The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop "6 volt" flywheel ring gear

I am looking for first hand information (Chevrolet Master Parts Catalog, etc) stating that 3835306 is the proper part number for the ring gear on the flywheel of Stovebolt era 6 volt Chevy trucks. I have found 3rd hand information that Chevy used this same p/n 3835306 flywheel ring gear from at least 1938 through 1951 and maybe until 1954. GMC used the same ring gear on all small truck engines (228, 248,270) from 1939 thru second series 55 that had manual transmissions and 6 volt electrics.

The on-line Chevy parts manual that I use shows the flywheel with the ring gear attached, but no separate ring gear.

If you have such info, please post a link to it in this thread or email it to me at [email protected]

Bill - Here is what I found through GM Partswiki for Gear - flywheel ring GM# 3835306 in Chevrolet and GMC Master Parts Books:

Chevrolet Truck P&A 31

Chevrolet Truck P&A 31S

GMC X-164001

The 1st reference says "1938-48 ALL", which would include all the 6 volt flywheels over those years.

The 2nd reference says "1938-54 All (exc. A.T.), again including those 6 volt manual transmission flywheels.

The 3rd reference says Series "Y" (1955 GMC) for 248-270 engines w/mechanical transmissions.

I think this is your confirmation of your 3rd hand info being accurate.

Dan, I told Bill that you'd be able to find the info. He and I were conversing by e-mail.

I fumbled around on the GMpartswiki yesterday for about 30 minutes and came up totally empty. I tried a bunch of search options, (flywheel, ring gear, 3835306, and "gear flywheel ring", bit not "gear, flywheel ring") but didn't find it. I did find where that 3935306 part number was removed in July of 1972, but that wasn't much help.

Maybe you can give us lessons on searching.

Kevin - Sure "search school" starts soon - LOL! Just kidding my friend. I actually just used 3835306 in my search entry with nothing else specified to come up with the results I posted. Not sure why mine worked and yours didn't??? Once I found the first batch of results, I did multiple other searches using the part technical name as listed in the Chevy and GMC books as well as the Parts Group numbers just to see if I could expand the results.

I also found the part supersession/recession info you did, plus that an earlier 1950 GMC parts book listed a different part number than the one Bill provided. The other interesting fact I found is that earlier Chevy parts books (1929-46, 1929-50, 1929-53, 1929-54, 1929-57 and 1933-62) did not list the ring gear as a separate item at all. A 1966 Chevy book (and later ones) do list a separate ring gear, but that one turn out to be only the 12 volt 168 tooth gear so doesn't help with Bill's results.

BTW - That earlier GMC ring gear is listed in the 1950 Book as 838177. The GM Partswiki data base doesn't appear to have any books that list GMC part number supersessions or recessions like exist for some of the Chevrolets. Perhaps one of the other GMC gents with more parts books resources can shed some light on the earlier part number and if it was replaced by the generic GMC/Chevy one Bill provided???

To save $4.30, you should be able to flip the ring gear over.

That's what I did... had the flywheel resurfaced and flipped the ring gear. Just like new again.

Help me guys. What’s GM Partswiki?

Texas - The short answer can found HERE in this original info post by former Stovebolt member and super contributor Cletis, may he rest in peace.

It's a search tool that has a ton of historical parts book data in a free use database that has proved helpful for countless Stovebolters in tracking down original part information, identification and confirmation of found items being what they may or may not need.

I was just in the GM Partswiki and discovered a helpful feature that I didn't know previously. Once you get to a page in a book, you can flip thru it by using the "prev" and "next" links at the bottom of the page. Helps if you get close to what you're looking for and the section is split between pages.

Gord & Jethro:

I understand the theory behind flipping the ring gear on the flywheel and how to get the gear (new or flipped over used) back on once removed. But I'm having trouble understanding how to remove the gear from the flywheel without ruining the gear. How???

Bill, you should be able to use a propane torch to heat the ring gear and tap it off evenly, going all around it. The heat will expand it enough to loosen it up. You might even be able to set the flywheel on something and heat the ring gear enough for it to just drop off.

There's really no need to heat the gear to remove it. Just support the flywheel an inch or so off the shop floor with a solid base a little smaller diameter than the ring gear, and tap the gear off with a BFH and a brass drift. It will be a little stubborn, but it will move. Keep moving around the perimeter of the gear, and take your time. To expand the ring, put it on a charcoal grill and build a hot fire under it. It will expand enough to drop onto the flange on the exterior of the flywheel after a few minutes of heating and shrink to a tight fit as it cools. There are several videos on You Tube of wagon wheel tires being installed that way- - - -only they use a BIG wood fire to expand the ring.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=agGEBLUhDKE

Jerry

100% on target with that Kevin and thanks for pointing that out. It is very helpful if your search choice words/characters get you close but not quite on target. Plus your initial search results can often get close to the pages that include the exploded diagrams that dispay parts group numbers with the pictured components. By using those "prev" and "next" links you can scroll to more quickly locate those nearby illustration pages if they don't show up in your original search results.

Thanks Kevin and Jerry for the removal procedures. I have no current plans to use either, but who knows when they may come in handy?

Bill, I got a chance today to check for a stamped part number on the 139 tooth ring gear I have on a flywheel. Nothing there.

Of course that might make sense as when it was produced, there was no 168 tooth ring gear or 12V starter, so no need for GM to spend the 2 cents in labor to stamp it. Up until 1955 or so you could walk into a Chevy dealer and say I want a starter ring gear and the parts guy would hand you a 139 tooth one.