OK,

I'll admit it. My mechanical skills amount to doing oil changes and checking the pressure for the tires.

But I'd like to expand my horizons a bit, so, here goes...

When dealing with 'gear ratios', what's the difference? Or perhaps I should say how does it differ?

I mean, I see the Mustang, and I know that the gear ratio has been adjusted so that it performs very well with 0-60 and 1/4 mile times.

But how does that say vary from like say a Ford F-Series truck geared for strength and towing?

Just curious :scratch:

 

for the sake of simplicity, lets keep the explanation to the rear end/differential. It boils down to this:

The higher the gear (numerically), the quicker you will accelerate, but the top speed will be lower than a lower (numerically) gear. Such as a 4.11 gear.

The lower the gear (numerically), the more top speed you'll get, but the slower you'll get to that speed. Such as a 3.00 gear.

This principal is further complicated by the fact that upgrading to "lower" gears means that you are actually moving to a numerically higher gear such as the 4.11. Don't ask me why the terminology flip flops like that.

 

Put a 4.56 gear set in the rear of your mustang and leave it at that

 

Interesting...

So, lemme see if I'm understanding correctly. If a truck has a taller gear number in the rear end differential it will provide more overall torque at the low end. But don't expect it to go 150mph, because of that taller gear number.

I assume the reason you don't see trucks beating Mustangs has more to do with overall weight, and possibly with the tranny?

Or am I just blowing smoke here?

:bang:

 

Read the following link, I have learnt so much from this site!!

How Stuff works .com

 

Think of it as input vs. output.

A ratio of say 3.55:1 means that for every 3.55 times the input (drive) shaft turns, the output (axle) will turn 1 time. You are multiplying torque.


Same concept applies to a chain hoist. You are pulling on the chain (which drives the input) to lift a heavy weight. It takes many pulls, but each pull requires a fraction of the force to lift the weight if you had no assist.

 

(delete)

 

Cool web site. I learned how a turbocharger works.

 

4.56s rock!

I love mine