4th Gear Member
I found an explanation about a year ago on how gears really work. After reading it this thread further solidifies it.
Gears is a torque multiplier, so when you get a steeper gear, it is multiplying the torque your car has available upon accleration. For example if your car were to weigh 3200lbs and you had 3.27 gears that netted you 3200lbs of torque (after doing the multiplication) you barely have enough torque to move the car, so it requires more work on the engine's part to move the car.
However if you were to add 4.10 gears and after the multiplication you end up with 4200lbs of torque, obviously the engine would move the 3200lb car with ease.
With this line of thought, it makes sense why stop and go traffic nets better MPG's when going to a steeper gear, while at the same time losing MPG on the highway.
So I guess the best thing is if you know you don't do much highway driving, the steeper the gear the better. If you do average highway driving, I'd go with average gears, and finally if you do mainly highway driving....I'd stick with nothing higher than 3.73's. It all depends on what type of driving you do, and if MPG is really a concern.
Hope this clarifies.
Gears is a torque multiplier, so when you get a steeper gear, it is multiplying the torque your car has available upon accleration. For example if your car were to weigh 3200lbs and you had 3.27 gears that netted you 3200lbs of torque (after doing the multiplication) you barely have enough torque to move the car, so it requires more work on the engine's part to move the car.
However if you were to add 4.10 gears and after the multiplication you end up with 4200lbs of torque, obviously the engine would move the 3200lb car with ease.
With this line of thought, it makes sense why stop and go traffic nets better MPG's when going to a steeper gear, while at the same time losing MPG on the highway.
So I guess the best thing is if you know you don't do much highway driving, the steeper the gear the better. If you do average highway driving, I'd go with average gears, and finally if you do mainly highway driving....I'd stick with nothing higher than 3.73's. It all depends on what type of driving you do, and if MPG is really a concern.
Hope this clarifies.
is my username.
Quote:
Originally Posted by oxfordgt
LOL I always drive it like I'm trying to break something so I can replace it.
Sure, but you would also agree that if you drove like a sissy, your MPG would increase?
6th Gear Member
When I had my 4.30's, I started at lights from 2nd and usually went straight to 4th or 5th in town.