C8180 has broken gear on shaft of paper feed roller with 4 rubber feed rollers.

[AZOldTechie]

Remove the rear access panel on the C8180 and similar printer models as if a paper jam had occurred.  In the middle of the opening is a steel shaft running across the opening with 4 rubber rollers and a small plastic gear on the left end of the shaft.  Of 2 printers and a "refurbished" lower paper tray feed assembly I purchased and had to return, this gear is broken and slips on the shaft resulting in the paper not feeding into the printing area or jamming.

Has anyone investigated this problem and looked into finding a replacement gear that can be used to repair these units?  

I could not find a really good category for this inquiry.  

[Lynjh]

I have a C8180. I had the exact same problem you just described  with the broken plastic gear on the  left side of the metal shaft thay has the 4 rubber rollers. I bought a printer similar to  the c8180 that was being sold for parts for $10. I took it apart to take the long shaft with the rollers and the gears out of it and I actually had to take a pair of tin snips to cut the metal frame that holds the shaft and gears as well as part of the plastic on the printer to get the gear out. Then I took the white plastic clip off the end and the black gear slips off in one piece. Next you get a razor blade and make 2 cuts to take a chunk out of the gear. The trick to cutting this gear is making the chunk you take out just enough to allow room to slip the bigger part of the gear over the shaft. And the gear has to partially cover the ribs on the shaft. Then super glue the smaller piece, using tweezers to do it. Hold the small piece with the tweezers, dab it with super glue on the 2 ends and put it on the piece you just put on the shaft. I know it has been done and worked for a few pages or more and then broke. I do graphic designs and use my printer every day all day long and it has been working perfectly so far. I think it it because a gear that is broken in half 50/50 is much weaker than a gear that is broken at a 70/30 if you can get whay I mean on that, I apologize but I can't think of another way to explain it !