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Ray's got it right. 
What kind of gears do you guys have or reccomend?
- Thread starter Martin2000GTS
- Start date
2002_Viper_GTS_ACR
Enthusiast
Martin,
Good Luck with your choice, but I tried the 3.55's when my car had 460 rwhp (which is acheivable easily with exhaust and T&D install) and wheel spin was a big problem. I used to eat my friends z06 alive from zero to 60, then with 3.55's he would get a nice jump on me, because I had traction issues, and required modulating the throttle.
DECIDE NOW, IF YOUR GOING TO STAY STOCK on the power side, if you will, then make the gear change, IF your thinking about going up in power, keep the 3.07's they will become your best friend the more power you add. I went back to 3.07 and sold the 3.55.
Jon
Good Luck with your choice, but I tried the 3.55's when my car had 460 rwhp (which is acheivable easily with exhaust and T&D install) and wheel spin was a big problem. I used to eat my friends z06 alive from zero to 60, then with 3.55's he would get a nice jump on me, because I had traction issues, and required modulating the throttle.
DECIDE NOW, IF YOUR GOING TO STAY STOCK on the power side, if you will, then make the gear change, IF your thinking about going up in power, keep the 3.07's they will become your best friend the more power you add. I went back to 3.07 and sold the 3.55.
Jon
Martin2000GTS
Enthusiast
Thanks Jon, i have been pondering on this issue for the last 2 months. I think Im going to wait till spring to have work done to the car cause I really dont know weather I want a new diff. or not anymore. This problem would be solved easily if BFG made a dragradial for 19 inch rims in 345 sizes. Then I would get the gears for sure.
CHAD
Enthusiast
I had 3.55 gears in my medium hp car and loved them. I ran 10.30's with 600+rwhp on drag radials. If you can drive, they are fun.
CTViper
Enthusiast
Chuck Tator put 3.55's in my 04 and 3.73's in my 05. He test drove both cars! I like the 3.55's in some ways and 3.73's in another. You will use 5th and 6th gears more on the highway for sure with the 3.73's. Living in MA which is similar to CT I would go with 3.55's but if your used to 4.11' in your vette you might like the 3.73's better. I would offer you the chance to drive both of mine but my 04 is already winterized and my 05 which I just got back on thursday from Tators(exhaust)isn't far behind. If you want to wait until the end of march?Early April? Have a great Xmas! 
mntngts99
Viper Owner
3.55 all the way. Would not, will not go back.
glenn hofstetter
Viper Owner
I love my 3.54 just fine
Martin2000GTS
Enthusiast
so BadVPR, mntngts99, and glenn, are you saying i should go with 3.73? because it would be an effective 3.55? with my 19" wheels.
ct viper, I appreciate the offer on the test ride next year and perhaps id take you up on it, but do you feel it is a reasonable compairson with an srt compared to a gen 2? u have more power stock but do have 19's stock as well on the rears like i do. I have never driven an srt 10 but heard it is quite refined.
also bad vpr, was your car at Jason Heffners shop about 3 months ago? When i went to pick up my car, i rememeebr checking out a yellow gen 2 w/black stripes and i rememeber the plate saying BADVPR, thought it was pretty bad ass!!
Thanks
Martin
ct viper, I appreciate the offer on the test ride next year and perhaps id take you up on it, but do you feel it is a reasonable compairson with an srt compared to a gen 2? u have more power stock but do have 19's stock as well on the rears like i do. I have never driven an srt 10 but heard it is quite refined.
also bad vpr, was your car at Jason Heffners shop about 3 months ago? When i went to pick up my car, i rememeebr checking out a yellow gen 2 w/black stripes and i rememeber the plate saying BADVPR, thought it was pretty bad ass!!
Thanks
Martin
joe117
Enthusiast
Martin,
I changed to the 3.55 in my RT mostly so I would be able to use sixth gear.
With the 3.07 I had to be going 80mph in order to use sixth and I just don't get going that fast very often on the roads around here.
With the sticky Kouhmos I still get good traction.
I think the 3.07 is really too long a gear even for those who want to cruise fast.
I changed to the 3.55 in my RT mostly so I would be able to use sixth gear.
With the 3.07 I had to be going 80mph in order to use sixth and I just don't get going that fast very often on the roads around here.
With the sticky Kouhmos I still get good traction.
I think the 3.07 is really too long a gear even for those who want to cruise fast.
Steve 00RT/10
Enthusiast
I have 12,000 miles on the Unitrax 3:45s I put in last spring. I bought the whole assembly and would do it that way again if warranted. Had Unitrax been able to get a 3:33 set up at that time, I may have opted for that ratio. I am quite pleased with the 3:45 gears, especially for autocrossing, street use, and highway running. For track use on the shorter tracks I have been on, there is now a need to shift into 4th gear instead of staying in 3rd like I used to. I only get to a couple of tracks per year so the other advantages of the gears far outweigh the additional shift needed for 2 days a year. I will likely not swich back, but having the whole assembly makes it only about a 2 hour job to change it back to stock.
I will say that on flat roads with my stock 3:07, I routinely used 6th gear at just above 60.
Steve
I will say that on flat roads with my stock 3:07, I routinely used 6th gear at just above 60.
Steve
joe117
Enthusiast
Steve,
What kind of rpm were you turning in 6th at just above 60mph?
Seems to me I remember mine with the 3.07 was at about 1400 rpm at 80mph.
I guess it's ok to have the engine turning really slow on a flat highway. I just didn't feel good about it. Even though the car would do it, It just didn't seem right to me.
What kind of rpm were you turning in 6th at just above 60mph?
Seems to me I remember mine with the 3.07 was at about 1400 rpm at 80mph.
I guess it's ok to have the engine turning really slow on a flat highway. I just didn't feel good about it. Even though the car would do it, It just didn't seem right to me.
Steve 00RT/10
Enthusiast
Joe,
62-63 or so MPH with the stock rear end was turning around 1250. I always remember that 100 MPH in 6th was 2000 RPM. Based on that, 80 would be 1600 RPM. I know there is a school of thought that says it's not only bad for the engine, but can actually discharge the battery. I don't agree with the battery thing and I was always careful not to lug the engine in 6th gear. I will say that the Viper, even with a .5 gear ratio at 1250 RPM had more power than my '71 Super Beetle convertible in 4th gear. I base that on driving up the same hills I did with that car over 30 years ago......I had to try it at least once.
Steve
62-63 or so MPH with the stock rear end was turning around 1250. I always remember that 100 MPH in 6th was 2000 RPM. Based on that, 80 would be 1600 RPM. I know there is a school of thought that says it's not only bad for the engine, but can actually discharge the battery. I don't agree with the battery thing and I was always careful not to lug the engine in 6th gear. I will say that the Viper, even with a .5 gear ratio at 1250 RPM had more power than my '71 Super Beetle convertible in 4th gear. I base that on driving up the same hills I did with that car over 30 years ago......I had to try it at least once.
Steve
joe117
Enthusiast
Man, I don't remember it being 1250 @ 62 or so. But anyway,
You jogged my memory of VW bug days.
I can't remember if any of mine were super beetles but I do remember driving from northern Virginia to Norfolk Virginia many, many times in VWs.
The speed limit on the Virginia highways was 70 back then in the 1960s and I could drive the VW flat out, pedal to the floor the whole way.
I believe the top speed of the car was 72 on flat level.
Not to interrupt the gear discussion,
carry on, don't pay any attention to the old guy.
You jogged my memory of VW bug days.
I can't remember if any of mine were super beetles but I do remember driving from northern Virginia to Norfolk Virginia many, many times in VWs.
The speed limit on the Virginia highways was 70 back then in the 1960s and I could drive the VW flat out, pedal to the floor the whole way.
I believe the top speed of the car was 72 on flat level.
Not to interrupt the gear discussion,
carry on, don't pay any attention to the old guy.
Steve 00RT/10
Enthusiast
Joe,
With the winters we get here, driving the bug in the winter included a scraper in your shift hand which had to be continually used. The windshield was never completely clear of inside ice. If the vent window was cracked open at all, it would take a good 10 minutes of driving to warm the car back up. Except for the ground clearance...... a good set of studded snow tires would take those cars lot of places! Ours topped out a little over 80......if the wind wasn't too strong. Yes, lots of VW memories.
Ok...back to the gears.
Steve
With the winters we get here, driving the bug in the winter included a scraper in your shift hand which had to be continually used. The windshield was never completely clear of inside ice. If the vent window was cracked open at all, it would take a good 10 minutes of driving to warm the car back up. Except for the ground clearance...... a good set of studded snow tires would take those cars lot of places! Ours topped out a little over 80......if the wind wasn't too strong. Yes, lots of VW memories.
Ok...back to the gears.
Steve
ViperRichRT10
Enthusiast
3.55 ..... 3.54......I don't think you will notice a difference in the two!
Rich (3.55 and they are great!)
Steve 00RT/10
Enthusiast
According to my chart, it should be around 1830 RPM
Steve
I have used all the gear ratios in the Viper. 4.10 to 2.73.
What makes the gear work depends on the year model, use of the car, the customer driving style and hp. Changing the upper ratios in the transmission can really help in some applications as well.
What makes the gear work depends on the year model, use of the car, the customer driving style and hp. Changing the upper ratios in the transmission can really help in some applications as well.
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Mazman,
I've got the 3.55's in my SRT-10. At 80 mph in sixth gear, rpms = 1750 with stock 19 inch Michelin runflats. With smaller tires - Gen II's 18's, 1830 sounds about right.
I've got the 3.55's in my SRT-10. At 80 mph in sixth gear, rpms = 1750 with stock 19 inch Michelin runflats. With smaller tires - Gen II's 18's, 1830 sounds about right.
Martin2000GTS
Enthusiast
haha 4.10 in a viper?? that must be tough to drive. I think Im definatly goin with the 3.73. Just gota wait for the snow to melt and to take my car to Tators. I cant wait!
For now Im just gonna have them do the recall work, exhaust, and gears.
Martin
For now Im just gonna have them do the recall work, exhaust, and gears.
Martin
Since the RPMs are higher after the gear change (correct me if that's a wrong assumption), its probably more likely to hit the rev limitter threshold easily when shooting out at the lights. Not a good thing to hit! How much of 're-learning' of how to drive will I have to do? Or am I totally mis-understanding this? thanks guys.
Martin2000GTS
Enthusiast
Mazman, your right, but this is true with any power adder you add to your car. If you car goes faster it will go to reline faster just gota be quicker with the shifts I guess. By doing a gear change you will also hit redline faster but in a different way....a lower mph. I believe a stock gen 2 viper does about 55mph red line 1st???? with 3.73 gears maybe its around 40-45mph and your already hitting redline. This is assuming you get traction. With no traction avialble ( which is likely if you floor it in 1st on a stock gen 2 with 3.73, your tires are gonna spin so quickly that your come to the engines reline in 1.5 seconds. But man..... when you get traction, the pull with those gears just puts a smile on your face!! I loved going from 3.42 gears on runflat tires to 4.10 gears on drag radials on my vette, what a difference. I could beat any car to 60mph from a dead stop.
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