Get Tigear Tough

Tigear® stands for “Tough Industrial Gear”

The Tigear-2 reducer is built with the uncompromising Dodge® design standard to provide long life in demanding industrial applications. After decades of proven field experience, side-by-side testing in our advanced lab demonstrated its best-in-class durability over the competition.

Watch the video series to see what makes Tigear-2 so tough!

The rigorous testing compared three brand-new gearboxes from each of the three manufacturers. Each gearbox was a two-inch center distance, a 15:1 ratio, and used the manufacturer’s highest quality oil offered (the standard for Dodge is the highest quality offering). All units were tested at an output torque of 1,580 lb-in, which is equivalent to the following ratings for each gearbox: 200 percent for Tigear-2, 197 percent for Competitor B, and 179 percent for Competitor C.

Testing was performed for 500 hours or until gearbox failure, whichever came first. Once testing was complete, each unit was disassembled for evaluation with inspection of individual components.

Worm Shaft

A worm gearbox contains only two gears; the worm shaft, made of steel, and the worm gear, composed of a softer material. The torque path begins at the worm shaft, and it operates at the motor speed, receiving both radial and axial loads. A tougher worm shaft experiences less deflection and stress to the component, leading to a longer life.

Worm gearbox comparison.

Evaluation observations: The Tigear-2 worm shaft contained 20-30 percent more steel across the length of the worm shaft.

Worm Shaft Bearings

Also running at the motor’s speed, the input shaft bearing is the most critical bearing in the gearbox as it performs the most cycles and withstands both the axial and radial loads from the worm shaft.

Image of worm shaft bearings comparison to Dodge Tigear-2

Evaluation observations: When compared side-by-side, Tigear-2 uses the largest bearings.

Input Shaft Bearings

Dynamic capacity is the driving factor for bearing selection when creating a gearbox and determines the bearing’s L10 life. Using the industry standard L10 calculation for bearing life, the chart below displays how much longer the Dodge bearings will last over the competition.

Output Shaft Bearings

The output shaft bearings receive the full output radial load, making the tapered roller bearings extremely important in high, overhung load applications like a belt-driven conveyor system. Tigear-2 has long been the standard for the unit handling industry where this capability is most important. The chart below displays how the Dodge bearings are superior to other options available.

Worm Gear

The worm gear, made of softer metal than the worm shaft, is often the primary wear component within a gearbox. It transmits the total output torque of the reducer, so tougher teeth and wider gear size maximize the component’s life.

Evaluation observations: Competitor B is 21 percent and Competitor C is 14 percent narrower compared to the Tigear-2 component. The oversized hub and optimized key design of Tigear-2 worm gear offers better overall performance than the smaller design of Competitor C and significantly better than the non-keyed design of Competitor B.

Testing Summary

In extensive testing using the following consistent parameters, there is a clear difference between Dodge and the rest of the competition.

Image of worm gearbox comparison in testing setup to Dodge Tigear-2

Parameters:

  • Two-inch center distance
  • Ratio of 15:1
  • Highest quality oil offered by the manufacturer
  • Output torque of 1,580 lb-in, equivalent to 200 percent of the rated load for Tigear-2
  • Run for 500 hours or until failure, whichever came first

Conclusion

  • Tigear-2: all gearboxes performed the entire 500-hour test without measurable wear to any of its components while its competition had issues
  • Competitor B: average failure time of 174 hours of operation with each unit failed from the nearly complete wearing of the worm gear’s teeth
  • Competitor C: all gearboxes ran for the testing period, but each unit displayed a noticeable wear step in the worm gear in comparison to Tigear-2

In each comparison, the Dodge Tigear-2 proved to be tougher and outlasted the competition. Pairing its numerous rugged design choices with the extensive testing results, Tigear-2 is the only solution to ensure you get the longest life out of your gearbox regardless of your application requirements.