Generator gear installation

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Topic author
Moxie26
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First Name: Robert
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Generator gear installation

Post by Moxie26 » Fri Sep 19, 2025 4:00 pm

When fitting a gear on the generator, with the key in place and retaining pin in place before peening , , how much clearance is acceptable to eliminate gear wobble ?


J1MGOLDEN
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Re: Generator gear installation

Post by J1MGOLDEN » Fri Sep 19, 2025 6:50 pm

What you really have to be careful of is to make sure you slide the Bendix on without popping that key out the back and into your transmission.


Topic author
Moxie26
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Re: Generator gear installation

Post by Moxie26 » Fri Sep 19, 2025 9:46 pm

James... The starter is already in and no problems, I was referring to the generator


Dan McEachern
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Re: Generator gear installation

Post by Dan McEachern » Sat Sep 20, 2025 1:47 am

The generator gear should be a snug, sliding fit on the generator shaft. If the gear is wobbling or lose on the shaft, something is not correct- either the gear bore is incorrect or the generator shaft is worn. Is this an original gear or a reproduction? If you have an original gear, you might try it for a sanity check.


Topic author
Moxie26
Posts: 1952
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Re: Generator gear installation

Post by Moxie26 » Sat Sep 20, 2025 9:56 am

There was both an original gear and a new reproduction gear. .. The original gear visibly is thinner than the reproduction with a little mounted wobble. The reproduction gear hopefully is a good copy of a NOS gear, was noticeable thicker teeth, with a less slight wobble. Have reproduction gears been true to Ford NOS specs ? ..... Just a side note, I have no knowledge of who makes the reproduction generator gears..


Brent Mize
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Re: Generator gear installation

Post by Brent Mize » Sat Sep 20, 2025 12:09 pm

As Dan said, it should fit snug. If not, the wobble will get worse. Either the shaft or the gear will erode. And, since it runs constantly, this can happen rather rapidly unlike a bendix which runs very little. The gear fit up on a generator must be right, snug.
We press our gears on with the armature out of the housing with an arbor press. It’s never a good plan to pound a gear on while the armature’s in the housing.
Respectfully,
Brent


Topic author
Moxie26
Posts: 1952
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:20 pm
First Name: Robert
Last Name: Jablonski
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Runabout
Location: New Jersey
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Generator gear installation

Post by Moxie26 » Mon Sep 22, 2025 2:12 pm

Shaft on this generator, may be may be slightly worn down. The new run of gears do slide on okay but will slow slight play on the shaft.... Question... Do you think heating the gear and then quenching would reduce the inner diameter of that gear?

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