An apparatus and method to minimize acoustic vibration in a vehicle due to impulsive gear clash loads. Sensors (128) are mounted on the vehicle and are used to sense vehicle vibration generated by the gear clash loads. A first gear (102), having a plurality of teeth (106) and a second gear (104), also having a plurality of teeth (108), are disposed such that upon rotation of the first and second gears, certain ones of the second gear teeth mesh with certain ones of the first gear teeth. An actuator (122), which is coupled to the first gear, drives the first gear and generates torque pulses. A controller (126) is coupled to the actuator and controls the torque pulses that are transmitted to the first gear. The torque pulses generated by the actuator are adjusted in magnitude and phase so that the first gear teeth vibrate at a predetermined frequencies thereby reducing vibrations and peak tooth loading caused by the meshing of the first gear teeth and the second gear teeth.
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