For those that have done this are you satisfied overall with them? From the folks I have spoken to about them they seem to all be of the mind that it was all positive.:thumbsup3:

I replaced mine with those gears and never had a problem again

I replaced mine with those gears and never had a problem again
I haven't, but the question I have is... How long did it take to have a problem with the stock plastic gears? If you weren't going to be satisfied with the bronze gears when would you know?

RACE ON!!!

When I had my 88 C4, I did one side with the bronze, never looked back. Now when I went to sell that car I did the other side with plastic to keep my expenses down, as it had just gone out the week before, so I knew I would never see the benefit of it if I went with bronze like I had years before. On my 2000 C5 I have replaced both sides with bronze and am very confident with it. It really is a once in the car's lifetime deal, and I have never heard or read about anyone regretting the bronze. Can't say the same for plastic, it WILL go out again. Might be 5 years, 10, years, or a week. For the extra money, why worry about getting caught in BFE with a plastic gear that has gone out, because it surely will happen at the worst time. And it doesn't take any longer to replace it than with the plastic gears. That's my $0.02.

Big T

Now when I went to sell that car I did the other side with plastic to keep my expenses down, as it had just gone out the week before, so I knew I would never see the benefit of it if I went with bronze like I had years before.
Buyer beware! The tip on the iceberg?



Can't say the same for plastic, it WILL go out again. Might be 5 years, 10, years, or a week. For the extra money, why worry about getting caught in BFE with a plastic gear that has gone out, because it surely will happen at the worst time. That's my $0.02.

Big T
And probably worth it. Is "it WILL go out again" a promise? How about if after 26 years, the original factory plastic gears have yet to fail?

RACE ON!!!

How about if after 26 years, the original factory plastic gears have yet to fail?

RACE ON!!!


Thats because you don't drive at night..:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


Actually I've replace both sets in my 84 but my wifes 84 I haven't done yet. Don't know if I'd go bronze or plastic. How much of a price differance is there?

Thats because you don't drive at night..:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


Actually I've replace both sets in my 84 but my wifes 84 I haven't done yet. Don't know if I'd go bronze or plastic. How much of a price differance is there?

Yup! Busted!

Buyer beware! The tip on the iceberg?




And probably worth it. Is "it WILL go out again" a promise? How about if after 26 years, the original factory plastic gears have yet to fail?

RACE ON!!!

And maybe whomever bought that car off the dealer lot still has had no problems with that plastic gear! That would be great. Perhaps he's lucky like you. Some plastic gears fail quickly, obviously some don't, kinda depends on the year of the car and the materials used in the motor (they varied), as well as usage. Check back with us in another 26 years. :thumbsup3:

Big T

How about if after 26 years, the original factory plastic gears have yet to fail?

RACE ON!!!
Thats because you don't drive at night..:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


Actually I've replace both sets in my 84 but my wifes 84 I haven't done yet.
If your wife gets here before dark, neither one of us has to drive at night. Think of the money you are saving, not buying gears! :cheers:

RACE ON!!!

When I had my 88 C4, I did one side with the bronze, never looked back. Now when I went to sell that car I did the other side with plastic to keep my expenses down, as it had just gone out the week before, so I knew I would never see the benefit of it if I went with bronze like I had years before. On my 2000 C5 I have replaced both sides with bronze and am very confident with it. It really is a once in the car's lifetime deal, and I have never heard or read about anyone regretting the bronze. Can't say the same for plastic, it WILL go out again. Might be 5 years, 10, years, or a week. For the extra money, why worry about getting caught in BFE with a plastic gear that has gone out, because it surely will happen at the worst time. And it doesn't take any longer to replace it than with the plastic gears. That's my $0.02.

Big T
And maybe whomever bought that car off the dealer lot still has had no problems with that plastic gear! That would be great. Perhaps he's lucky like you. Some plastic gears fail quickly, obviously some don't, kinda depends on the year of the car and the materials used in the motor (they varied), as well as usage. Check back with us in another 26 years. :thumbsup3:

Big T
"Some plastic gears fail quickly, obviously some don't" That isn't what you said in the first post. Also, you said you foisted off the cheap, in your mind, unreliable repair/parts on the next guy, a repair you wouldn't dare consider for YOUR car. :thumbsup3:

RACE ON!!!

I put lightweight composite headlight in to reduce the strain, never had any issues.

"Some plastic gears fail quickly, obviously some don't" That isn't what you said in the first post. Also, you said you foisted off the cheap, in your mind, unreliable repair/parts on the next guy, a repair you wouldn't dare consider for YOUR car. :thumbsup3:

RACE ON!!!

I believe I said they will fail, but then gave a "timetable" for different scenarios. If the plastic lasts 100 years, and then fails, it fails. If it fails on the first try after replacement, it fails. If the original fails after 26 years, it fails. They will ALL fail someday, but maybe the car will be long gone by then and its a moot point. Perhaps erosion in a junkyard a few centuries down the road will be the culprit. Almost every original or replacement is going to fall somewhere in between obviously. You have 26 years on yours, and I am genuinely happy you have not had a problem. Perhaps they may last another 26 years, or 50, maybe 80. By then neither of us will be alive and perhaps the car (unfortunately) will be history too. At that point it can't be argued over anymore, and no one here will be aware of it either. Just like tires, some people get a lot of mileage on whatever they have on their car, while some folks get very few with the same brand. It depends on the driver, the way its driven, and perhaps the construction of a particular component....but trends do develop, and there is a definite, very easy to see and understand, median life span for whatever part a person is discussing. These plastic gears are no exception. Whatever that lifespan is, I bet it's less than bronze gears. Nearly everyone feels, I bet, that it is worth a little peace of mind to do it once than PERHAPS them having to do it again. And it's only like another $25 or so a side, not chump change to some people but worth the "insurance". I would have done the other side of mine with bronze, but didn't, not because as you so eloquently put it, to "foist off the cheap, unreliable repair/parts on the next guy" but because, as I stated, that headlight gear had gone out just the week before...... and as I had no time to order up the bronze gears, because I had made a final decision, and deal, to trade that car in during my lunch break a few days after that, having to literally hurry home after work and use one of the plastic gear sets my shop had on the shelf, to make the repair and drive back later to the dealer and pick up my new Vette. I wasn't happy I had to do it that way, but there it is. I can nearly guarantee the dealer didn't care (they were selling the car soon anyway, right?), the next owner was likely never informed (and if so, maybe like you might be, they were tickled to know they had new plastic instead of bronze), and I sincerely hope that whomever owns it today still has 2 working headlights. I just knew that for ME, THAT day, I wasn't going to likely notice any difference in the two materials, and wouldn't see the long-term payoff of using bronze. But given a choice I would have used it, it just simply was not an option I had at that time. As it was the last business day of the month, the dealer sure wanted that new Vette I just bought off their books and off their lot so that was why I used the plastic set, as well as the aforementioned reasons. Not intending to be harsh here, it's not on purpose and hopefully not perceived that way, I am just explaining my thoughts further. And obviously opinions vary, and each one should make whatever decision they are the most comfortable with. I am trying to give an answer and opinion to a question I am sure many have thought about. :cheers:

Big T