<p>The hot forging die of drive gear teeth was optimized from a two-stage to a three-stage design to improve wear resistance. Finite element simulations were conducted to analyze stress distribution and die load, followed by experimental validation focusing on microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear resistance under different die configurations. The simulation results revealed that the three-stage die effectively reduced both stress concentration and forming load, attributed to smoother metal flow. After die optimization, the microstructure of the gear teeth consisted of martensite, with more refined grains and a higher dislocation density, leading to significant improvements in strength, hardness, and impact toughness. In particular, the wear resistance was significantly improved, exhibiting reduced friction and wear rate under the maximum load, along with milder surface damage. These findings indicate that the optimized die structure is feasible and beneficial, as it improves metal flow, promotes dynamic recrystallization, and leads to a more uniform microstructure, grain refinement, and increased dislocation density. The strengthening mechanisms were analyzed based on the Hall–Petch relationship and Bailey–Hirsch criterion, while the main wear mechanisms were identified as adhesive and oxidative wear.</p>