Bevel gear set and method of manufacture

A method of forming a bevel gear having a gear tooth surface, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an annular gear blank;
• machining a plurality of radially and outwardly extending gear teeth into the gear tooth surface of the annular gear blank, wherein each tooth includes:
• a tooth top having a length;
• and
• a plurality of meshing surfaces, each meshing surface including a tooth face and a tooth flank, such that the tooth face abuts the tooth top at an abutment edge;
• forming at least one chamfer on each tooth at the abutment edge via an automated brushing process:
• wherein the at least one chamfer is positioned between the respective meshing surface and the tooth top;
• and
• wherein forming the at least one chamfer comprises applying an automated brush to the abutment edge of the tooth along the length of the tooth top;
• applying a heat treating process to the bevel gear;
• and
• applying a shot peening process to the bevel gear and the gear tooth surface, wherein the shot peening process causes a plastic deformation of the gear tooth surface thereby creating a plus tip material, and wherein the plus tip material is contained on the chamfer.