Hello Paul,

    I decided to e-mail you rather than reply on the main page in order to keep traffic down.  My question concerns the helical gear and why it doesn't create the same problems in cars that we see in re-drives?  It looks to me like a helical gear is going to create thrust no matter what it's geared to and probably encounter the same bearing problems regardless of the application?  I'm no mechanic or engineer so I've probably missed something like the forest for the trees, but maybe you can explain this in a way a novice can understand.

Thanks,
Robin

No problem with traffic Robin. I appreciate all questions so we can clear up
this issue. 

You are absolutely correct when you state "It looks to me like a helical gear 
is going to create thrust no matter what it's geared to and probably encounter 
the same bearing problems regardless of the application?"

The answer is in the Ford C6 auto transmissions in the form
of thrust bearings designed to take these gear thrust loads. Unfortunately Lou
Ross overlooked these thrust loads when he adapted the Ford C6 planetary gear
set. I am sure Ford felt the troubles with helical gears were worth it
for the other advantages namely, quieter and stronger.

A straight cut planetary gear set would be better for our application
but right at the moment we have not found a low cost suitable set.

Paul Lamar
 
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