Jim,
I am not sure I understand what you mean about "The 2.88 is just not
going to do.."
Actually, the 2.88 is the best choice for the rear end gears for this
car. It allows cruising in high gear at 3,000 rpm doing 72 miles per
hour. All other conversions use a higher numerical ratio, and are
really revving high on the freeway. They are doing this to cure a
problem that is NOT in the rear end, but in the transmission choice made
by Rootes. They choose to use the "close ratio" gear set. While this
sounds racy, it isn't. There is no reason in the world to want 60 miles
an hour in first gear.
In the Mk II the changed their minds, and made the "wide ratio" gear set
stock. With a 260, it leaves rubber in first, and takes a bite out of
the pavement in second and third - all with the stock 2.88. The
difference in rpm, and higher revs, only amounts to a couple of hundred
rpm, and is nothing at all like the old fashioned "wide". This can all
be confirmed by the download Bob Hokanson's "Excel Transmission
Calculator" (free Excel, as well) on TigersUnited.com
http://www.tigersunited.com/tech_tips/HokansonGearSpeedXL/pt-HokansonGearSpeedXL.asp
Your current transmission can have the 3 gear sets installed (fourth and
reverse do not change) and you will do MAGIC with your performance. New
and used parts available at stick shift transmission shops.
Now that the ratio is out of the way, the LSD DANA is an easy solution,
as well. Look around for a Jaguar independent mechanic and get the DANA
unit from a MK II. It is made in England by the same people that make
your rear end - Salisbury - which is a wholly owned subsidiary of DANA.
They make the identical unit you need, right down to the axle spline
count, and it bolts right in (plus alignment) and uses U-joint pinions
(as opposed to some other design). There is ONE issue with a DANA
replacement. The ring gear on the British made units, both Tiger and
Jaguar, have larger hardened attach bolts. This is fine if you have the
British unit, and the 2.88. Everything fits.
If you buy an American version, the carrier holes for those bolts are
smaller. It forces you to an American ring gear (unless you drill out
the carrier holes on a precision machine) and they come in larger
numeric values. These cause higher rpm at cruising speed.
If you get the English version, there are step-down bolts that allow a
US ring gear to be bolted in, however.
Use the calculator, read some of the articles on the subject on the web
site, and talk to those that have done this. I think you will find very
unhappy drivers with 3.22 ring gears because they have the wrong
transmission gears.
Steve
Jim Ellis wrote:
> I want a posi unit on the cheap, have seen lots of Dana 44 posi units and
>gear sets on ebay for all sorts of different cars and trucks. Will any of
>them fit? is there a article on line some where on the Tiger rear end and
>installing a different carrier and gear and what is involved? The 2.88 is
>just not going to do... Thanks Jim E
>
>
>
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Steve Laifman
Editor
http://www.TigersUnited.com
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