I'm trying to decide which I want and if the Vigilante is worth the extra $170. Precision Industries (Vigilante) and Yank supposedly make the best converters, so that's why I'm leaning towards the Vig.

My car has 2.73s and I want to keep it feeling decently tight. The STR of the Vig is 2.17 and the SSF 3500 is a 2.5 (although they cannot truly verify this since Precision Industries and Yank are the only two companies that accurately measure STR).

Which do you guys think would be better for a daily driver car with 2.73s that rarely sees the track (maybe it will a couple times this summer). BTW, if I get the Vig and it seems too loose, I might upgrade to 3.23 gears.

 

this has been beat to death. i had a tci 3500 for a while, not too bad but can be loose feeling if you are a *****. i loved it. i now have a tci 3800 w/ 2.73 gears (going 3.42 sometime soon though). not bad at all, but i have it tuned in real nice.

do a search, there is SOOO much info on all of the converters. vig people like vig's, tci people like tci's, and yank people swear by yank's. it is your choice. i don't think they are really THAT much different and too much time is spent nit-picking about the little things.

 

The vig. is better, and has been proven to be consistant. Plus it has the ability to be restalled once for you for free. Can't beat that.

 

I love my TCI 3500. I have 3.23 gears. Its not much looser than stock. Only time i notice it is backing up. I just couldnt justify spending that much on a converter.

 

get the vig. i have a tci and i am gonna go to a vig at some point. the truth is you get what you pay for!

 

I know it's been beat to death and I know that everyone will swear by what they have, but that's what this forum is about. I just wanted to see if anyone had possibly compared the two and which was theoretically better. Thanks for the info guys!

 

well, you'd benefit more from the higher STR of the SSF

 

If you do not want a real loose feeling, the Vig 2800 works great with 2.73s. It will be more than adequate for use on the street with typical street tires.

 

I love this mentality over here sometimes I wouldn't say a Vig is better than a TCI. I think both are good coverters personally. The Vig will be looser because of the lower str. and hit the tires softer than the TCI. As far as a restall is concerned I'm sure Kevin Wensted( TCI ) will work something out with you if you decide to go bigger in the future. In my oppinion the TCI is a great converter for the price and the customer service.

 

Awesome Info! Going w/ the TCI3500. Planing to order it from thunderracing.com and take advatage of the special they have expiring on 1-31-05.

 

yup exactly

 

The impact of STR on looseness is overrated. High torque multiplication drops off pretty quick in first gear once the car is rolling. Most people notice looseness the most in 2nd and 3rd gears when the converter output shaft is no where near zero rpm (where STR is measured). All things equal STR will matter, but when you are comparing accross converter designs (and brands), blanket statements about STR are not very accurate. You need to drive a converter or measure rpm under various drivings loads to get an accurate picture of looseness.

 

I am totally satisfied with my SSF3500 (not to say I don't now want to go a little bigger).
There was one I would have bought instead, if not for the price, and that is the Yank SS3600.
You will be perfectly fine with Vig, Yank, or TCI. I got the TCI because it was cheaper but the performance, reliability, and customer service are still very good.

 

I Have A Vig 2800 And Im Perfectly Happy With It.

 

The vig 3200 has great manners with 2.73's you will not go wrong with one.

 

Last I heard, you can get a TCI re-stalled. My trans guy told me I could get it done on a SSF I bought about 2 years ago for a TH350/400 trans. Maybe not for the 4L60's, but I'm not sure.

 

you can, but itll cost you, whereas a Vig's first restall is free (within a time frame)

 

I have run both converters (13 total converters in LS1's!), and I personally prefer the TCI 3500. It hit slightly harder for me, and it had better efficiency in the mid-range (i.e.4600-5200 RPM). It was also more efficient on the dyno for me to the tune of 4 RWHP.

Feel free to give me a call or e-mail me at trevor@texas-speed.com if you have any questions or concerns. I have tried virtually every brand of converter ranging in stall speed from 2800 to 5200, so I can help you choose the right one for your needs and wants.

Trevor
Texas Speed & Performance

 

Thanks for all the information guys!

 

get the tci... i have the 3000 and can only tell a difference really in reverse or maybe the first couple feet from a redlight.. i love it, though will prolly be ugrading to 3500 or 3800 soon enuff.. im running 3.23 gears though if that makes a difference.. will prolly be going to 3.42 or 3.73