From the parts list I found on their website, I see three different gears. The ring gear is the same color as the flywheel and I assumed at first that it was steel also but since it fails the magnet test I was hoping something in the model, type or code would tell me which it is. There's nothing aluminum colored so I guessing it's plastic. From what you're saying, it probably doesn't matter as long as I don't use the steel gear. Thanx for the heads-up.