Drag Racing Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

lower gear to overcome low stall speed....make any sense?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-25-2008, 08:34 PM
  #1  
On The Tree
Thread Starter
 
JeRM82's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hanford, CA
Posts: 151
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Question lower gear to overcome low stall speed....make any sense?

I searched for a topic on this but didn't find anything other than people arguing over 4.10's or 3.73's WITH a stall for the A4 cars. I was just wondering if it made ANY sense using a lower rear gear (I.E. 4.10 or lower) to overcome a low stall speed converter. It's just an idea....just getting opinions on this. If you took an A4 car and put a 4.10 or lower gear in it and didn't run a stall any higher than stock (or close to it) would you be able to launch the car anywhere near as hard as a higher stalled 3.73 geared car? If you had to drive the car in stop and go traffic every morning for long periods of time a stall might be a problem as far as heat....if the car had a street/strip set-up as far as rear suspension.....wouldn't using that low of a gear effectively do the same thing as far as putting the power to the ground when you launch the car? I know that the A4 car would probrably shift into OD before the traps.....if it was right before the traps it might not matter THAT much......what do you guys think.....If this is in the wrong section I'm sorry....I just figured the drag racing section was the proper place for this discussion....or tell me that I'm crazy discussion.....wich ever it is....thanks for ANY info in advance.....
Old 01-25-2008, 10:25 PM
  #2  
10 Second Club
 
Gary Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Berkeley, California
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Originally Posted by JeRM82
I was just wondering if it made ANY sense using a lower rear gear (I.E. 4.10 or lower) to overcome a low stall speed converter.
The rear ratio should be selected without reference to stall speed. Your rear ratio should be such that your engine speed is above the power peak through the traps in top (non-overdrive) gear. At launch, a higher rear ratio will help a little but a higher stall will help a lot. It is best to optimize both. If you only want to change one, get a higher stall converter.

Last edited by Gary Z; 01-25-2008 at 10:35 PM.
Old 01-25-2008, 10:31 PM
  #3  
Trunion King
iTrader: (16)
 
bene's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Texan in Colorado
Posts: 4,394
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

As far as heat goes, you can always put a BIGGER, BETTER tranny cooler for the stall. I also put higher numerical gear back (3.42)of the car to ease the work load of the tranny during city driving (tight feeling).
Old 01-25-2008, 10:38 PM
  #4  
10 Second Club
iTrader: (8)
 
Top Fuel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: NW Indiana
Posts: 838
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by JeRM82
or tell me that I'm crazy discussion.....
You're crazy
Old 01-25-2008, 11:00 PM
  #5  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (9)
 
sixvi6-camaro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Schaumburg, IL
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by JeRM82
If you took an A4 car and put a 4.10 or lower gear in it and didn't run a stall any higher than stock (or close to it) would you be able to launch the car anywhere near as hard as a higher stalled 3.73 geared car?
I highly doubt it. My buddy had 4.10's in his A4 SS with a stock stall. BEst he ran was 1.85 60's and 12.9's. I mangled him with a 2.73 gear and 3600 stall with a best of 1.66 60' time and 12.7 1/4 mile times. both cars were stock manifolds with a cat back and lid on DR's.


Originally Posted by JeRM82
If you had to drive the car in stop and go traffic every morning for long periods of time a stall might be a problem as far as heat....
No I daily drive.. truly daily drive every day in all weather all year around with a 3600 stall from sub zero weather to 100 deg weather. I still run the stock cooler and have an Aux cooler with its own fan. Once in heavy traffic on a blazing hot day the trans hit 210 deg which is still nothing compared to stock tranny temps.


Originally Posted by JeRM82
if the car had a street/strip set-up as far as rear suspension.....wouldn't using that low of a gear effectively do the same thing as far as putting the power to the ground when you launch the car?
No because a Torque converter has a torque multiplication that happens when power is applied and the torque converter keep the car in the powerband all the time. Even if you had a 4.10 in the car with a stock stall it will still fall out of its power band on each shift.

actually this sticky form the trans section answers lots of questions on converters..

https://ls1tech.com/forums/automatic-transmission/728728-commonly-asked-stall-transmission-related-questions.html



Quick Reply: lower gear to overcome low stall speed....make any sense?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:49 AM.