3.55 gears with a paxton s/c?

[TexasSnake]

I was wanting recommendations for or against installing 3.55 gears on an SRT that has a Paxton s/c. I would like 5th and 6th gear to be more practical and get some better low end speed. Will this accomplish my goals or will I have severe traction problems? I was thinking that since the Paxton doesn't really do its magic right away I would be okay. Some advice from experienced owners please.

Thanks in advance...

 

[Doug Supercharged Vipers]

The 3.55 is not practical gearing for your Paxton - although it could be done, you would need to drive around with a VERY sticky tire to accommodate the 3.55 albeit, it would work well otherwise.

I would suggest the 3.33, it's not as traction challenging as the 3.55 but a very good all around gear.

Hope this helps,
Doug

 

[TexasSnake]

The 3.55 is not practical gearing for your Paxton - although it could be done, you would need to drive around with a VERY sticky tire to accommodate the 3.55 albeit, it would work well otherwise.

I would suggest the 3.33, it's not as traction challenging as the 3.55 but a very good all around gear.

Hope this helps,
Doug

Would the 3.33 make 6th gear practical and something you could actually use at 60 mph or so?

Thanks...

 

[fqberful]

Would the 3.33 make 6th gear practical and something you could actually use at 60 mph or so?

Thanks...

60mph with 3.55's is at the absolute lower limit, so I would suspect that 3.33's would probably raise that to about 70. I have 3.55's and they actually make 6th usable at freeway speeds. Better mpg's too! Just educate your right foot so it understands there's a "middle" between off and WOT.

Just my 0.02

 

[Hiss]

I have a DLM Paxton install with the 3.55 gear and light weight fly wheel. Love the set up-but I did go with a very sticky tire the 19" Hoosier A6 on the rear. With the A6 their is no fishtailing in any gear-the Viper hooks and goes. I put about 10000 miles a year on my Viper and in 6000 miles on the A6 not one problem with the tire. I may go with the R6 the next tire change-probably will get a few more miles but probably will not stick as well in first gear.

With the 3.55 - 6th gear is more practical and 2nd-5th is something else. You have to shift out of 1st gear at a little lower mph and you loose some top end but for me its worth every dollar spent. On the run the Viper is very quick.

Don't know your plans for the Viper but I don't auto cross or road race-mostly street driving but hoping to do some drag racing this spring in Bowling green Ky.

 

[Kenneth Krieger]

I have the 3:55's and the Paxton S/C on my 05 Comm. Edition, and just love the combination. You'll get used to "feathering" in 1st and some in 2nd gear, but the combination is just the BEST for highway driving in 5th and 6th gear. 6th is totally useless with 3:07's. I wouldn't go to 3:33's from the 3:07's. Tried it on my 94 with a Roe Blower, and ended up going with 3:73's and loved them. With the SRT-10's the 3:55's are really just right!

 

[Paul Hawker]

If you want your SRT to be frantic, put in the 3:55s. It is lots of fun as you can easily overpower your tires in most gears over 3,000 rpm.

You really have to be on top of your game to run this ratio. Just putting your foot in it will have you all over the road with a big grin on your face.

I took mine out and went back to the 3:07s as it made the Viper much happier. Did not hammer the driveline so much and still made just about as much torque as the tires could handle.

With the supercharger top gears are more useful than without.

An alternative is to have your transmission rebuilt with different ratios in 5th and 6th.

 

[HARDVIPER]

I did it but a bolt shot through my rear end about 3 months later, I don't recommend it. BUT it was fun while it lasted.

 

[TexasSnake]

I did it but a bolt shot through my rear end about 3 months later, I don't recommend it. BUT it was fun while it lasted.

What caused that to happen?

 

[HARDVIPER]

What caused that to happen?

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wheel hop when floored!

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[adamlotus]

how relaible is the stock drivetrain on a gen 3 to hold up power from a paxton?

 

[TexasSnake]

I did it but a bolt shot through my rear end about 3 months later, I don't recommend it. BUT it was fun while it lasted.

Man, that *****. I wonder if it was a freak accident or if this is a common risk associated with this set up from too much power? Sorry to hear about your bad luck!

 

[Hamrhead]

Man, that *****. I wonder if it was a freak accident or if this is a common risk associated with this set up from too much power? Sorry to hear about your bad luck!

Enough wheel-hop on Stock Cars will destroy Rears. And transmissions. And Half-Shafts. Etc...

 

[pteam]

I have a DLM Paxton install with the 3.55 gear and light weight fly wheel. Love the set up-but I did go with a very sticky tire the 19" Hoosier A6 on the rear. With the A6 their is no fishtailing in any gear-the Viper hooks and goes. I put about 10000 miles a year on my Viper and in 6000 miles on the A6 not one problem with the tire. I may go with the R6 the next tire change-probably will get a few more miles but probably will not stick as well in first gear.

With the 3.55 - 6th gear is more practical and 2nd-5th is something else. You have to shift out of 1st gear at a little lower mph and you loose some top end but for me its worth every dollar spent. On the run the Viper is very quick.

Don't know your plans for the Viper but I don't auto cross or road race-mostly street driving but hoping to do some drag racing this spring in Bowling green Ky.

Hiss, or anybody else using Hoosier R6's or A6 tires, have you broken half shafts or replaced them? I've read on here about people breaking them without supercharged cars. I might be getting new tires soon and am thinking about hoosiers or PS2's, if I got hoosiers in a mostly stock viper do I have to worry about broken half shafts??? Will the hoosiers eliminate most or all wheel hop? Is during wheel hop the only point where you can break half shafts?

 

[Hiss]

I have run the A6 for a year. No broken half shafts. The A6 warms up very quick and in warmer weather no warm up is needed. No fish tailing and no wheel hop in any gear with the A6. It is just great to take the Viper out and not worry about wheel hop or that dreaded fish tailing.

I love the tire but about 6000 tire mileage is the max. As mentioned I think I will give the R6 a try. The tire has a very soft compound so you will need some 3M clear especially under rear fenders.

 

[pteam]

So the r6's would not break half shafts as much as the A6's? Whats the tread life of the PS2s?

 

[Viper X]

In my experience (35K supercharged miles on 2004 SRT-10)

1 - Stick with the 3.07s if supercharged.
2 - Call Unitrax for upgraded 1/2 shafts. You will need them.
3 - The stock diff won't hold up to 3.55's (more torque multiplication) and a Paxton. Consider a Quaife when she blows.
4 - Stickier tires are a must. PS2's are better than PS1's on the street. Hoosiers are pretty good but don't get caught in the wet. Kumho Ecsta V-700s are the best all around.
5 - When the rear wheel(s) start to hop, left off the throttle quickly.
6 - Be careful on cold or uneven pavement.

Good luck,

Dan

 

[pteam]

Kumho Ecsta V-700s are the best all around.

Tell me more about the Kumho Ecsta V700s. On tire rack it has this warning:

Kumho Ecsta V700 tires must be shaved to 3/32" - 4/32" tread depth for any autocross or track use in the dry.
Kumho advises that the Ecsta V700 DOT-legal competition radial must be shaved prior to use in dry conditions. If this tire is not shaved, excessive wear may occur causing the tire to wear to the cords prematurely in a localized area.
Tire heat cycling will not prevent the excessive localized wear of full tread depth tires but will continue to enhance tire consistency and wear on shaved tires.
The Ecsta V700 should only be used at full tread depth (6/32") for wet track and wet autocross use.

Kumho Ecsta V700

One reviewer on there said they were better than the Hoosiers and lasted longer. But when I searched for Kumho 345/30/19 it said No results from Kumho brands at all.

But are the Kumho / Hoosiers good for street use? All of my driving is street, should I just go with the PS2s?

 

[black mamba1]

Say good bye to roll ons w/ 3:55's. My car is still accelerating like a 1300 cc Ninja w/ my 3:07 well past 140 mph even up thru 160 mph...and that speed is reached quickly in Vipers, even faster w/ the blown cars. W/ 3:55's you dont have much left after 145 or so...although you will reach that speed very quickly!