bbreeze93

I want to install a t56 magnum. You can choose a 2.66 and 2.97 1st gear. What is the benefit of having the smaller or larger first gear?

jmd

iTrader: (4)

lighter car or higher rpm / peaky engine would lead to benefitting from the closer 2.66 first ratiod trans. Also, those that find a higher (numerically) ratio too much at the starting line.

Heavier cars or those w/ a broad torque curve that can benefit from the wider ratios of the 2.97 M12 gearset should head that way.

In before someone refers to c5 Z06 ratios as close ratio.

Metal Muscle

Wouldn't having a gear like 2.97 benefit a higher rpm engine more, since it would get into its high rev powerband sooner? Because if it had a 2.66 first gear, it would take much longer to rev up there.

Figure out your powerband first, figure out where you should shift, and do some math to figure out where shifting will put you on the tachometer. If the wide ratio puts you out of your powerband with each shift, you'll probably want to use the close ratio gearing. If you can stay in the powerband with the wide ratio gearing, keep it, because you'll get in to your powerband faster with the lower first gear. Also, if I'm not mistaken, TR6060s (edit: with a wide ratio) have a higher 6th gear, so you'd get better gas mileage. Wide ratio > close ratio, IMO