MAG
MDV WG bevel gears in a typical
MDG gearbox.

MDV =
MDG – WG + MAG
Shim thickness
HMD = MDH – HMD
MDH
MAP

VMD

WP
MDH = MDP – WP + MAP
MDP
Housing
Overhung mounted
pinion subassembly

POWER TRANSMISSION DESIGN ■ MARCH 1994 53