Gear Teeth with Heavy Pitting Damage

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Ford Pickup, 2002 Ford F550 Super Duty, and 2002 Ford F450 Super Duty. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Fig 1: Identifying Gear Teeth With Heavy Pitting Damage

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

The term describes extensive flank pittings, which usually appear as pitting zones. The pit bases are usually shell-shaped. The total pitting surface may become so large that either smooth running is considerably impaired, or the remaining flank face, still bearing load, will soon be destroyed by wear. The pittings, attributed to material fatigue, result from a combination of contact pressure and sliding stress. The pittings occur if the local sliding and rolling stresses exceed material specification.