B
I wholeheartedly agree with all the comments about converting from a close
ratio transmission to a wide ratio setup while keeping the 2.88 rearend gears
for street driving. My first Tiger had a close ratio transmission and 3.31
rearend gears, and although it was great out of the hole, it was terrible at
70 mph on the highway at 3500 rpms. Granted, a close ratio setup is great on a
road course where you want your engine rpm in the sweet spot of the torque
curve at all times, but stop and go street driving is a drag with such a tall
first gear.
The factory 2.78 wide ratio first gear is 20% lower than the
factory 2.32 close ratio first gear. I have mentioned to some here on the
TigerB List that when I converted my present Tiger to a wide ratio, I
installed a 2.90 first gear instead of the factory 2.78 first gear. This makes
for a 25% lower first gear over the close ratio setup. My first gear is now so
low that I am next going to install 2.72 rearend gears for a 6% overdrive
(compared to the 2.88s). This will drop my 2.90 first gear to a comparable
2.74 ratio, nearly identical to the factory 2.78 wide ratio, still a 19%
improvement over the close ratio configuration. This will also drop my highway
engine speed another ~200 rpms lower than the factory 2.88s.
I spent ~$450 for
new wide ratio tranny gears and sold my old close ratio gears for ~$200. The
2.72 rearend gears range from $20 to $90 and use a fine spline (26) pinion
flange. I paid $50 for my rearend gears and $90 for the flange. Naturally if
you farm out the labor, it will be more. But for less than $500 for parts,
1/10 the cost of aB 5 speed, I have a 2.74 first gear and a .94 overdrive,
with no cutting up the car, no issues with the bellhousing, clutch, throwout
bearing, linkage, speedo cable, gear shift opening or drive shaft, and an
unbreakable toploader that can easily handle the torque of my 331 stroker
motor.
For those who are interested in a wide ratio setup, here are the best
prices I have found:
http://www.allstategear.com/Toploader.htm
2nd - WT296-21A
- $59.10
3rd - WT296-11A - $57.60
input - WT296-16BB - $82.10
cluster -
WT296-8A - $142.60
B
http://toploadertransmissions.com/
2.90 1st - $125
Note:
David Kee no longer sells the 2.90 first gear, but Dan williams does. I found
the Dana 44 2.72 gearsB on Craigslist and eBay and the flange you can get
theB IWEB Rearends in Canada (you can use my name).
B IWE Rear Ends Only
888-433-4717 ext 1, Danelle
www.iwerearendsonly.com
For those of us who
donbt race open track and donbt feel like dropping $5,000 for a 5 speed,
yet who like everyday street driving, to me this b poor manbs overdriveb
with the low first gear is the best all around setup.
B
Gary Crandall
B
P.S.
For comparison purposes I have added my spreadsheet comparing tranny and
rearend setups (except 3.54 and 3.73) based on a 23" tire and 6000 rpm shift
point. Note that first gear for the 2.90/2.72 combo is the same as the close
ratio with 3.31s, yet drops 600 rpms in fourth gear.
B
If anyone wants my
complete original spreadsheet to play with their tire size and engine speed,
email me off List.
(I don't know if this will come through the List correctly)
B
B
Tire Diameter, in B 23 Close Ratio Wide Ratio Original 5 speed
Optional
RPM, max B 6000 1 2.32 1 2.90 2.78 1 2.95 3.35
2 1.69 2
1.93 2 1.94
3 1.29 3 1.36 3 1.34
4 1.00 4 1.00 4 1.00
5 0.80 0.63
Rear End Ratio 2.72 B 2.88 B 3.07 B 3.31 B
Transmission Speed, MPH B Speed, MPH B Speed, MPH B Speed, MPH B
CloseB B B B B B B B B B B B B 1 65 B 61 B 58 B 53 B
RatioB B B B B B B B B B B B B B 2 89 B 84 B 79 B 73 B
3 117 B
111 B 104 B 96 B
4 151 B 143 B 134 B 124 B
WideB B B B B B B B B B B B B B 1 52 B 49 B 46 B 43 B
RatioB B B B B B B B B B B B B B 2 78 B 74 B 69 B 64 B
3 111 B
105 B 98 B 91 B
4 151 B 143 B 134 B 124 B
5
SpeedB B B B B B B B B 1 51 B 48 B 45 B 42 B
2 78 B 73 B 69 B
64 B
3 113 B 106 B 100 B 93 B
4 151 B 143 B 134 B 124 B
5
189 B 178 B 167 B 155 B
RPM in top gear B B B B B B B B
per MPH 4 spd 5 spd 4 spd 5 spd 4 spd 5 spd 4 spd 5 spd
10 398 318 421
337 449 359 484 387
20 795 636 842 673 897 718 967 774
30 1193 954
1263 1010 1346 1077 1451 1161
40 1590 1272 1684 1347 1795 1436 1935
1548
50 1988 1590 2104 1684 2243 1795 2419 1935
60 2385 1908 2525 2020
2692 2154 2902 2322
70 2783 2226 2946 2357 3141 2513 3386 2709
80 3180
2544 3367 2694 3589 2871 3870 3096
90 3578 2862 3788 3030 4038 3230
4354 3483
100 3975 3180 4209 3367 4487 3589 4837 3870
110 4373 3498
4630 3704 4935 3948 5321 4257
120 4770 3816 5051 4041 5384 4307 5805
4644
130 5168 4134 5472 4377 5833 4666 6289 5031
140 5565 4452 5893
4714 6281 5025 6772 5418
150 5963 4770 6313 5051 6730 5384 7256 5805
B
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