Distributor gear roll pin is bothering me

[turbohunter]

Hi guys
As most of you know I have a distributor spud in my mustang that Jay made up for me.
It works great.
What’s bothering me is the fit of the steel gear I have installed. This is a stock size distributor shaft so to me cross drilling out of the question. Well bless Cranes little heart they have a gear (PN 34970-1) that is drilled at two depths. One of the depths is perfect to put the gear at the correct measurement on the shaft. Fantastic.
What’s nagging me is the the holes did not fit sideways. One hole was off a little. So I drilled a bit of the shaft out to enable the pin to pass through. I’m thinking that the void left will be enough to maybe snap the pin.
I could remedy the problem by going to a larger diameter pin, like .156 or .187.
Wuchya’ll think?

[BattlestarGalactic]

I've run a double pinned distributor in my pickup for nearly 30 yrs without issue.   It sheared one night while cruising, I was able to limp it home after adjusting the timing slightly.  I put a new pin in and drilled another 90* out.  I have always had lots of oil pressure and 20w-50 oil so it works on that pin hard.

I have seen gears with the hole just off so you can't put it back on flipped.  Why?  Sloppy machining?

[turbohunter]

Thanks Larry
Was that a stock distributor or the larger shaft aftermarket.

[turbohunter]

After thinking more I think I’ll get some .156 pins.

[blykins]

I've used a .156" pin, .187" pin and even a .196" pin on factory shafts. 

[turbohunter]

Gracias senior Brent.

[gt350hr]

  You should always have "press" on the gear. The roll pin will shear continuously if the gear slides on by hand. Going to a 3/16ths roll pin may help but even they will fail without the gear pressing onto the shaft.

[turbohunter]

It’s a press on.
Normal deal.
What was bothering me is since there is a void in the shaft because of the misalignment. I was queezy about the shaft eventually turning and maybe snapping the pin. I realize that the press on friction takes up approx. 75% of the load but I like to get rid of as many variables as I can.
I think the bigger pin will be fine.