Gear Debate

[joe117]

Without getting into the whole rear gear thing again, let me ask you this. Are you using all six transmission gears when you roadrace? If not, then it would seem logical that you would want to gear the car so all six gears would come into play. I don't think there are many all out race cars that give up any gears. I guess the stock transmission ratio in 6th might be a factor. To get the most out of it you probably need to get closer ratios in the transmission.
If you have a stock 3.07 rear and people are pulling you coming out of every corner, then you have a particularly unfortunate situation. There should be some turns where you are still in first when they have to go to second. Or the same situation with second and third.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Gears change the personality of our snakes, more than the performance. Changing from a 3:07 to 3:54 will make your car perkier, faster throttle response, faster off the corners, and 6th gear becomes more usable. On the Silver State event I found I could run at 155mph easily in 6th gear, where with 3:07's I needed to be in 5th and wound out.
Super smooth experienced road racers stick with 3:07's as this works well with their style. Nos, supercharged, turboed, or "tuned" engines should stay with stock gears.
Nothing changes the engine, or HP figures, so don't expect tremendous performance gains...just more fun.
That edgy, almost out of control feeling from a gear change is priceless.

 

[REDSLED]

Frank, Ron "SO CAL REBELL" is running 3.55's in his car and I did notice that coming out of some corners he was able to pull faster, but at other times we caught up to him as he had to shift into a higher gear. For example at Buttonwillow as we were wound out in 3rd in the sweeper he had to shift into 4th & we would catch him. Ron ran some pretty good times this past weekend, but on the flip side John Deering runs the stock gears and seems to be plenty fast no matter where he is on the track. 3.55's-pull harder out of the turn=gain time, but 3.55's-require extra shift points=lose time. The debate will go on and on. Perhaps some more experienced road racers can chime in on the subject. I'm just a "rookie" BTW-I like that trailer you had as well as that black GTS. Very sharp!
-Jonathan

 

[toddt]

The competition coupe will have 3.07's with ALL the same gear ratios for primary drives.

DC does not have to meet any emmisions/gas guzzler goals for the comp coupe.

It's logical to assume that DC thinks 3.07's are the correct, best gear for tracking the car.

Just one more data point.

 

[JonB]

Pawl Hawker's analysis is excellent.

You MUST consider your venues, session lengths, and HP mods.

Pure Fun, and a few club open track events? 3.55. HP above 550? too much wheelspin for 3.55....go 3.33.

If you stuck with 2.0 mile and under, 3.55 would be my first choice. At Thunderhill and Spokane and Laguna, 3.33 or even 3.07, IF you have a few more HP.

The Oreca cars and the new CompCoupe in FIA, ALMS, LeMans are VERY concerned about fuel mileage as well, not emissions.....they run fuel stops in most of their venues. You wont fuel stop. 3.07 won out as OE. I think you can order a 3:55 in the comp coupe.......