RTS 4-Pinion Front Planetary The standard oem front planetary is another weak link that needs some attention when trying to make the C4 survive in a performace environment. The original design planetary has only 3 gears and does not have bearings, which generate a lot of heat and is prone to failure. Our new 4 pinion planetary has 4 gears instead of the oem 3 for extra strength while also adding Torington bearings on each of the 4 pinions and the thrust shim to reduce friction. This will therefore reduce both heat and friction, increasing the efficiency of the system (less HP loss) while also reducing transmission oil temperatures (which is the transmissions worst enemy)! All these features are incorporated into a 4140 Chromoly CNC-machined housing with 8620 heat treated helical gears. Many people believe you need a 6 pinion version which is not entirely correct. 6 pinion planetaries are heavier, take more power to drive and the housing strength is compromised to accomodate the 6 gears. RTS has looked at all the pros and cons and settled on the 4 Pinion as being the best choice your race winning transmission.