Due to the difficulty of finding replacement ring gears at a
reasonable price for the Mazda auto tx flex plate I suggest we use
the current flex plate and merely tig weld the damper to it. Your
current starter is sure to still fit and work.

I was quoted ring gears $95 each from a company in NZ with $95
shipping by boat. No telling how long that would take.

Mark Steitle brought up the issue of room for a thrust bearing
between Tracy's spline flange (brown in the 3D) and the PSRU adapter
plate. Simple solution. Reverse it.

That gives more than enough room for a thrust bearing.

Here are the 3D's.

Some of the 2nd gen current flex plates have large holes near the
center that weaken them. The solution is tig weld in a plug. The 3rd
gen did away with the holes.

I just bought a 13B auto tyranny flex plate on ebay for $12. Shipping
and handling was $30 :)

Lots on ebay for $50.

Paul Lamar

Just a thought, the ring gear can be easily cut from an existing
flex plate, welded to new one. easier than cutting many plugs and
welding them into the old plate. C. Smith

That would add about $150 to the cost as there is labor involved
cutting off the ring gear and making and entirely new flex plate. If
that is OK for everybody I will do it that way. The plugs would be NC
laser cut out of 4130 scrap.


My guess on the cost right now is $250 +- $50

Paul Lamar

Paul,

I have a ring gear that I separated from a cracked flex plate.  Let me know
if you want me to send it.

FWIW, these are fairly easy to remove,  There are a few short welds
that must be ground off and then you can tap them a little at a time, going
around the perimeter and get them apart.  A little heat and the ring would
probably fall off on its own.

My thoughts regarding the welding... we need to be very careful so as to
not to cause warpage.  I believe they should first be tacked multiple spots
around the circumference, then welded a short distance, move across to the
other side, and weld a short distance, then move back and repeat the
process, keeping the heat even.  And they still may warp. A small amount of
runout will cause the flex plate to eventually crack.  Been there, done
that.

Mark S.

Ye4s I want it.

Three options in order of cost.
A Weld to existing flex plates
B Find a new ring gear and buy it. Weld a new flex plate.
C Remove ring gear for flex plates and weld up new flex plate.

Vote :)

Paul Lamar

YOU can always weld it underwater- i.e. submerged arc welding. We weld
underwater on our boat hulls if we need to both inside and outside the
hull. Inside we just stick the rods through the water and strike the arc.

Metal buildings are welded with wire welders underwater too to control heat
and eliminate the need for a shielding gas. The difficulty of hand welding
it this way lies in watching the weld- as you can imagine the welding is
done in the blind for the most part, making it an ugly weld. You can see
the bubbles easy enough, but the water turning to steam and then back makes
a lot of bubbles that are difficult to see through if not impossible.

I would imagine that Pauls RoboWelder could be adapted easy enough to weld
it in a water bath.
Paul, do you need another project?

Kevin Alderman


No :)

We get the turbo compound gear box tomorrow.

Paul Lamar

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