Kraken Shimming
 

hey i was just about to buy these prometheus shims when i noticed theres a couple dif sizes in it and am now wondering what the different sizes are for before i make a purchase
http://i15.ebayimg.com/04/i/08/f6/65/31_1.JPG
also any tips on how many shims on each gear/how to porperly shim specifically the krakens gearbox would be greatly appreciated

I usually use the smallest ones, identical to the originals ones. I never understood what the larger ones were for, maybe someone can fill that in

They use different circumference to help you sort out the different thickness.

There aren't any real tips specific to mechboxes. Every mechbox shims a little differently because of tolerance variance. Make sure you don't only put shims on one side, make sure the gears aren't rubbing against each other or anything else, etc.

The package will have 3-4 different thicknesses. Because of the small degrees of difference, they're also sized (diameter) different. So small diameter thin = 0.0x inch, small diameter thick = 0.0y inch, large diameter thin = 0.xx inch, etc....should say on the baggie.

There are good tutorials (mechbox.com, dedalus devgru something,...). Once you learn the theory of what you're doing...you have to learn the feel of it. What's tight enough, what's too tight.

Because of the variances with manufactures and their quality control...it's not always correct to say..."put a 0.02 under the bevel and a 0.03 on top of the spur..."

Best of luck.

The POINT of shimming is because every gearbox is different.

how often should you shim

Once, unless you change gears or bushings or used the gun for 5 years straight.

Is it a customizing or is it a stock part in your gun?

Not quite sure I understand the question. Shimming is done to minimize play between the gears and the mechbox shell. Too much or too little play is bad for your gun. Most stock guns are not perfectly shimmed, because the factories typically use the same shim placement for all mechboxes instead shimming each mechbox based on that box's specific tolerance.

What I meant was, to shim your gun, is it something that YOU or I would do to help the gun. Or is it already in the gun when you buy it and you can just replace them

Yes, it is to help your gun.

All guns have some stock shims installed. The point is that the stock shims are usually not enough and poorly arranged.

When we talk about shimming, we're not talking about replacing stock shims with aftermarket shims because stock shims are bad. Shims are just pieces of metal, there are very little good or bad between different brands. It is the correct placement of shims that matter, and the emphasis is on "shimming" the activity, not "shims" the parts.

what i meant by "properly" shimming was should i have an equal amount of shims on each side of the gear or should one side of a particular gear have more than the other side? if its the kinda thing that you figure out yourself im not sure how id be able to tell. i think id want everything to be evenly shimmed like if i put two on one side then id want two on the other also

i know i bought one of the latest gen krakens that are the very good ones but some of its gears didnt have shims at all and the ones that did only had one almost paper thin one on each side

Proper shimming is not necessarily symmetrical, so not equal amounts on both sides. Instead of focusing on the placement of the shims themselves, remember they are a means to an end.

The end is (off the top of my head):
- Minimal lateral movement of gears (not zero movement, leave about a hair)
- Clearance of gears from brushing agast the insides of the mechbox
- Clearance of gears brushing against each other than to ensure good teeth mesh
- To ensure all teeth are meshing at the optimal height (no row of teeth of one gear should mesh less than 3/4 of another row of teeth of another gear)
- Alignment of sector gear to center of piston
- Alignment of anti-reversal latch to bevel gear

so i can have more shims on one side of all the gears and be safe as long as all the gears teeth line up evenly?

Yep.