Many years ago I installed a front differential ring gear that had been repaired by a superb welder. If i remember correctly it was a Trojan or Michigan or some such with about a four yard bucket. The machine had been apart for a couple years and they could not find a replacement gear. The tooth had been found and it had (What i imagine somewhat o a point or root) The tooth was still in good shape and the ring gear had only a split. Well a welder had repaired it, and i am sure it was tig welded and die ground. I didn't talk to the welder or meet him but it was a Beautiful unbelieveble repair. I rounded up the parts and assembled it,installed the axles and took it out and worked it hard. When i left i was still taking a Good beating!
I have a old welding book that shows a ring gear that was repaired. I think alot of stuff could be fixed if you are willing to take a chance.
A lot of the fix what you have is long gone away today, equipment is so expensive, lawyer's are killing the tradesman. No one trains the new generation, and the old ones are taking their experience with them.
With just a little metallurgical knowledge it's amazing what can be fixed. Years ago I welded up a 10 ft. long forklift fork off of a 950 Cat in a scrap yard. It had been broken at the 90 degree bend, the owner tried to weld it an it didn't work. We both used 7018 rod and the only thing I did different than he did was to preheat it and then wrap it up to cool slowly. It was supposed to be a back up fork but they broke the next set also so they continued with this one for several years. Also went through the front drum & drive unit on a DynaPac roller that had major issues. There was an update kit available for around $5000.00 so I did a lot of welding and onsite machining (angle grinder & die grinder) instead. They used it for years with no known problems. Lots of things can be done when necessary and for some of us having someone say it can't be done is just enough to make sure they are proved wrong.
I watched a guy who isn't afraid of anything build up I think two teeth which had crunched off a ring gear, and grind them down by eye with a homemade profile gauge. he put it back in the old 2 ton truck and went on.
Many moons ago my friends dad had a ford ranger with a 5 speed, chewed op reverse gear, could no longer get it as there was a update ( 1200.00), could not afford it so I heated it up, welded some new teeth and ground them to fit, then reheated and dropped in some oil. His dad was pretty gentle with it for several years.
My friends father in Illinois is slowly retiring (running out of things to do) and he rebuilds giant gears from rock crushers by hand. From what I understand, when the motor or driving member locks up the momentum from the crusher and the big gear will take off every single tooth on it 1 inch in on each side. He sits there painstakingly for weeks on end welding up the broken teeth in his tiny shop in the Chicago suburbs. Keeps him busy.
That's awesome Machine Resurrection 911
Guess they never heard of an overruning clutch? Not to put the old gentleman out of a hobby, lol.
That's what I was thinking too! What the hell right!
The maintenance department likes downtime and job security.... union gig for sure.