I do believe I'm gonna have to switch gears....

[Nexus-6]

I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

Took the wife out the other day in the Viper...I'm right at about 825 miles on the clock so still in the break-in period. But, thankfully the graduated schedule does allow for a little fun up to 5K.

So I do a few rolls from 20mph or so to WOT in 1st and row through the gears up to about 110. Without really saying it, my wife and I kinda look at each other and say nothing...when we get home, she articulates what I was thinking but didn't want to say out loud :

"I think the ZR1 feels faster."

Now then, the key word there is feels. The Z pulls like a freight train to 7K+ rpm, making most of it's grunt right there in the nose bleed region on the tach. The Viper grunts away hard and tapers off...a much different feel.

The funny thing (in the Viper) is that when you're tickling 80 in 4th gear from a gentle roll on the throttle, there's little drama and, dare I say, there's a touch of lag in 1st and 2nd as the power builds...I'm guessing I'm just now experiencing a 3.07 gear for the first time.

The Z has a 3.45 in it (stock). The Viper has a 3.07 I believe. Punch the loud pedal in the ZR1 at anything above 2K and the reaction is violent! It's just a tad too mellow a reaction for me in the Viper by comparison.

So to those who have made the switch in ratios - was it worth it? Did the SOTP feel improve like you wanted? Would you do it again?

Granted the motor is still pretty green and I'm not hammering the hell out if just yet - with a few thousand miles she'll loosen up a bit I'm sure.

And for those who think I may prefer the ZR1 these days or am trying to fly the 'vette flag - think again...the Viper has become far and away my favorite ride. It does everything much better than any of the other cars.

I just want to make d@mn sure that I never crave the ZR1's pull when I'm burying the throttle in the Snake...

 

[REDSLED]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

Put the 3.55 gears in. They give the car the SOTP feel your looking for, if you can keep the wheels from spinning. The car will still pull in 5th gear as well. I have them in my RT/10 and they do make the car feel snappier than my GTS. Call Parts Rack. Whole upgrade including installation should be around $1K.

 

[Ron Hickey]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

After owning a 97 GTS for 3 years (and driving it 42K miles), I replaced it with a 2001 GTS. I noticed that the 2001 just did not feel as immediate as the 97. Switching to 3.55 gears brought that immediacy back. Definitely great bang for the buck. There are lots of choices out there, and several things to consider. 3.45 is also a good choice, maybe better if you're going to drag race the car -- also a little more expensive. 3.73 is just too deep. If your plans are to add 100 or so HP via induction or so, you'd best stay with the 3.07's.

On another note, your car at 800 some miles is not really broken in yet. With the 2001, the car ran better at 1000 miles than it did at 500 miles, better at 2000 than at 1000, better at 4000, 8000, etc. It will definitely "loosen up" as the miles accumulate. However, you will not regret the switch to deeper gears. The only downside is noise, as some set-ups are noisy than others.

 

[Buzzzz]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

I have 3.73 gears and love em. Just have to be carful not to hurt my passenger's neck if I punch it in 2nd and they aren't expecting it. Snap!

 

[Jeff Torrey]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

I had 3.73 gears in my car when I bought it (used). It took me a while to get a feel for the gears. When I finally started to play with it. I swear I could get the front wheels off the ground going from 6000 rpms in first, then shifting into second and mashing the gas. But the rear end got loud and I backed off to 3.55's. Perfect for me.

 

[Nexus-6]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

Roger that fellas - sounds like I'll be doing this. I'm not too concerned with losing on the top end all that much and it sounds like the grin factor is really worth it.

 

[marteeni]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

I have a '93 ZR1 (#116) and when I took a '97 GTS for a spin, I thought the same thing. This however has not stopped me from looking for my first Viper!

 

[genXgts]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

Without doing any late night searching on a ZR1, what do those things run in the 1/4 mile?? The later ones had 405 horse correct?

Nice sleepers those things, took a trained eye to notice the widened rear stance.

Begin one to enjoy blasting up to 150 and beyond, stock gears are staying in my GTS. I still think gears do not add much to the acceleration of the car, simple a SOTP feel, a few tenths at most.

Just my opinion......

 

[weed43]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

I to went with the 355 gears, that was the best mod I could have done. the car is much more fun to drive and it pulls like a bull. I bought the car new and 1st and second gears felt like a dog, but now the care started to come alive after 1500 miles but there was much room for improvement. I dont think you will be disappointed with the gear change. Just one more thing, make sure the person you chose to set the gears up has done them before, with sucess, and I mean no gear wine. I pulled my diff out and sent it to UNITRAX that is after the first set of gears were scalded.

 

[Nexus-6]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

Without doing any late night searching on a ZR1, what do those things run in the 1/4 mile?? The later ones had 405 horse correct?

On average, a good driver can eek out a mid to high 12 in a stock ZR1 - on average, a 12.8 is about spot on for these cars if they're in good shape. I haven't had a chance to run it yet myself but I'd hope for about the same. The best part is 100+ where it will literally surge to 160-170 and beyond...great fun if you have the room (bone stock there are quite a few fellas who have run into the mid 180's here and there across the country and just run out of room/nerves).

The '93 and up ZR1s have 405hp, correct. The 90-92 model were rated at 375.

And yes, to most folks they just look like another nice, nicely maintained C4. Hehehe...

 

[GONABITE]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

My 94 ZR-1 ran 12.5's stock and with 150 shot of nitrous ran 11.3's. Nexus try this one on for size I did it. I wanted more gear in my ZR-1 so I put 4:09's in that and what did I have left over? A nice set of 3:45's for the Viper nice litte exchange if you ask me and you get to benifit from both cars!

 

[Motor City Mad Man]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

My Viper came with 3.55 gears from the previous owner. So I never knew what the stock 3.07's felt like. Until the dang 3.55 gears broke on me last summer. I was not getting on it hard or anything and all of a sudden the car started coasting and it sounded like a bucket of bolts rattling around under my car. Well I went back to the stock 3.07's only because I was anticipating putting in a supercharger within the year. I must say that the 3.07 feels slower than the 3.55 SOTP and it is also .1 slower in the 1/4 from my own observations. I want my 3.55's back!!! Oh well, on to a superchagrer next and I'll forget all about it.

 

[GRAPE]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

Car went from 12.15 to 11.90's going from 3.07 to 3.45 no other changes. All on michelin pilots that it was born with. Mid 1.90's on the 60'

 

[Nexus-6]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

My 94 ZR-1 ran 12.5's stock and with 150 shot of nitrous ran 11.3's. Nexus try this one on for size I did it. I wanted more gear in my ZR-1 so I put 4:09's in that and what did I have left over? A nice set of 3:45's for the Viper nice litte exchange if you ask me and you get to benifit from both cars!

Wow! What were the 4.09s like in the Z? I bet that was pretty fun!

 

[J DAWG]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

Car went from 12.15 to 11.90's going from 3.07 to 3.45 no other changes. All on michelin pilots that it was born with. Mid 1.90's on the 60'

Thanks for the info.

I was getting ready to ask what kind of change in time would the gears make.

 

[joe117]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

So it look's like his z should feel about as fast as the Viper. If he's got 3.45 gears in the z, even more so.
I put 3.55 gears in my 94 R/T, mostly just so I could use 6th without going 80mph. I like the 3.55. It's easier to drive in stop and go traffic, a little more SOTP. For you top end guys, I don't see where the 3.55 is going to cost you much top end at all over the 3.07.

 

[GONABITE]

Re: I do believe I\'m gonna have to switch gears....

Nexus the ZR-1 felt awesome with the 4:09's consider doing that it is a great trade for both cars.