3.55 pros and cons

[got one]

Fixing to have 3.55's installed...somewhat soon.

What are the Pros and cons of this upgrade on a stock car (Gen1)? Just want to set my expectations.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jeff Torrey]

The car will feel quicker and it will be easier to light up the tires. Torque comes on quicker.
Con's- You have to shift one more time when drag racing 1/4 mile.

 

[FSTENUF]

just had them installed in my gen 2 and now i get more use out of 5th and 6th on the hills in pa. if you are a flat lander you my feel gear bound.

 

[viper spray]

Less bucking around the parking lot in first , car pulls harder.......

 

[Knight Viper]

Car pulls harder (if you have a decent tire), easier to 'pedal' out of a spin (regain control). more usable overdrive and a grin you cant wipe off your face. I have a Roe car and 3:55 gears and PS2"s and no more tire spin than I had with my stock PS. I LOVE the 3:55 gear and can walk all over a stock Viper out of the hole or on a role unless it's starting above 100MPH.

 

[Mccarlin]

I thought the 355 gear with a Roe was TOO much. The torque comes on so quick with the roe i already light up my kuhmo's in 1st gear with the stock 307.
I'd love to get a ride in another roe car with the 355 to see the difference

Car pulls harder (if you have a decent tire), easier to 'pedal' out of a spin (regain control). more usable overdrive and a grin you cant wipe off your face. I have a Roe car and 3:55 gears and PS2"s and no more tire spin than I had with my stock PS. I LOVE the 3:55 gear and can walk all over a stock Viper out of the hole or on a role unless it's starting above 100MPH.

 

[SoCal Rebell]

The car will feel quicker and it will be easier to light up the tires. Torque comes on quicker.
Con's- You have to shift one more time when drag racing 1/4 mile.

You still have to throw 4th in the 1/4 with 3.07s, no big difference with 3.55s in 1/4 times. I put them on my 2000 for road racing, I like the added torque at lower rpms to pull me around a sweeper rather when wind out a lower gear.

 

[SoCal Rebell]

Less bucking around the parking lot in first , car pulls harder.......

So I guess those trips to Walmart don't **** as bad


And yeah right, like your Viper needs to pull harder

 

[Knight Viper]

And yeah right, like your Viper needs to pull harder

When something is pulling harder then you are you'll wish it did, it will only take once and you'll be looking to add power and pull.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

I thought the 355 gear with a Roe was TOO much. The torque comes on so quick with the roe i already light up my kuhmo's in 1st gear with the stock 307.
I'd love to get a ride in another roe car with the 355 to see the difference

I am running 3:45s with a light flywheel--5 pound Roe with 1.7 RRs /headers /3" exhaust Never been to a dyno, but I'm guessing maybe 580-590 based on the dyno sheet from our other car. I am completely satisfied with it. I've had the 3:45s in for 36,000 miles now. Had a 3:33 been available in 2004, I may have gone with it. You don't have to mash the gas all the time. You just learn to feed it in. Every gear set has pro and cons. With a Viper, I think the cons start to take over the lower you go. Unitrax sells a good 3:45 gear set. I wouldn't go lower myself. A Roe car with 3:55s will be shifting out of 4th at around 120 MPH. Then you're in overdrive. I'm done around 125. (5500 RPM). Stock for stock, a 3:07 car will start to catch when you shift to 5th. 0-150 times are not a lot different between the gear sets. I find the 3:45 to a pretty good gear set for most of what we do.

Steve

 

[got one]

So far...
Pros:
1. Pulls harder than a stock Viper
2. Less bucking in low parking lot speeds
3. 6th gear is usable
4. Will be quicker to 100 than a stock Viper without gears (with equal shift time)?

Cons:
1. Average quicker tire wear due to more shifting and harder pulling...
2. Slight gas mileage decrease
3. Transmission, differential or engine wear, u-joints, etc?