Great Dane excavating co.

[steamer]

The plastic gear is made that way to be sacrificial!! They do it that way in case of a jam up in the machine you loose a couple of teeth, and that's all. If Grizzly can supply you with new ones, I'd suggest you get a couple of spares as you are lucky after three years and it's still there. And If it's a loose as you say, it won't there much longer!!
Rob