Why such steep gears??
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 349
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From: 906 (Sault Ste. Marie MI)
Why such steep gears?? The question I have is how come so many people put 3.73's, 4.10 etc in their cars when combined with 300+ lb/ft to the wheels (stock) it makes it SO hard to get traction?? I get poor traction with my 3.23s and I have 275 KDWS which I know are not the greatest. Am I missing something?? 
Originally Posted by super_fro_daddy
The question I have is how come so many people put 3.73's, 4.10 etc in their cars when combined with 300+ lb/ft to the wheels (stock) it makes it SO hard to get traction?? I get poor traction with my 3.23s and I have 275 KDWS which I know are not the greatest. Am I missing something??
becasue they are faster, way more fun on street tires (spinning is fun, looks cool to sometimes haha), and when slicks are on car spinning goes away completly and the steep gear pulls like hell
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 177
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From: Left Coast, USA
The higher the ratio the lower the gears. The lower gears (say 4:11 or 4:56) work better for acceleration because they allow the engine to get from low RPM to high RPM quicker than higher gears (say 2:72 or 3:23) at the same time moving the mass (your car) forward with less effort. The ratio works basically the same as a lever or a pulley.
This all works out perfect if you wind up in high gear at the end of the quarter mile while your engine is at maximum horsepower on the RPM curve. Manual shifters will find they are shifting much sooner through each gear with the higher ratio.
Besides, if you find you don't like them you can always start out in second.
This all works out perfect if you wind up in high gear at the end of the quarter mile while your engine is at maximum horsepower on the RPM curve. Manual shifters will find they are shifting much sooner through each gear with the higher ratio.
Besides, if you find you don't like them you can always start out in second.
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Austin, TX by way of Chicago, IL
Originally Posted by super_fro_daddy
The question I have is how come so many people put 3.73's, 4.10 etc in their cars when combined with 300+ lb/ft to the wheels (stock) it makes it SO hard to get traction?? I get poor traction with my 3.23s and I have 275 KDWS which I know are not the greatest. Am I missing something??
TECH Regular
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 451
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From: Spring Hill, TN
Seat time fixes traction problems? I guess you're talking about launch technique. But the truth is with street tires you can just lose traction spontaneously from a roll.
It's not a stupid question. For a street car, deeper gearing doesn't necessarily improve things.
Now for racing purposes, the right answer was given. You want to run through the finish line at max hp.
It's not a stupid question. For a street car, deeper gearing doesn't necessarily improve things.
Now for racing purposes, the right answer was given. You want to run through the finish line at max hp.
Originally Posted by THEE PEWTER Z™
Agreed' it all come down to the driver
When I added 4.10s I found that my car was EASIER to launch on street tires. Before it would bog down really bad but now it is very easy and consistent to 60' low 1.9X's all day. Can't wait to try some drag radials.
