Gear ratio recommendations?

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Bamamav

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
Messages
6,171
Location
Berry, Alabama
I need some recommendations for a new gear for the Linc. It currently has a 2.79, it runs about 2100-2200 at 55 right now. I have a couple of spare chunks, a 3:00 from a Maverick and a 3:55 from a Mustang II. I have to pull either one I use, so that's not a consideration. I think the 3:00 would keep my RPM's close to where they are now, so I'm leaning that way. The 3:55 on the other hand would give me a little better take off, but I'm afraid they will wind the motor up too much, killing the gas mileage, around 18 mpg I'm guessing. And I'm thinking the higher rpm's will make it more tiresome to drive extended distances.

Suggestions?
 
what is the ratio on the trans in drive or your last gear ? if you know this is the best link I ever used hold on its coming I think the drive gear is 1.00 on a 350 chevy turbo ,, I have a 3,55 in my ford truck rear end.. and 30 inch tires so i put this in and it told me my rpms at 65 mph..
 
Good calculator! I was using one from Currie enterprises, got the same results, but with the graphics on that one it's easier to read.

Looks like the 3:00 keeps me close enough to current, so I'll probably be dragging it out of the weeds and pulling it soon.
 
Put some 4:88's in there, gas mileage will suck, but it will be a blast to drive ! :eek::D

A lot depends on where you drive. If you do a lot of 70mph highway driving, then the 3:00 ratio is good, but if you mostly run around town, the 3:55 ratio will feel better off the line and your gas mileage won't be terribly different, I would think.

But you have some short tires there, so the 3:00 ratio might actually be perfect all around.

Don
 
I've decided on the 3:00. It will be close to what's in there now, so it should feel pretty much the same. Still have to drag the rear out of it's bushes hiding place and get it torn down, then tear the one in the car down. Would just swap rears, but it's a 2" narrower Maverick rear, just too narrow for my wide bodied car.
 
Bam, I just went from 3.50 to 2.75 on 27.5" tall tires and I'm tickled pink.
The 3.50's were too low for hyway. I had 3.00's but elected to go the 2.75's.
I take it the 2.79's are bad?
 
Yeah Old Iron, I have a low speed clunking in the rear, and the pinion is moving up and down a bit. I figure the pinion bearing is shot. Easier to just replace the whole gearset than put in a bearing and seal then it still clunk because of a bad gear.
 
Ended up going with the 3:00 gears, a great choice! [cl Car seems to have more power now, will even spin the tires now, something it wouldn't do before! Upped the cruising RPM to 2400 at 55 mph, even made the exhaust drone a little less at the higher cruise rpm's. The other gears looked good when I got them out, but I'm glad I went ahead and changed them anyway. Maybe the rear will last another 49 years before it has to be gone into again, then it will be somebody else problem.
 
3.00 is an all around great gear [cl [cl [cl
Ford put 3.00, 3.25 and 3.50's in their pickups. Not sure why such a small jump each time :confused:
 
mav i don't know if you knew or remember rod (henery alridge) that had rod's transmission here in town or not. anyway he had a 33 plymouth coupe, small block and th350. when he set the car up it had 3.00x1 and his gas mileage was ok. he put the 3.55x1 in it and gas mileage picked up, and he said it was more of a joy to drive. the motor was stock other the the intake and headers. the back tires were like a g60-15 so they were not that tall. if you don't use that 3.55x1 i might be interested, that is if your interested in selling or trading it.
 
Right now, I plan on hanging on to it 26T. I want to someday go with a 302 or 351W and AOD trans and will probably need the lower gears for it then.
 

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