A pinion gear (also called a pinion) coupled with a rack, converts rotational motion into linear motion or vice versa. Some industries using rack and pinion gear systems are aerospace, utilities, marine and automotive.

Important features of a pinion gear are module, pitch diameter, face width, bore diameter, shaft diameter and number of teeth. Gear suppliers offer pinion gear sets in imperial and metric systems. Like other gears, pinion gears are also available in different materials such as aluminum, brass, bronze, cast iron, stainless steel and nylon.

Some important parameters you must consider before buying a pinion gear are:

1. Loads acting on the pinion gear
2. Power transmission ratio (or gear ratio)
3. Pressure angle for the pinion gear
4. Type of gear teeth: straight or helical
5. Expected life of the pinion gear

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy a pinion gear from reputable gear manufacturers

Once you identify your power transmission requirements, check out standard industrial gear racks available in the market. Look for a manufacturer that supplies gear for a particular industry. For example, if you need ring pinion gears for your differential pinion gear system, check out the manufacturer that specializes in gears for automotive industry.

I recommend: You can buy ring pinion gears at U.S. Gear Corp., a gear manufacturer that supplies gears for the automotive industry. Rush Gears offers a range of both imperial and metric gears including pinion gears. Summit Gearworks offers industrial gears for various industries such as pulp and paper, steel, marine, sugar processing, mining, cement and material handling. For pinion gear replacement, check out gears offered by Gearench, a reputable gear manufacturer.

Buy pinion gears from gear distributors or retailers

Compare different pinion gears based on their features and prices at distributors or retailers' websites.

I recommend: Buy ring and pinion gears at Motive Gear, a reputable distributor of power transmission components. Wolters Motors & Drives supplies metal gears for different industries such as marine, food, robotics, healthcare, material handling and pharmaceuticals. Industrial Drive Components, another distributor of power transmission equipment, provides different types of gears such as pinion gears.

Buy specialty or custom pinion gears

If standard pinion gears available in the market do not meet your requirements, opt for a specialty or customized pinion gear.

I recommend: Stahl Gear & Machine, a reputable gear manufacturer, provides customized gears such as large pinion gears. In addition to its large array of standard products, Arrow Gear Company supplies custom gears as per your application needs. You can buy precision rack and pinion gear at Andantex. Cage Gear & Machine is a custom gear manufacturer that supplies pinion gears according to your requirements.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure you provide timely and proper lubrication to your rack and pinion gear system.
• •  Refer to the manufacturer's instructions about pinion gear installation, as improper installation results in noisy and inefficient operations.
• •  For a rack and pinion system, rack and pinion gears must have the same module, pitch diameter and pressure angle.