Thanks John B! 3.73's installed today in my Gen III.

[Twister]

heres some gear referances

http://forums.viperclub.org/time-slips/616794-my-gears-hurting-me.html

http://forums.viperclub.org/general...37-gears-who-has-1-4-mile-times-vs-stock.html

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-gts-discussions/553678-stock-gears-vs-3-55-track.html

 

[Twister]

Oh..Sorry because i know im blowing this thread up..Another proven point besides the SOTP impression is weight..

i remember years ago when I was chooseing corvettes a stock 2.73 geared automatic c5 was 3320 pounds while the stock 3.15 geared autmatic c5 was 3310 pounds..

White the gear ratio number may be higher/steeper..The actual gear it's self is physically smaller.

Much like the gearing on a 10 speed bicycle. the large 1sy gear would represent the 3.07 gear. Wich is harder to turn initially but once moveing really gets faster...While the level 7 speed would represent the 3.73 gear..easy to get moveing but starts running out of steam as you get faster..

You can physically see the size/weight differance between these gears even on a bicycle.

now that was a 2.73 in comparison to a 3.15 gear in the auto vettes..And 10 pounds of weight loss is realized..

I would have to imagine that going from a 3.07 to a 3.73 would shed 20 pounds????

If this is true then I myself would be interested..

 

[Rizzo]

Ive always been leary of gear changes. On a motorbike its a 20 min job and very cheap and easy to do so I had different gears for my ZX12R. My buddy had a Busa and we did 100's of roll ons with the same results all the time. We would be side by side and the only time one or the other would pull ahead a few feet was when we shifted. When I swapped to a lower gear we went and did more roll ons. I thought for sure I would pull ahead quicker. The end results were exactly the same as before, only the shift points changed but at the end of the run we were still side by side. After trying a few different gears I went back to the stock gears and left them as I was just as fast but had a lower rpm for highway cruising. The one thing it did do was make 1st gear useless. It would either spin the tire or flip the bike over backwards...LOL

 

[dragon rider]

There are a lot of knowledge people giving their opinions and defending them to the bitter end. Fact, the use of lower gears that hook usually produce faster ETA’s and slower trap speeds. Ex, the slick tire muscle car that run 10.2 at 118 mph. In general 1 tenth gained on the 60ft = 2 tenths on the big end. The problem is hooking, and that’s why most street tire/oem racers stay with stock gearing or something just a little more aggressive. Torque does play a huge factor in benefits of gearing. More torque = less aggressive gearing needed to reach the tires traction capabilities. Lower gears would be a great benefit on large autocross courses and for playing around town, but as most road course guys will say that extra shift from 4th to 5th on a road course *****, and getting from 5th back to 3rd is even worse. The verdict is still out on swapping gears for faster times on Vipers, Gen 3’s and Gen 4’s in the ¼ mile with oem tires. Nobody on this forum has stated improved times without either going to a drag radials or slicks. I am a street tire guy and am hoping that Andy or somebody can drop 2 tenths in the ¼ mile on street tires with a gear swap.

 

[tucker]

There are a lot of knowledge people giving their opinions and defending them to the bitter end. Fact, the use of lower gears that hook usually produce faster ETA’s and slower trap speeds. Ex, the slick tire muscle car that run 10.2 at 118 mph. In general 1 tenth gained on the 60ft = 2 tenths on the big end. The problem is hooking, and that’s why most street tire/oem racers stay with stock gearing or something just a little more aggressive. Torque does play a huge factor in benefits of gearing. More torque = less aggressive gearing needed to reach the tires traction capabilities. Lower gears would be a great benefit on large autocross courses and for playing around town, but as most road course guys will say that extra shift from 4th to 5th on a road course *****, and getting from 5th back to 3rd is even worse. The verdict is still out on swapping gears for faster times on Vipers, Gen 3’s and Gen 4’s in the ¼ mile with oem tires. Nobody on this forum has stated improved times without either going to a drag radials or slicks. I am a street tire guy and am hoping that Andy or somebody can drop 2 tenths in the ¼ mile on street tires with a gear swap.

Well said. Andy might see a quicker pass if the stars align, but the spin factor here has to be that on average, a stock geared car will be the winner more times than not on Invos, but Andy will have the joy of street driving the 373's.

 

[FLATOUT]

Well said. Andy might see a quicker pass if the stars align, but the spin factor here has to be that on average, a stock geared car will be the winner more times than not on Invos, but Andy will have the joy of street driving the 373's.

Yeh we'll hopefully this fall when the weather gets better and the da falls. Of course by then I will probably have set of AR headers on the Varnas well. I will post good and bad as well, I can handle being wrong if I earn it lol.

 

[JonB]

Andy, Dave, et al: WoW, this thread exploded in 24 hours!

Those several of you above who said: 'gear the car for the way you usually drive it' have hit the target. Unless you are a hard-core 'most-weekends' drag racer, its NOT just about 1/4 mile drags! It is about roll-on quicker-faster acceleration in town, and out on the highway, and out of a corner. Its about the usefulness of all 6-speeds in the tranny. Its about better slow-down with engine-braking. And its "bang-4-buck economy" and runability, vs HP adders.

If you are a hard-core Drag Strip Demon, you WONT be on (heavy) 20" wheels-tires, and you certainly wont chose a 3:73 regardless of your OE Viper HP. This debate would make you yawn, because it does NOT matter to you! And if you called here, I would advise any hard-core dragger against it, favoring a 3:33 if anything: HP MATTERS.

Like D6666 said, for most street-driving owers, its like a budget Twin Turbo setup..... I have called it a "Poor Man's Supercharger" since I installed 3:73 in my very first Viper back in Sept 1993.....

Thanks Andy...... glad YOU like it!

 

[Twister]

Their are defiently some pro's...I almost forgot about them when so heated in this 1/4 mile debate