Biggest bang for your buck mod? (except for NOS)

Darth Menace · Aug 6, 2011

Hey guys, except for nos what would you consider the best power increase for your buck?

gears?
exhaust?

Just looking into the future is all...

thanks

georgethedog · Aug 6, 2011

I've been told gears. See my recent thread titled "Bad news for the wallet..." Gears, of course, won't add hp, but it will feel like it in performance and quickness. Many are suggesting 3:55.

Darth Menace · Aug 6, 2011

What gears come in it stock? I am in the 3.73 mode from my mustang days

smerovitch@aol.com · Aug 6, 2011

stock is 3.07 I put a 3.45 in my 06 coupe with hi flow cats and a custom fabbed 3'' exhaust. routinley pulled 480hp 500 RWT sounded good and pulled hard. The gear made it feel like a 40 HP adder.

Darth Menace · Aug 6, 2011

I read somewhere on here asking if different gears will affect HP. Is that true or a theoretical thing?

Darth Menace · Aug 6, 2011

I should have used the search option. the same question has been asked a million times, with the same subject title

GTS Bruce · Aug 6, 2011

Dyno runs with A/F then a cpu recalibrate by DC or others. May only be worth 20HP or so but the improveeement of the area underr the cure will be much beter. Before/After dyno runs in 4th gear. Gained 20HP and I don't remember the torque BUT!! The run from 2000 to redline took 1 full second less time. Definately real power you can feel. GTS Bruce

MTGTS · Aug 6, 2011

I would have to say gears.

georgethedog · Aug 6, 2011

Darth Menace said:
What gears come in it stock? I am in the 3.73 mode from my mustang days

3:73 is a good mode to be in. That is what I am going to get from Jon B once I gather the funds and figure out if I am going to put them in or have Viper Tech Dave at Roanoke install them. I've done it on muscle cars, but that was 30 years ago... Ouch...

plumcrazy · Aug 7, 2011

Darth Menace said:
I should have used the search option. the same question has been asked a million times, with the same subject title

pos rep.

all the bolt on mods are a waste of money IMO (such small gains for a lot of money). unless taking into consideration of a future boost mod. then do things like headers, RR's....you wont like gears in a boosted car most likely.

Leslie · Aug 7, 2011

Driving school.

There is soooo much more unleashed power once you see how much you already have.

Bird325 · Aug 7, 2011

+1

One top of the unleashed torque, you'll be less likely to let it get away from you .... or at least feel it coming!

00prowler · Aug 7, 2011

Gears MAKE your car feel faster...Traction becomes more of an issue, which is already a problem with 3.07s...Maybe go with VIPAIR!

mattdillon · Aug 7, 2011

georgethedog said:
I've been told gears. See my recent thread titled "Bad news for the wallet..." Gears, of course, won't add hp, but it will feel like it in performance and quickness. Many are suggesting 3:55.

Thats Exactly what I've heard George. I know JonB's said it more than once.

Darth Menace · Aug 8, 2011

georgethedog said:
I've been told gears. See my recent thread titled "Bad news for the wallet..." Gears, of course, won't add hp, but it will feel like it in performance and quickness. Many are suggesting 3:55.

call me stupid, but I have no idea what that "bad news for the wallet" means. Aren't gears cheap?

JohnnyViper · Aug 8, 2011

cheap if $1,700-$2000 means nothing to you....you are looking at least $1,000+ to have a reputable viper mechanic install the gears and calibration box + the cost of gear, supporting items like shims, bearing, re-calibration box....adds to the total cost quick....but still worth it IMO for the fun factor even if it does not add hp

JonB · Aug 8, 2011

Darth Menace said:
call me stupid, but I have no idea what that "bad news for the wallet" means. Aren't gears cheap?

The FEDs and their gas-guzzle-tax helped Team Viper choose your OE gear ratio. A 3:07 made the FEDS happy, not Team V or Owners.

You are not stupid.... you even noticed all the SEARCH answers on the topic!!! After all, "Bank For Buck" is a dicussion of relativity.

You can spend 10K on a blower, labor, upgrades, and tunings for it; or 6k+ on heads and paraphernalia: or $4K on exhaust and labor.

But if you want to go 15% faster in all gears, cheaply, do a 3:55. "Feels Like 15% More HP, and better braking too."
And if you want to go 22% faster in all gears, choose a 3:73. "Feels Like 22% More HP, and better braking too."

"Poor Man's Supercharger" in relative terms...... 6-7 hours labor; $600-$750 parts THE YEAR MATTERS.

You should be down the road under $1500, so YES, I think that is CHEAP PERFORMANCE....

Pros-Cons.

Wheelspin / Tire wear due to faster-download of torque. Be careful-er going WOT.
You **** more gas...... but so would the $$$$ mods.
You lose some top end....but would you ever have used it? How much? Again, relativity at play.
Wrinkles....... face wrinkles emerge from grinning so much after you re-learn your "NEW" beast!

There are quite a few owners of S/C Vipers with 3:55 gears. It makes them 15% faster too, after hookup.

vancouver-gts · Aug 8, 2011

Have Mopar 4.10 gears in my 99 since 2001 . The only negative about it is that the speedo and ODO shows 36% higher than actual milage, due to the lack of speedo calibration box install by the previous owner. I've got the calibration box since last year from JonB to slow the speedo down. My experience with the 4.10 is that I start in second gear up to 5th in the streets and only use 6th on the highway. Fuel economy isn't hampered at all on the highway either. Can start on a 30* hill in 1st without a hint of clutch slip. I'd go no less than 3.73 on a n/a engine.

Ps; also added some through flow Magnaflows to replace the single OEM muffler and gained some nice rumble.

uvbnbit · Aug 8, 2011

I've got a 3.73 ring/pinion available if interested, PM me.
-chip

JohnnyViper · Aug 8, 2011

I purchased 3.55 and are still in the box for my 97 gts, I have not got around to sending out my viper for them to be installed partly because I have been unsure of my choice. I have the sinking feeling in my stomach that I should have got 3.73 instead

, I have larger 19 diameter wheels and tires and will be keeping it N/A so I figure 3.73 would really be closer to 3.55 because of the larger tires. I like the idea of 22% instead of 15% well a little lower because of my tires. They were given to me as a unexpected gift and I needed to pick a gear that day. What do you think of my choice?

Knight Viper · Aug 8, 2011

Gears are worth the money!
I'm running the 3:55 gears and loved the upgrade, then I supercharged car, and loved them even more... sure the car, if you jump in it, can spin easier but you can also pedal out and regain control of it faster than with a smaller gear. IMO
And if you don't like them you can always sell them here.

ViperTony · Aug 8, 2011

plumcrazy said:
all the bolt on mods are a waste of money IMO (such small gains for a lot of money). unless taking into consideration of a future boost mod. then do things like headers, RR's....you wont like gears in a boosted car most likely.

Agreed. And I took your advice way back and planned my mods so that I'd one day do an NA or boost build. My biggest bang for my buck was the Greg Good heads/cam. Yeah, gears feel good but Greg Good feels way better, LOL.

MTGTS · Aug 9, 2011

JohnnyViper said:
I purchased 3.55 and are still in the box for my 97 gts, I have not got around to sending out my viper for them to be installed partly because I have been unsure of my choice. I have the sinking feeling in my stomach that I should have got 3.73 instead , I have larger 19 diameter wheels and tires and will be keeping it N/A so I figure 3.73 would really be closer to 3.55 because of the larger tires. I like the idea of 22% instead of 15% well a little lower because of my tires. They were given to me as a unexpected gift and I needed to pick a gear that day. What do you think of my choice?

3.55's are perfect. Go get them installed and you'll never think about it again.

72hemi · Aug 9, 2011

I installed a set of 3.55's in my car earlier this year and it was the best decision I ever made! While I was at it I also did a Borla cat back exhaust system, also worth it for the exhaust note alone.

uvbnbit · Aug 9, 2011

I think 20"'s with 3.73 net out to 3.45ish. Too steep with my mods, so I went to a 3.33.

Darth Menace · Aug 10, 2011

72hemi said:
I installed a set of 3.55's in my car earlier this year and it was the best decision I ever made! While I was at it I also did a Borla cat back exhaust system, also worth it for the exhaust note alone.

what about magnaflows? are there any existing specs on them?

72hemi · Aug 10, 2011

All I know about Magnaflows is they make my Challenger and cuda sound awesome. Haven't heard them on a Viper. I absolutely love the sound of the Borla system on my Viper!

eucharistos · Aug 10, 2011

Biggest bang for your buck mod? (except for NOS), relatively speaking as stated above, is smooth tubes and air filters :omg:

believe it or not, on a stock (rear exhaust) viper, you can hear the air flow thru the new filters :drive:

but that sound only indicates you need an exhaust upgrade

JonB · Aug 10, 2011

Darth Menace said:
what about magnaflows? are there any existing specs on them?

NO...and Biggest bang for buck aint gonna be MUFFLERS!!! Just delete your stock one.... Bang 4 Buck certain.

Eucharistos is right, tubes and filters on a Gen 1-2 will give you better tone, and 15 documented HP. And a snappier throttle response. This is the FIRST HP mod to perfom on a stock Gen 1-2. [ACR has em already}

-FROG- · Aug 10, 2011

Does ANYONE have any 1/4 mile drag strip "REAL TIME RESULTS" of before / after Gear swap?

Anyone?

Biggest bang for your buck mod? (except for NOS)

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