Aaron, you really and truly do suck. My C-5 (like probably most of em) has the "convertible drive" logo, but this is the first gear drive unit I've even seen pics of. I assume it's got a planetary gearset in there somewhere? Can't wait for the full story.
That Jon guy, for being a peg legged dirty hippie, is a pretty good guy :hmm3grin2orange: I've got a 36" bar here from him for my P60 that should be running next week. He even sent a chain with, and now I need to learn to file square ground.
(Tried to rep both of ya, but no go, so I hit Randy instead!)
Jon is indeed good people, despite his love of Crocs. Same with Mastermind.
There is indeed a planetary geaset inside that 'conversion' clutch cover. The Clutch drum stays with the cover when you remove it (as does the sprocket, which rides on the clutch drum 'shaft'). To convert from gear drive back to direct, a fellow just needs to remove the bar nuts and gear drive conversion unit/clutch cover, then slip a direct drive clutch drum with bearing onto the crankshaft, thread on and tighten on the clutch nut, then install the direct drive clutch cover and thread on the bar nuts. Conversion to gear drive is the reverse...
This cover/gearbox also has a large steel dowl pin that fits into a pocket between the bar studs on the bar pad of the saw's drivecase, an another smaller pin that fits into another hole at the rear of the drivecase. Keeps everything in line and distributes the loads. clever design.
Aaron, that's awesome! Wonder how many of these and the auto oiler add-ons are floating around out there. Hardly ever see them. According to "the books", the ones for the 5s had a .404 and there was 1/2" pitch intended for the 7s and 9s. Nothing to stop putting either pitch on any of the saws though. By using a special pair of
mathemoschemaviewtitstic sunglasses and looking at your pics from a close range, it looks like you have a 2.9:1 gear ratio under there.
Actually, that's what the spec page says about the add-on gear setup .
Dan
Thanks Dan. I've been wondering that myself. I've seen a couple of the gear drive conversion units and a few of the AO units pictured here and on CSCF over the years. I know one member here who has the AO unit, and I believe a few more fellows do too. I've only seen one of the AO units on feebay, and it was on an XP1000. Cool thing is that it wasn't painted silver (like they usually are) but was painted the same red (with the same 'fade') as the rest of the saw, and had black (rather than red) "Automatic Oiling" lettering on it. Looked to me like the saw had came from Homelite that way. I haven't seen one of these gear drive conversion covers on feebay for at least five years. I of course don't catch every listing though.
My conversion cover is indeed set up with a .404-8 sprocket. Looking at the C-51/71/91G IPL I have, they list the .404 box for the C51G and the 1/2" box for the C71G and C91G (like you said). That IPL also shows a Cool "C Series Gear Drive" emblem that looks like it'd go on the top of the fuel tank (below the handlebar) in place of the "C-5/7/9 Convertable Drive" emblem that we are familiar with (and that the saw I have with the gearbox wears). This saw also has the usual "C-5" on the MN/SN tag. I've never seen a C-series saw with "C-51G" (or 71G or 91G.....etc) on the MN/SN tag (or wearing those emblems). Not sure if they were ever produced that way. If they were, I'd LOVE to see one.
Another interesting thing is that the gear drive conversion unit I've seen pictured in the C-5/7/9 IPL and in the 'stand alone' "Planetary Drive Conversion Kit" IPL is different than the unit I have. The units pictured in those IPL's have the fill plug flat on the side of the gearcase case (with no extension) while my gear drive case has a fill extension on the rear of the gearbox section at an angle. This style of gearcase is pictured in the C-51G/71G/91G IPL. Because of this, and because my gearcase shows so little wear (even less than the rest of the saw) I am thinking that an earlier owner of that C-5 bought the "Planetary Drive Conversion Kit" from the dealer later on (around the time that the C-51/71/91 saws were being sold). Just a Scientific Wild Ass Guess on my part.....
