Quote:
Originally Posted by Dimis
you would be better served changing the rear end to something between 3.73 or 4.11 to help launch you out of those corners, and climb to the next apex.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1795
3:31 is awful steep for climbing hills, unless you want to keep the car in 2nd and 3rd gear all the time. A lower gear ratio would put you in the power band and help with acceleration out of the corners.
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My car will climb a 10% grade in 4th gear, at +3500 feet elevation, doing 65-75mph, without issues. It doesn't lug, and it feels strong.
However, you are correct that If I am running through the mountain curves in a more spirited manner, then 3rd gear makes both me, and the car, much happier...
The rear gearing has to be balanced to the transmission. With a Toploader (or a non-overdrive Richmond 5-speed), 3.31's or 3.42's are just about perfectly suited to the internal ratios in the transmission (again, JMHO).
With an overdrive 5 speed (TKO or T5)- you have to calculate the correct rear end ratio based on the specific ratios used for 1st and 5th gears in your particular gearbox (Especially with the T5's, because there are so many different T5 gear sets out there).
Zarpox says he has a WC- T5 with the 2.95 first gear, and the .73 overdrive... This is the exact same trans I had in my previous green car (which also had a 302 that ran out of breath early, and could barely turn 6000RPM).
I ran 3.73 rear gears in that car (with the same 295/50 rear tires) and the overdrive was perfect, but 1st gear was REALLY short- I had to shift almost immediately (at about 30mph) under WOT acceleration. I always felt like 3.55's (or possibly 3.42's) would have probably been better choices for that engine and transmission combo.
This might be why Zarpox wants a higher revving engine, because I felt the exact same way with my green car - 1st gear acted like a 60 foot gear in a drag car- I had to upshift within 2 seconds whenever I launched that car hard.
If I had been able to make power up in the same 6000-6500 range like I can with my current car, then I would have been able to hold 1st gear longer, and the 3.73's would have been a better gearing combination for that car.
Zarpox- Here's another point for you to consider. If you are REALLY thinking about upgrading to a 500HP stroker for your car someday - An engine that powerful will be right on the upper limits of what your T5 transmission can handle, so you might want to consider adding the cost of a transmission change to your stroker plans, as well... Just more opinions
