Current combo is 86 camaro, 4.8 and 70mm turbo, th350 and 3.73s, 27" tire.

3 speed transmission (th350) 1st=2.52, 2nd=1.52, 3rd=1:1. Also currently have a moderately lose 3000rpm 10" stall from my old n/a setup. I feel like 1st gear is practically useless on the street. It's so short I have to shift it immediaty like 1 second after I roll into the gas. Also tire spin is a huge issue too as it is practically uncontrollable at wot during the 1-2 shift. These are with 14" wide street tires. 2nd gear rollimg into the throttle the car only pulls for about 2 seconds before I have to shift to 3rd so it is also very short before it redlines. I'm basically going 1-2-3 within just a few seconds of punching the gas leaving 3rd.

My question is will a taller (numerically lower) gear make the car more fun on the street? Will it make 1st gear more useful at wot? Will the taller gears help fix my traction issues when rolling into the throttle?

 

Search, this has been beat to death.

 

I searched a lot but mostly found topics regarding spool time and load on the turbo etc. My question is regarding the FUN aspect of street driving, not neccessarily the most powerful.

Me and my buddy used to race eachother, I had a high reving sbc and he had a torque monster bbc. I would whoop him every race but his car was way funner on the street because it pulled so hard and it just felt faster even though it was actually slower.

Other part of my question is if gearing has an effect on traction. Part of me says on taller gears the tires actually spin faster relative to the engine rpm so it may be worse, the other half says less torque multification so maybe less spin. Looking for info from guys that have some experience on these topics, thanks though.

 

"Funner" isn't a word, but if taller gears will make your car more fun that's totally subjective. To some people spinning their tires is the epitome of fun. To others hooking and accelerating are more fun. Just like opinions, every setup is different. Some setups will run better with less gear, some with more.

 

Potato potato. Regardless, not to be rude, but your post AIN'T very informative. I was looking for OPINIONS not a grammar correction. Alll you had to do was say you didn't know.

For anybody else who may have had a smilar problem to mine anr changed gears, what was your experience regarding fun factor or traction on the street?

 

Less gear would be more fun but the converter is probably a bigger issue.

 

I like burnouts. But I LOVE burnouts at 50mph. Whichever one allows me to do that is the one i'd go with. For my car, it was 3.27 gears over the 3.73.

 

Assuming that they are the same width taller tires create a larger tire contact patch and raise the center of gravity of the car both of which aid in strait line acceleration. Add the fact that the gearing changes also and the car will be much more controllable.

 

I just dropped the 3.27 and put 3.08s in it , just got it back yesterday and haven't put it back in yet but will try them out by the weekend. With 3.27s 1st & 2nd seemed short, having to shift to fast be fine at the track but I think I will like the 3.08s on the street. Took the rear end to a Pro that sets up Pro Mod rear ends and any other gears. I confess I can not setup gears that make me happy and tired of trying so had the best set the rear up. Kinda wondering how the load from the 3.08s is going to spool it spooled at 1900 to 2000 with the 3.27

 

Pleasd let us know how you like the 3.08 gears. My 3.73s, I have to shift really fast too and it tmakes it not so fun. I have a set of 3.08 gears in the garage So let me know how you like them!

 

Taller gears will help traction. I switched from 3.08's to 2.73's due to this very issue and have no regrets (my car is very light). Once you find your optimal gears make sure you have good tires (drag radials). If your running 14" wide BFG TA's nothing will help, lol. Cheers.

 

I like the taller gears. Lets me take advantage of the torque of the turbo and helps with spool. As far as feeling better most of my friends with N/A don't feel like they have near the torque I do (probably don't)and there cars are faster. I do think the short gears do this it is like all RPM and then you are done. One thing I dont like about the taller gears is when the car does start to slip the tire it melts them and I have to get off the gas longer then I would with a shorter gear to let it hook back up due to tire speed ( It seems). But I would not run a tall gear in any way shape or form now that I went with 3.31s even if it makes the car faster. Also like said above good tires go along way with high HP cars on the steet

 

Update , took it out last night for the first time and all I can say is I fucking love the 3:08s made all the difference in the world and spooling at 1900rpm with them so it dropped my spool time by about 200 rpm. Don't have to hit 2nd as fast unless I hit boost and the tires break but I love them. Haven't got on the freeway but made a few passes on the back street, threw 15psi at it and pulls like a freight train.

 

Awesome!!! I have an update too. I decided to switch to 3.08 gears as well. The fun factor of driving the car has doubled! Boost seems to come on a little quicker, and 2nd gear is much funner to pull on the street. Also I can now footbrake the car to 2800 rpm where as with the 3.73 gears I could only get 2200 before spinning. Now all I need is a 2step!