sorry if this is a novice question, but does rear gear affect what stall you need?

 

Yes it does. Always check with the converter manufacturer before purchasing the converter and be sure of the gear size you plan on running. It will save you $$ in the long run and get you better performance form the start. I would have never thought that my stock 3.23s would have worked so well with my ST3500. It also turned out much more streetable than I would have guessed. I hope this helps you out. Take care.

James

 

more gear (higher #) allows the use of more stall and you can still maintain a fairly tight feeling.
A low stall with high gears (e.g. 2800 w/ 3.73s) is waste of $$ because the gains are small, while a very high stall with low gears (4000 w/ 2.73s) produces great results, but is very loose and generates a lot of heat in town.