Feed rack pinion gear

My new longitudinal feed rack pinion gear from Grizzly has no hole drilled for the large drive gear
that is held on the rack pinion shaft with a #2 taper pin. Since the aprons are essentially clutch drives;

Must I assemble the apron with rack pinion gear firmly engaged with the rack
before I drill the hole for the drive Gear? In other words, does the rack pinion
need to have the teeth of the rack gear firmly meshed with the rack for alignment purposes - radial, not lateral?
Robert

The shoulder of the feed rack pinion can ride on the shoulder of the boss on the inside of the apron casting.
Use a transfer punch that will fit either the small or large hole on the gear to center the hole
and then remove and drill in a V block on a drill press.
You will need a taper pin reamer to finish the job once you reassemble.
Be sure to have the hand wheel pinion in place when you mark the shaft of the feed rack pinion
because it determines the location of the gear on the feed rack pinion shaft due to the wire ring around the teeth of the hand wheel pinion.
BakoRoy

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