Despite the level of force, even delicate items can be subjected to the process, including ceramics and silicon chips. It's not surprising then to learn that this system was not developed specifically for automotive use. Heavy industry, aerospace, and even the medical field have thus far realized the benefits of the process; the car stuff happens to lend itself well, and the guys doing it dig racing. So do we, and after hearing the lengthy list of racing applications that had benefited from the Mikronite process, we wanted to see for ourselves.
Put To The Test
Given that rearend gears are subjected to lots of abuse in performance and race vehicles, ring-and-pinion sets are a prime beneficiary of Mikronite's treatment. The process should produce a stronger set of gears, thanks to the surface hardening, and the smooth finish should reduce friction at the mesh point. In theory, the gears should be able to endure more abuse while experiencing less wear over the long haul, but a more immediate benefit should be increased power to the wheels, since the improved gear-tooth finish will create less drag and therefore a reduced power draw.
We liked the purported benefits and the ease with which we could test them, and charting the performance before and after on a chassis dyno would be even easier. Our subject was a '93 Mustang 5.0 with the stock 8.8-inch rear axle, fitted with Ford Racing 3.55 gears. With a call to Year One, we had a new set of Ford Racing 3.55s off to Mikronite Technologies. Some might argue that the very same gearset should have been used, but we ordered a replacement set in the interest of time and not having yet another derelict car in the shop.
With the new gears in the mail, we took the Mustang to Westech Performance Group in Mira Loma, California, to get a baseline on the Superflow SF-790 chassis dyno. During discussions over this test, we'd also come up with an additional input to gauge before-and-after differences in the rearend assembly: gear-lube temperature. We figured that if friction was being reduced, lube temps should also see a reduction. The dyno system can handle numerous data inputs, so we rigged up a simple temperature probe to insert in the diff.
The rest of the test was straightforward; the Mustang was strapped down and plugged in, and the car was then "driven" on the dyno to bring fluid temps up to normal. Since we were monitoring the fluid temp, we wanted to make sure it was actually reaching typical levels, so the car was run at varying rpm and speed to simulate highway acceleration and deceleration. When the temps seemed to find their normal peaks, we made our pulls and found the horsepower peaks to be in the 204 range-about what we'd expect for a mostly stock 5.0.
To have the new gears installed, we took the Mustang to Moore Automotive, where Tim Moore exercised his usual level of detail to ensure that the new ring-and-pinion would mesh properly and stay quiet. We needed new bearings and possibly shims; Reider Racing provided a Precision Gear kit with pinion and carrier bearings and shims plus some checking compound, as well as a set of its trick setup pinion bearings. |
 |
The only surface of the new gearset not treated was the shaft of the pinion. Many installers claim treating the surface makes it so smooth the interference fit required for the pinion bearings is disturbed. After determining pinion depth, Moore installed the new crush collar and set the preload. |
Moore found it necessary to chase the first few threads of the ring gear, as the edges had been just slightly peened over, presumably during the treatment process. Check this before attempting to mount the ring gear to the carrier. |