if you are modelling with Subd, your polycount doesn't matter. (obviously, don't overdo it, putting 3 subdivisions on a very tiny screw that is a 100 times on your object wouldn't be to smart). If I am reading your post correctly, what you are trying to do is basicly a waste of time.
G3L : to avoid that kind of bumps around a cylindrical shape, you really just need to go much more dense with the base volume. Try maybe 24 edges. The more edges you have defining the primitive, the less it will deform near areas of chanfered, double-edged details...
Shimigami you really seem to be struggling with Subd, that's ok there are a lot of quirks and edge cases to modeling high detail hardsurface models with subd. A lot of things you have run into would be very simple if modeled with NURBS. Well maybe, I'm not sure what 3dsmax's NURBS are like.
@mverta hope this help you understand and solve your problem. Also removing this kind of detail wont help you learn mate! put it back on. Also note that in order to get mine L corner on curve super smooth I manually adjusted vertices on edge constraints.
Thank you. One more beginner question: what kind of tool are you using when an edge needs to be reinforced, but loop cut is not an option (because of triangles, poles etc). Are those just manual cuts? Sometimes I try to use inset faces, but usually the result is not good.
PVJ, one thing I can tell you is not to build it from one single mesh unless the real deal is made the same way (and even then, if you can separate for example the top and bottom pieces, do it because it will be better when dealing with control edges and all that stuff).
@FrankPolygon This truly helps for this project and future ones! You are right; things are more simple than we perceive them as. I always stayed away from boolean operations, but seems its inevitable for any detailed mesh play. Thank you again for a great discussion, Frank.
It depends of the model but in your case you could work on a 1/4 part of the wheel and then setting the pivot point in the middle and duplicate it 3 times by rotation. Once you have the 4 parts duplicated apply a weld and it should be fine. Also applying two differents symmetry will work.
@redarchfiend I used FFD modifier, but I think Lattices in Maya can do the same job, basically just add some control points and twisting it manually. Spend some time to adjusting till you get the result you want. This image is just a quick example
study the guys who do this great. you will not be able to translate this 1:1 into 3d as the reference doesn't care about correct perspective from any angle. https://sketchfab.com/search?q=anime just searching anime on sketchfab gives you a ton of reference to check out :)