Pinion "Combing"

It's probably both that are causing the problem. Lack of lubrication and contamination from stone dust/grit. There's no doubt in my mind that the contamination is causing some if not a large portion of the wear.

I would recommend something like TRC's Takilube. It is designed for lubrication of ring and pinion gear sets as are found on large excavators which are exposed to high levels of dirt/dust contamination.

Agree with Michael. Also you could use a good anti seize paste. The same type as used for very high temperature with a lot of solid lubricants like a copper or aluminum-graphite paste.

quote:

dhoeschen

Hello dhoeschen,
Yes radial scoring is unfortunatly a common problem with gears when hard abrasive particles get in mesh. First off I guess contaminant exclusion is out of the question? Also I would suggest that the particle size (from the grinding operation) is large size particles >25 micron. Here are 2 basic maintenance practices you could consider employing. Have a continous relubrication application applied to the pinion interface area (basically flushing the gear face) This would be a once through lubricant and would probably be a bit expensive over time. Or replace the standard gearing (both rack and pinion) with a harder material (probably a nitrided gear set, or at minimium a case hardened gear set)
I'd be a bit supprised if you could get a lubricant that would be thick enough to cusion the gearing from the abrasives, and most paste types will allow the hard particles to remain on the surface and cause additional wear.
Remember that pinion is harder than the rack therby allowing the hard particles to embed themselves in the rack and preferentially wear the easily replacable (and cheaper) pinion.
regards.....