dumb question but what are gears?
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dumb question but what are gears?
I was watching mothers car show on espn and on every classic car they talked about "changing the gears in the back", I kno some people do it to their cars but it seems less popular now. can anyone explain to me what's the deal wit changing the gear ratio?
Originally Posted by mdracer76
here is a damaged set 
I believe what the poster is asking about is the rear gear set or the ring and pinion gears as they are called.
The reason people aren't changing gearing to a lower ratio higher numerically as much anymore is because "generally" this means worse mileage on the freeway. It could however mean better mileage around town. It also means the car becomes quicker in the 1/4mile and the times around a road course should improve as well.
OK, now there is a 3.90 ratio available for our Z's. It should help you with pick up speeds and at the track. I have not been able to see that yet for myself. However, you will do more shifting around town. The stock gears in the rear are 3.50's I believe or close to that. Therefore, you are talking about a 10% gear reduction. This also limits your top in speed by ~ 10%. I am not sure if that is true with the Z however. Since there is a rev limitter involved here. Now there is another problem with your speedo being off as well. Maybe someone that has put these gears in the Z has a solution for reprogramming the computer for correcting this difference. So, on the street you need to make sure it can be recalibrated. That will be an additional cost.
That is basically it. I am sure others will add more information as we go along here....
Last edited by Z_Driver; Oct 19, 2005 at 01:50 PM.
Originally Posted by mecinoid
That looks more like transmission gears not rear gears.
I believe what the poster is asking about is the rear gear set or the ring and pinion gears as they are called.
The reason people aren't changing gearing to a lower ratio higher numerically as much anymore is because "generally" this means worse mileage on the freeway. It could however mean better mileage around town. It also means the car becomes quicker in the 1/4mile and the times around a road course should improve as well.
OK, now there is a 3.90 ratio available for our Z's. It should help you with pick up speeds and at the track. I have not been able to see that yet for myself. However, you will do more shifting around town. The stock gears in the rear are 3.50's I believe or close to that. Therefore, you are talking about a 10% gear reduction. This also limits your top in speed by ~ 10%. I am not sure if that is true with the Z however. Since there is a rev limitter involved here. Now there is another problem with your speedo being off as well. Maybe someone that has put these gears in the Z has a solution for reprogramming the computer for correcting this difference. So, on the street you need to make sure it can be recalibrated. That will be an additional cost.
That is basically it. I am sure others will add more information as we go along here....
I believe what the poster is asking about is the rear gear set or the ring and pinion gears as they are called.
The reason people aren't changing gearing to a lower ratio higher numerically as much anymore is because "generally" this means worse mileage on the freeway. It could however mean better mileage around town. It also means the car becomes quicker in the 1/4mile and the times around a road course should improve as well.
OK, now there is a 3.90 ratio available for our Z's. It should help you with pick up speeds and at the track. I have not been able to see that yet for myself. However, you will do more shifting around town. The stock gears in the rear are 3.50's I believe or close to that. Therefore, you are talking about a 10% gear reduction. This also limits your top in speed by ~ 10%. I am not sure if that is true with the Z however. Since there is a rev limitter involved here. Now there is another problem with your speedo being off as well. Maybe someone that has put these gears in the Z has a solution for reprogramming the computer for correcting this difference. So, on the street you need to make sure it can be recalibrated. That will be an additional cost.
That is basically it. I am sure others will add more information as we go along here....
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Originally Posted by Jcolman
I think the Z's rear gear ratio is 3:30 not 3:50 but I could be wrong.
R/T 3/2003 states 6spd has the 3.54:1 gearing. Don't know about AT. I thought it was the same on this car.
what he said and...
Originally Posted by mecinoid
That looks more like transmission gears not rear gears.
I believe what the poster is asking about is the rear gear set or the ring and pinion gears as they are called.
The reason people aren't changing gearing to a lower ratio higher numerically as much anymore is because "generally" this means worse mileage on the freeway. It could however mean better mileage around town. It also means the car becomes quicker in the 1/4mile and the times around a road course should improve as well.
OK, now there is a 3.90 ratio available for our Z's. It should help you with pick up speeds and at the track. I have not been able to see that yet for myself. However, you will do more shifting around town. The stock gears in the rear are 3.50's I believe or close to that. Therefore, you are talking about a 10% gear reduction. This also limits your top in speed by ~ 10%. I am not sure if that is true with the Z however. Since there is a rev limitter involved here. Now there is another problem with your speedo being off as well. Maybe someone that has put these gears in the Z has a solution for reprogramming the computer for correcting this difference. So, on the street you need to make sure it can be recalibrated. That will be an additional cost.
That is basically it. I am sure others will add more information as we go along here....
I believe what the poster is asking about is the rear gear set or the ring and pinion gears as they are called.
The reason people aren't changing gearing to a lower ratio higher numerically as much anymore is because "generally" this means worse mileage on the freeway. It could however mean better mileage around town. It also means the car becomes quicker in the 1/4mile and the times around a road course should improve as well.
OK, now there is a 3.90 ratio available for our Z's. It should help you with pick up speeds and at the track. I have not been able to see that yet for myself. However, you will do more shifting around town. The stock gears in the rear are 3.50's I believe or close to that. Therefore, you are talking about a 10% gear reduction. This also limits your top in speed by ~ 10%. I am not sure if that is true with the Z however. Since there is a rev limitter involved here. Now there is another problem with your speedo being off as well. Maybe someone that has put these gears in the Z has a solution for reprogramming the computer for correcting this difference. So, on the street you need to make sure it can be recalibrated. That will be an additional cost.
That is basically it. I am sure others will add more information as we go along here....
http://www.wallaceracing.com/calcmph.php
Gear Ratio M/T
1st 3.794
2nd 2.324
3rd 1.624
4th 1.271
5th 1.000
6th 0.794
Final Drive Ratio 3.538
For tire diameter use 26.68 inches. For an alternative final drive ratio use 3.90. Another alternative is 3.20 (I don't know of a 3.20 aftermarket final drive but anything is possible).
BTW the final drive is a “reduction” gear: the drive shaft turns 3.538 times and the rear wheels make one revolution.
Last edited by davidv; Oct 19, 2005 at 03:20 PM.
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The ring and pinion gears are what you are asking about, these take the spinning drive shaft and "turns" the power 90 degrees going in the differental on a rwd car, then the power is sent to the half shafts that run from the diff to the wheels. Numerically higher or lower gearing gives you better acceleration off the line but lowers the top speed. A lower gear also increases torque multiplication and "gears" are usually a drag racers first mod and is almost a requirment in the mustang/F-Body world. In mustangs its common to take the stock 2.73 or 3.23 gear ratios and bump them as high as 4.30's (especially on the 32v cobra motors that like revs) on a street car but the 3.73 or 4.10 ratio's are more common. While they affect gas mileage as your cruising RPM's are increased it is one of the best bang for your buck mods you can do and is instantly noticable in the seat of your pants, but there isn't any difference in power... In a mustang or camaro gears plus install run you from $300-500 depending on the shop and where you buy the gears...
Yeah, it only cost me $450 to install 3.73 in my '98 Firebird. That was parts and labor. In that case I was able to adjust the speedo with my handheld programmer. So, there was an additional cost of $350 for that. You can get someone to change your computer program for that. They wanted $175. 
So, the speedo correction on electronically controlled vehicles are a little more tricky.
On my old '73 Camaro you would just change a $30 gear on the tranny.
On a Z car it would be close to what the Firebird ran. That is if you don't want to add in a LSD. If you want to add a NISMO LSD that will cost you an extra $900.
So, the speedo correction on electronically controlled vehicles are a little more tricky. On my old '73 Camaro you would just change a $30 gear on the tranny.
On a Z car it would be close to what the Firebird ran. That is if you don't want to add in a LSD. If you want to add a NISMO LSD that will cost you an extra $900.
Last edited by Z_Driver; Oct 19, 2005 at 05:44 PM.
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