Polycarbonate side plates for lighter gearboxes

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

It depends on thickness and application. That said, I've never seen 1/4 lexan crack in a gearbox application.

I tend to agree with Sean in terms of absolute efficiency. That said, I've never done a side by side test or anything like that. In my mind, if you're looking to cut weight from a gearbox, start with your gears.

Chris, not to argue with you, but the Polycarbonate (Lexan is a brand name) side-plates on the Toughbox have been known to crack. I've never seen one fail during a match, but I have seen plates with plenty of spider cracks after a season's worth of abuse. That being said, I'd stay far away from using Polycarb or any other plastic for the side plate in a drive transmission.

OP, if you're looking to save some weight from your gearboxes, it's worth playing with lighter gears first - Like Chris said above. West Coast Products and AndyMark sell drop in replacement AL gears (1/3rd the weight of a comparable steel gear) for many of the standard toughbox ratios.