Self-piloting thrust washers

A thrust washer and a planet gear and a planet gear carrier, in combination, the planet gear rotatively supported by a shaft, the shaft supported by a pair of carrier flanges of the planet gear carrier, the gear disposed between the carrier flanges, a needle roller bearing radially disposed between the shaft and the gear, the thrust washer concentric with the gear and the shaft, the thrust washer being axially disposed between the gear and one of the carrier flanges, comprising:

• the planet gear having a plurality of circumferentially located engaging teeth, an inside diameter bearing surface contiguous with the needle roller bearing, and having a washer pilot cylindrical recess including an inside diameter surface;
• the thrust washer having a washer pilot outside diameter surface complementary to the washer pilot inside diameter surface of the planet gear, the washer pilot outside diameter surface of the thrust washer rotatively disposed within the washer pilot inside diameter surface of the planet gear, the washer pilot outside diameter surface having a piloting relationship with the washer pilot inside diameter surface of the planet gear and being located therein;
• and
• the thrust washer having a minimum inside diameter approximately equal to an outside diameter of the shaft plus a diameter of a needle roller of the needle roller bearing wherein an axially extending surface of the outside diameter surface of the washer is located within an overall axial extention of said gear.