Are Used Gears Bad?

[MingisDew31186]

I talked to some people about changing my ratio, I mentioned something about getting a used set, they said to keep away from used. So are used gears that bad???

[supersixjohn]

I heard the same thing. Buy new and save yourself problems later on.

[Only4U]

they aren't bad unless they are worn or have excessive miles on them.

[LTNone]

I have had success with used gears. Expect to pay less for them (I would not pay more than half of what new gears cost). If you are paying someone 100 or more bucks to put them in then buying used is probably not worth it, because if you have a problem, then you'll pay again to get the next set installed. If you are putting them in yourself (or you know someone who can do it for free), it is probably worth it. I have even used gears with small chips (ring gear only), but I wouldn't spend more than 20-30 bucks for them.

Make sure they are rust free. The best chance of success is if you know the guy who pulled them, so you know why he pulled them.

My Dad broke a front u-joint and bent the pinion gear on his Olds. It was only .01" out but it made the car vibrate. (I had a local machine shop measure it for straightness.) Those gears are in the trash now but you want to avoid buying stuff like that.