Andrews gears

2899 Views 19 Replies 15 Participants Last post by Zeeman, May 5, 2012

Zeeman

Discussion Starter · May 4, 2012

Hi all. Building a 4 speed box for a pan/shovel. Need new internals, but my engine builder doesn't like Andrews gears. He claims the hardening is substandard, and only lasts 20,000 miles or so before being worn through.

Anyone care to venture an opinion on this, or recommend another brand of gears? Thanks.

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

G

· #2 · May 4, 2012

Find you another Engine Builder....

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CB550 Matt

· #3 · May 4, 2012

Dragstews said:
Find you another Engine Builder....

+100 on this. Unless the guy has real data instead of rumor or wtf ever. Andrews is the go to stuff for gears and cams for this.

skinthead

· #4 · May 4, 2012

Andrews has ALWAYS been the go to guys for gears and shafts for all things Harley. they haven't been in the gear and shaft business for DECADES because the hardening on their gears wears away in 20K miles.

yeah, their gears lose the hardening in 20K and their cams go flat in 25.....lol!

kps_shovel

· #5 · May 4, 2012

Dragstews said:
Find you another Engine Builder....

agreed.

caschnd1

· #6 · May 4, 2012

I've used Andrews gears and shafts in every 4 speed I've rebuilt. Top quality in my opinion.

I'm curious... What is your guy recommending?

-Craig

Zeeman

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 4, 2012

Haven't got that far yet. I just thought it odd that he didn't like Andrews gears, when they are pretty much industry standard for high performance gears for older Harleys, and I've heard nothing but good things about them.

shovithead

· #8 · May 4, 2012

My 73 Shovelhead has had Andrews gears and shafts in it, since 83, and it has over 200 K logged on the trans. No problems, and it still shifts and runs down the road like it did, when the trans was assembled. So I agree with the other guys here, that you need a new mechanic. Or just tell him what YOU want, and demand it or you will find someone else. I won't even start on all the Andrews cams I have ran, with no problems.

kickstarts

· #9 · May 4, 2012

Could you ask the guy for an example? I'm curious what Andrews product wore out in 20K.

The last Andrews product I used was a mainshaft for a 61 CH 16 years ago and it was so nice I almost hated to put it in so I couldn't look at it. It's still going strong, not 200K strong like Shovit's trans, but a lot of miles.

kps_shovel

· #10 · May 4, 2012

kickstarts said:
Could you ask the guy for an example? I'm curious what Andrews product wore out in 20K.

The last Andrews product I used was a mainshaft for a 61 CH 16 years ago and it was so nice I almost hated to put it in so I couldn't look at it. It's still going strong, not 200K strong like Shovit's trans, but a lot of miles.

just a thought, but it makes me wonder if the mechanic that thinks he knows, & may have bought PHONY parts, all manufactures have had problems, with phony parts being sold with their labels. otherwise I cant imagine a problem.

just my 02 cents worth.

kickstarts

· #11 · May 4, 2012

kps_shovel said:
just a thought, but it makes me wonder if the mechanic that thinks he knows, & may have bought PHONY parts, all manufactures have had problems, with phony parts being sold with their labels. otherwise I cant imagine a problem.

just my 02 cents worth.

...or a customer walked in with something that was all fucked up and said it was Andrews.

They're pretty much the NASA of their product line. If an Andrews product is an option in whatever I need to do, I'll go with Andrews, and it seems I'm with everyone else.

badassbrutus

· #12 · May 4, 2012

My trans in my pan 4speed All Andrews never ever a problem

bustedlifter

· #13 · May 4, 2012

I've run Andrews for years, never had a problem. Some years back I heard they were making parts for NASCAR, that stuff would take a beating.

old.wrench

· #14 · May 4, 2012

Zeeman, just out of curiosity, what source does your engine builder recommend for H.D. tranny rebuild parts?

2Loose

· #15 · May 4, 2012

yeah, the Andrews gears will fail, if you try to run them without oil in the tranny, saw that happen to a guy once, me, I've used 'em for many, many years without a problem.

chopaweeza

· #16 · May 4, 2012

About 12 years back Andrews Rep took a beating out here . A batch of main shafts if I remember right had defective hardening and there were a number of high profile lower mileage failures . Several small shops were burned by it and while I'm not savvy on what happened behind the scenes it can't have been good as those shops affected by the failures will not touch Andrews with a barge pole . When I wanted to get Andrews in the 81' 4 speed I have in the bobber the first 2 shops I tried refused unless I specified some other gear supplier . The third used Andrews but to be cautious I used a HD main shaft .

F.St.M.

· #17 · May 4, 2012

For what it's worth, I am a fan of Andrews products. I run their camshafts in my engines and their gears in my gearboxes. I will continue to use their cams & gears.

Having said that, I build a 5 speed gearbox with all andrews internals(gears & shafts) about 9 years ago.
About a year and 7500 miles later I heard a strange high pitched sound coming from the transmission.
Upon dissasembly, I found both the mainshaft & countershaft were pitted & galled on all the bearing journals where the needle bearings ride.

The needle bearings were not pitted, just the shafts. I re-assembled it with the original H-D shafts that I had saved. It is still in service.

I still have the countershaft out in the garage, I've misplaced the mainshaft. The countershaft is a genuine andrews part, it has the andrews brand name stamped into the end of the shaft.

I can photograph it if anyone needs to see proof.

Moral of the story: Any company can have a bad run of parts.
Don't just assume the O.P.'s mechanic is an A-hole, maybe he got burned by the andrews brand in the past and has decided not to try them again.

It happens. But, like I said I'll still buy their stuff.

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reverb

· #18 · May 4, 2012

...hello F.ST.M, so may I ask you what s the advantage to get rid of the original gbox internals to put Andrews ones?
Are the factory not enough good?

thanks

F.St.M.

· #19 · May 4, 2012

reverb, I got it for free. It had been in a flood and all the internals were deeply rusted & seized.

I salvaged the oem shafts by using emery cloth & a lathe.

Zeeman

Discussion Starter · #20 · May 5, 2012

chopaweeza said:
About 12 years back Andrews Rep took a beating out here . A batch of main shafts if I remember right had defective hardening and there were a number of high profile lower mileage failures . Several small shops were burned by it and while I'm not savvy on what happened behind the scenes it can't have been good as those shops affected by the failures will not touch Andrews with a barge pole . When I wanted to get Andrews in the 81' 4 speed I have in the bobber the first 2 shops I tried refused unless I specified some other gear supplier . The third used Andrews but to be cautious I used a HD main shaft .

Hmm, perhaps this is the reason.

Thanks everyone for advice. Seems to confirm what I was thinking. Going to go with Andrews stuff.

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