Don helical gears lose a lot of horsepower because of the side loads generated?
There is a loss of power whenever helical gears are employed, but it’s so insignificant that it can’t be seen on a dyno. Keep in mind, straight cut gears also register a power loss, but again it’s negligble. Not so with overdrives, which can lose in the neighborhood of five percent. Both the automotive and the trucking industries are relentless in their pursuit of fuel economy – anything that threatens to rob power is replaced. Both use helical gears consistently in their transmissions for greater strength, more reliability, and a much quieter drivetrain. Loss of power is not a factor.
