PLA is stiffer but nowhere near as strong as ABS for a gear I find, sorry you can't convert me, and i've been doing this a fair bit longer than you mate PLA gears are rigid yes, seem great .. but have zero stress tolerance, warp over time (no matter how well you printed it to start with) and have more of a tendency to snap off small segments from stress fractures, like gear teeth.
lol true. I was just going by soemone who was running gears with a drill. reckoned the pla stood up better.
I will bow to your greater experience :-)

Had a look at the creator pro specs.
Key features and improvements:
- Sturdy metal frame is substantially more stable than the Creator's original wood frame.
- Warp-resistant 6.3mm aluminum build platform remains perfectly level under the stress of high heat.
- New heat-resistant metal platform supports replace plastic supports.
- New heavy-duty (10mm) z-axis guide rod ensures steady and precise movement.
- New acrylic cover encloses the chamber to insulate and protect ABS prints.
- New LED light illuminates the build chamber..
I can see why you're getting better abs results than I do :-)
I haven't got any of that stuff lol