Obliviously Obvious

Since 90% of my driving and racing is done on the highway, and I'm expecting something in the area of 470 to the wheels with my new setup, I was thinking about going with 3.23's.

Does anyone have an opinion on what I could gain or loose out of this?

What I'm after is highway acceleration from say 50-170 or so.

Would I have 1st gear issues with my clutch?

DrkPhx

iTrader: (15)

170 mph? Wow, you have kahunas to take it that fast on a highway. I hope you have a good lawyer in case you get caught on radar. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="gr_tounge.gif" />

If you're looking for as much top mph as possible and not how fast you get there, 2.73's would suit you better. But if you looking to do some 50mph+ blasts (assuming you're in 5th gear at top speed),
the 3.23's will net you some additional mph, but will lose some low end grunt. There is a trade off. You shouldn't have any clutch issues with the
3.23's unless you already have problems.
Hope this helps.

<small>[ June 20, 2002, 11:51 PM: Message edited by: BLKTA ]</small>

Richie Carbone

iTrader: (3)

Your clutch wont last too long! 3:23's will put more stress on the clutch especially when taking off from a dead stop. There's not much of a difference beween the two ratios. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

VINCE

iTrader: (1)

You are going in the wrong direction.. Personally keep the 3.42's and increase your horsepower.. You can still hit 200mph if you want.. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

StevieZ

iTrader: (3)

Vipers are 3.08 :1 and with 450HP , break the rear wheels loose just using the gas pedal. I think you might like it if you are running that kind of HP to the wheels. Just make sure you have a good clutch!

Obliviously Obvious

Maybe I need to clarify just a little bit <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

I'm looking for big end PULL.. say, me, v.s. another car with the same HP levels, with 3.42's.

Would I pull harder, or should I say, accelerate faster, than the guy with 3.42's?

I'm reving out and shifting at 7k with my cam as it is right now ( 228/236 110 )

I'm not looking for big end numbers, or even the 200mph mark.. most of the 'racing' I do is on the highway, late at night when nobody, or, at least, not many people are around. I like to race the 'big dogs' that do the same around here.. 911 TT's, Ferrari's, vettes, vipers, etc. Looking for an advantage is all <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> Look on some faces when a chick beats them is priceless <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

I'm not worried about launching hard on 3.23's.. Only launching I'll be doing, is in traffic, or normal street driving. If I go to the track, I have a spare 4.10 rear that I use.

This is what I've come up with, in say, a normal race for me.. like I said, 50-160-170, give or take.

3.42's, 50mph is 2nd gear, 4000 RPM's. I can't use first because 50mph is 6000, by the time I stab it, it's time to shift. That doesn't work well.

With 3.23's, I could do a 1st gear 50 stab.. I'd be at 5600RPM's. Right where I expect my cam to kick in really hard. From my 50 stab, to the time I have to shift, is 12mph. I expect that to be the fastest 12mph my car will pick up. Does anyone agree? 2nd gear wouldn't be an option as I'd be at 3200RPM's at 50mph. but, when I do a 1st to second shift, looking at MPH, ( 62mph max speed in 1st, shift to second ) I'd be at 4600 RPM's. I'm sure at the bottom of my cam's power peak. 2nd gear ( with 3.23's ) would take me to 92-93MPH, shift into 3rd at 5100 RPM's, takes me to 127, back to 5300, 165mph, 5100 RPM's to however fast I go.

3.42's, same thing:

2nd punch at 4000RPM's to 88, 5100 to 120, 5400 to 156, 5200 to wherever.

Looking at all those numbers, what gear is going to get me from 50, to 170 the fastest?

Sorry for the long dumb post guys.. trying to learn something, as well as expand on an idea <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

Jen <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

Obliviously Obvious

No other opinions?

Gold Phoenix

iTrader: (1)

Like everyone else said, you can still reach 170 in 5th. I would stay with the 3.42. You can let the engine rev faster thus accelerating faster. Now running against 911s, vettes, and so on they have a few advantages over you. They are more aerodynamic for the high speeds which means less drag at 170. There are not much straight so they most likely handle better at 170. Braking is another issue. All brake on an F-body sucks at 170.

axe

Here's an opinion with no additional math to back it up. Going from 3.42's to 3.23's gets you a very fast 12mph blast at the cost of an additional shift (1->2) and slower acceleration from ~62mph on up. In both cases you top out in 5th. I'd stay with 3.42's or maybe do the math for 3.73's and see where your redline in 5th with 3.73's is. If that's fast enough (>170?), I bet 3.73's gets you there faster than 3.42's. 3.73's would also make your rollon from 50mph in second better.

MIGHTYMOUSE

iTrader: (59)

why not just put the 410's in and beat them before you get to 170 mph.. safer that way..

to get from a to b the quickest, gears still rule.

if your still fighting off a car at the end of 5th with the 410's.. there is still one option.. 6th! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

4.10's in 6th gear is close to the 3.23's in 5th.

msce2b-dustin

...i'd go with a lower ratio rear gear and just use 6th gear.