Gear Ratio Question...What does it mean?
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
Gear Ratio Question...What does it mean?
My Vette as a "3:73" rear end....what does that mean? Also, if the numbers go up ie: 3:93 or 4:00...does that mean I can get a better "hole shot" off the starting line or does that mean I can get a higher top end.... :confused: Please explain.....Anyone.....
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Gear Ratio Question...What does it mean? (vetteguy75)
What is means is if you count the number of teeth on the pinion gear which is the one the drive shaft is bolted to and the number of teeth on the ring gear which is the one the axles are connected to and divided the small into the larger you would have 3.73. I don't know numbers but if the driveshaft gear was say 9 teeth and the axle gear was 35 teeth, dividing 9 into 35 and you get 3.88 gear which is not made but that is the idea.
The driveshaft or motor in high gear no overdrive turns over 3.73 times for each time the rear axles turn over once.
A 4.11 gear is great off the line because the engine power is mulitplied by 4.11 but top speed down the road sucks because the engine is spinning too high at 60 mph, might be 3500 rpm, motor uses more gas, gets hotter, more noise and alot more wear.
3.08 gives poor of the line performance because engine power is multiplied by a lower number but on the open road the motor runs slower for more gas mileage, less wear and less noise.
The way around all this is with alot of horsepower that the 3.08 even have trouble hooking off the line. :) :) That's the route I went. With 4.11's it was impossible to hook until 4th gear. I went back to the 3.08 and it hooks alot better in 3rd. 1st and 2nd are still a wipe out if pushed the 3rd hooks.
The driveshaft or motor in high gear no overdrive turns over 3.73 times for each time the rear axles turn over once.
A 4.11 gear is great off the line because the engine power is mulitplied by 4.11 but top speed down the road sucks because the engine is spinning too high at 60 mph, might be 3500 rpm, motor uses more gas, gets hotter, more noise and alot more wear.
3.08 gives poor of the line performance because engine power is multiplied by a lower number but on the open road the motor runs slower for more gas mileage, less wear and less noise.
The way around all this is with alot of horsepower that the 3.08 even have trouble hooking off the line. :) :) That's the route I went. With 4.11's it was impossible to hook until 4th gear. I went back to the 3.08 and it hooks alot better in 3rd. 1st and 2nd are still a wipe out if pushed the 3rd hooks.
