[C2] use brass button or not in crossgear for tach
05-23-2016, 02:07 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
use brass button or not in crossgear for tach
I just ordered a new crossgear and washer from online ebay I think its coming from willow auto and truck supply and it doesn t come with the brass button. I am wondering if I even need it because I read forums and thread with advice from Lars recommended not using it because it can do damage and wears quickly. Should I try get a plastic as others talk about or not use one at all and try the set screw method . I am not familiar with how any of this works. I guess a little further advice or instructions what to do and look for would be super . thanks 
05-23-2016, 04:08 PM
#2
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
We used the brass inserts for a very long time without any issues (that I'm aware of). I read Lars' post and it was very informative for sure. There are two sides to the coin though, one is that the brass button when it shreds will only drop inside the distributor and not eat up the gears. The flip side to that is once the wall eats away the gears will eat themselves anyway... catch 22.
I have three housings here already done with the brass inserts in them and when this stock is gone I'll probably consider using steel inserts then next round. When we install the inserts we mill out the back wall of the distributor so that the original wall thickness is the same. I've never just bored the hole and inserted the brass and I'm not even sure it will work that way. Once we do this (and on 1969 and older distributors), we then back fill the hole on the outside so the over-all appearance is that the distributor is as original.
The Teflon button that is available... for years we'd tell customers to drill a hole in the center dimple and then just snap in the Teflon button. (similar to what was done post 1970). If your wall looks like the one below you can see that additional material has been cut from the wall and the Teflon button will fit right in there if you just drill the hole. This will make your wall thickness pretty close to the original. https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...n-62-74-teflon
In the image below, both the distributor housings are the same, one is before we filled it and one after.
One other thing to keep in mind is that the wall is only one issue that can cause gear failure. The brass gear coupling can wear and also cause the side gear to **** out of alignment from the main shaft. You can usually see a wear groove in the coupling.
If your distributor wall looks like this one, then yes you need to do something with the wall.
3
Here is a picture of the brass insert after the wall was milled out.
Willcox
I have three housings here already done with the brass inserts in them and when this stock is gone I'll probably consider using steel inserts then next round. When we install the inserts we mill out the back wall of the distributor so that the original wall thickness is the same. I've never just bored the hole and inserted the brass and I'm not even sure it will work that way. Once we do this (and on 1969 and older distributors), we then back fill the hole on the outside so the over-all appearance is that the distributor is as original.
The Teflon button that is available... for years we'd tell customers to drill a hole in the center dimple and then just snap in the Teflon button. (similar to what was done post 1970). If your wall looks like the one below you can see that additional material has been cut from the wall and the Teflon button will fit right in there if you just drill the hole. This will make your wall thickness pretty close to the original. https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...n-62-74-teflon
In the image below, both the distributor housings are the same, one is before we filled it and one after.
One other thing to keep in mind is that the wall is only one issue that can cause gear failure. The brass gear coupling can wear and also cause the side gear to **** out of alignment from the main shaft. You can usually see a wear groove in the coupling.
If your distributor wall looks like this one, then yes you need to do something with the wall.
3Here is a picture of the brass insert after the wall was milled out.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; 05-23-2016 at 04:10 PM.
05-23-2016, 05:26 PM
#3
Race Director
05-23-2016, 05:39 PM
#4
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
05-24-2016, 12:31 AM
#5
Racer
Thread Starter
thanks will look into it or should I say get it taken care of as I don t have the equipment to do this but I must have a good reliable working tach and distributor that doesn t jam and leave me on the side of the hwy
05-24-2016, 01:36 AM
#6
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We used the brass inserts for a very long time without any issues (that I'm aware of). I read Lars' post and it was very informative for sure. There are two sides to the coin though, one is that the brass button when it shreds will only drop inside the distributor and not eat up the gears. The flip side to that is once the wall eats away the gears will eat themselves anyway... catch 22.
I have three housings here already done with the brass inserts in them and when this stock is gone I'll probably consider using steel inserts then next round. When we install the inserts we mill out the back wall of the distributor so that the original wall thickness is the same. I've never just bored the hole and inserted the brass and I'm not even sure it will work that way. Once we do this (and on 1969 and older distributors), we then back fill the hole on the outside so the over-all appearance is that the distributor is as original.
The Teflon button that is available... for years we'd tell customers to drill a hole in the center dimple and then just snap in the Teflon button. (similar to what was done post 1970). If your wall looks like the one below you can see that additional material has been cut from the wall and the Teflon button will fit right in there if you just drill the hole. This will make your wall thickness pretty close to the original. https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...n-62-74-teflon
In the image below, both the distributor housings are the same, one is before we filled it and one after.
One other thing to keep in mind is that the wall is only one issue that can cause gear failure. The brass gear coupling can wear and also cause the side gear to **** out of alignment from the main shaft. You can usually see a wear groove in the coupling.
If your distributor wall looks like this one, then yes you need to do something with the wall.
3
Here is a picture of the brass insert after the wall was milled out.
Willcox
I have three housings here already done with the brass inserts in them and when this stock is gone I'll probably consider using steel inserts then next round. When we install the inserts we mill out the back wall of the distributor so that the original wall thickness is the same. I've never just bored the hole and inserted the brass and I'm not even sure it will work that way. Once we do this (and on 1969 and older distributors), we then back fill the hole on the outside so the over-all appearance is that the distributor is as original.
The Teflon button that is available... for years we'd tell customers to drill a hole in the center dimple and then just snap in the Teflon button. (similar to what was done post 1970). If your wall looks like the one below you can see that additional material has been cut from the wall and the Teflon button will fit right in there if you just drill the hole. This will make your wall thickness pretty close to the original. https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...n-62-74-teflon
In the image below, both the distributor housings are the same, one is before we filled it and one after.
One other thing to keep in mind is that the wall is only one issue that can cause gear failure. The brass gear coupling can wear and also cause the side gear to **** out of alignment from the main shaft. You can usually see a wear groove in the coupling.
If your distributor wall looks like this one, then yes you need to do something with the wall.
3Here is a picture of the brass insert after the wall was milled out.
Willcox
Do you custom mill each housing to fit the gear end play with the gear coupling fully seated, or is there a setup thickness specification for the housing thickness behind the brass insert?
My spare distributor is a '70 housing that was originally assembled with the nylon or teflon (delron or plastic) insert. The factory 1970 housing has the hole for the insert. The brass insert is too thick and the insufficient end play binds the tach gear long before the gear coupling seats.
Is the teflon insert the correct thickness to work with the rest of the rebuild kit I purchased from Willcox without milling the 1970 housing?
05-25-2016, 05:32 PM
#7
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Excellent pictures and explanation of the need to mill the seat and alignment hole to use the brass insert in a '69 or older distributor.
Do you custom mill each housing to fit the gear end play with the gear coupling fully seated, or is there a setup thickness specification for the housing thickness behind the brass insert?
My spare distributor is a '70 housing that was originally assembled with the nylon or teflon (delron or plastic) insert. The factory 1970 housing has the hole for the insert. The brass insert is too thick and the insufficient end play binds the tach gear long before the gear coupling seats.
Is the teflon insert the correct thickness to work with the rest of the rebuild kit I purchased from Willcox without milling the 1970 housing?
Do you custom mill each housing to fit the gear end play with the gear coupling fully seated, or is there a setup thickness specification for the housing thickness behind the brass insert?
My spare distributor is a '70 housing that was originally assembled with the nylon or teflon (delron or plastic) insert. The factory 1970 housing has the hole for the insert. The brass insert is too thick and the insufficient end play binds the tach gear long before the gear coupling seats.
Is the teflon insert the correct thickness to work with the rest of the rebuild kit I purchased from Willcox without milling the 1970 housing?
The new Teflon button is smaller than the original one.
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...n-62-74-teflon
05-25-2016, 06:08 PM
#8
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Coming late to the discussion, and I confess to not reading Lar's note on the subject.
For many years I drilled & tapped the housings to install a 1/4-20 hardened set screw (with Red Loctite) that was then adjusted from the rear after the gear and brass coupling was tightened, for minimal fore/aft play. I did this mod on several other Vettes, and never had a comeback.
An example of how long it lasts was my 17 year daily driven 70 Vette (350/350 sbc with 247K miles on it when sold, and believe I did that mod somewhere around the 60K mile mark. Certainly not NCRS approved, but it worked for me.
Plasticman
For many years I drilled & tapped the housings to install a 1/4-20 hardened set screw (with Red Loctite) that was then adjusted from the rear after the gear and brass coupling was tightened, for minimal fore/aft play. I did this mod on several other Vettes, and never had a comeback.
An example of how long it lasts was my 17 year daily driven 70 Vette (350/350 sbc with 247K miles on it when sold, and believe I did that mod somewhere around the 60K mile mark. Certainly not NCRS approved, but it worked for me.
Plasticman
05-25-2016, 08:02 PM
#9
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Coming late to the discussion, and I confess to not reading Lar's note on the subject.
For many years I drilled & tapped the housings to install a 1/4-20 hardened set screw (with Red Loctite) that was then adjusted from the rear after the gear and brass coupling was tightened, for minimal fore/aft play. I did this mod on several other Vettes, and never had a comeback.
An example of how long it lasts was my 17 year daily driven 70 Vette (350/350 sbc with 247K miles on it when sold, and believe I did that mod somewhere around the 60K mile mark. Certainly not NCRS approved, but it worked for me.
Plasticman
For many years I drilled & tapped the housings to install a 1/4-20 hardened set screw (with Red Loctite) that was then adjusted from the rear after the gear and brass coupling was tightened, for minimal fore/aft play. I did this mod on several other Vettes, and never had a comeback.
An example of how long it lasts was my 17 year daily driven 70 Vette (350/350 sbc with 247K miles on it when sold, and believe I did that mod somewhere around the 60K mile mark. Certainly not NCRS approved, but it worked for me.
Plasticman
An infrequent poster here did something similar. He used a set screw with a hard ball bearing silver soldered on the end to hold thrust against the gear. He claims it worked good and I believe it.