Saga gear metal type?

[joshjosh]

Does anyone know what type of metal is used for Saga gears?

 

[#ARRMArcfanboy4life]

Probably some treated steel.

 

[332_RC]

I do not know specifically, but being a machinist for 30+ years, my guess is 1045 steel or 4140 chromoly. Heat treated. Both retain their tolerance after heat treat & have a stress fatigue & wear resistance rating that's suited for gears. 1045 or 4140 can be truly oven heat treated, not suitable for carburizing like 1018. Both withstand shock & wear resistance. 4140 will have better corrosion resistance & strength, being an alloy. Black oxide would be used for either. Another material could be ETD-150 pre-hard. That is very similar to 4140 or 4142, yet stronger. ETD-150 can be used as bar stock, it comes in Rockwell 32 hardness & can be heat treated up to 62rc. 1045 can get up to around 50rc & 4140 can be as well. My guess= 1045 medium carbon steel. Easy to machine, & not as expensive as the other mentioned alloys, heat treats easily.
*I didn't use Google for any of that. Just from memory.

 

[v1rc]

Their website just says hardened steel.

I've used a lot of their pinion gears and have never stripped one to date, even on the 50+ lbs. 12s rc's that we abuse.

 

[joshjosh]

I do not know specifically, but being a machinist for 30+ years, my guess is 1045 steel or 4140 chromoly. Heat treated. Both retain their tolerance after heat treat & have a stress fatigue & wear resistance rating that's suited for gears. 1045 or 4140 can be truly oven heat treated, not suitable for carburizing like 1018. Both withstand shock & wear resistance. 4140 will have better corrosion resistance & strength, being an alloy. Black oxide would be used for either. Another material could be ETD-150 pre-hard. That is very similar to 4140 or 4142, yet stronger. ETD-150 can be used as bar stock, it comes in Rockwell 32 hardness & can be heat treated up to 62rc. 1045 can get up to around 50rc & 4140 can be as well. My guess= 1045 medium carbon steel. Easy to machine, & not as expensive as the other mentioned alloys, heat treats easily.
*I didn't use Google for any of that. Just from memory.

I’m curious how they compare to the CR20 used by Vitavon

 

[332_RC]

I’m curious how they compare to the CR20 used by Vitavon

CR20 could mean Cold Rolled 1020 steel. Which is a low-medium carbon steel. CR could mean chromium. Which would add strength, wear resistance, & toughness + corrosion resistance. My guess is that CR means a type of chromoly steel. Which is in the 4140 family.

 

[BashingBrian]

Whatever metal they are, they're probably all made in the same factory in China..!!

 

[LibertyMKiii]

I know that he is not cutting his own parts. I agree some factory in China makes em' and likely they supply the same parts to other brand names out there.
Regardless his gears are known for being very high quality for decades.

I imagine he makes a killing selling those suckers for an average price of $20 a gear when he pays $2

 

[Dan B.]

I know that he is not cutting his own parts. I agree some factory in China makes em' and likely they supply the same parts to other brand names out there.
Regardless his gears are known for being very high quality for decades.

I imagine he makes a killing selling those suckers for an average price of $20 a gear when he pays $2

Yup. I just bought three 1.5mod pinions for my DBXL and they were $67.00 to my door. They are the best I’ve ever used by far, though. Those big dual grub screws really make the difference.

 

[N.Mango]

Yup. I just bought three 1.5mod pinions for my DBXL and they were $67.00 to my door. They are the best I’ve ever used by far, though. Those big dual grub screws really make the difference.
View attachment 428235

Yep. 4 pinions cost me $92.
I'm trusting they are worth it!

 

[joshjosh]

Yep. 4 pinions cost me $92.
I'm trusting they are worth it!

I’m giving BRKRC gears a shot, they are made from 40CR, and right around $10/ea. They have a greater surface area, dual-larger grub screws, a little lighter, and half the price.

I’m mostly inquiring about Saga due to the differential gears they make for Arrma. They may be higher quality, easier to source, and lower priced than the Vitavon diff gears I have been using.