lbstone
Viper Owner
After doing some research and speaking with Jon B and Lou Belanger, I decided to go with the Belanger long tube's with the high flow's and cat back system (no cross-over). WHile I was at it, I had to put some more grear in the rear. I hated trying to drive slowly through parking lots and have the car start to buck cause first gear is so damned tall. I ordered all the goodies from Jon B im the end of September and made my appointment for the install with Tator for November, his first opening!! I was surpries to get the part in in less then a week! After waiting a few days, I decided to have a a local race shope (Jannetty Racing) install the gears at least, that way I caould feel each mod seperately. The owner installed my dynatech headers and borla catback on my Magnum back in 04 and also did some minor work on my Ram SRT-10 and is know for his work on Mustangs and diesel trucks. I've seen a few Vipers in his shop and he is a great guy with gears.
WHen I brough Jannetty the gears, he quickly got to work. All was good until I got a call from the owner, Ted. He said the ring gear was just slopping onto the Hydra Lock. I made a few calls and the general concusus from Unitrax and Jon B was that this was not an issue and probably caused form the gears being polished (also cryo'ed). Never the less, Ted said he would not install them and guarentee them. I was pissed at first and didn't understand why he wouldn't install them. After I got outta work, I drove down to his shop to check it out myself. Ted was right, the ring gear simply fell into place on the hydrolock with a few thousandth's of an inch worth of slack. I explained this to Unitrax who was to happy to swap the gears out. They called all around and overnighted a set from a shop that had some in stock in LA. Jon B took care of the rest which was sweet (he paid for the new set and I was supposed to sent the old ones right back, I had to leave town on business and I took to long, oops, sorry Jon).
Something happend when the car was on the lift, I saw a few scratched under the fornt bumper. Worst yet, I could see the common rocker panel rash up close and personal and this made me sick! I had the front bumper removed along with the rocker panels to get touched up! While the car was apart, I developed a bad tooth infection and had to get my wisdom teeth pulled on the day I was scheduled to bring the car to Tators. I had to cancel my Tator appointment. I couldn't stare at my beautiful headers for one more minute. I had to get them installed. The rockers were already removed so I gave Jannetty a call and told them I had a project. The guys at Jannetty had the exhaust installed before my rovckers and bumper were done at paint. I had to wait antoher week for those to get finished. In the mean time I got a chance to hear the car, what a sound. This past friday I called Jannetty and they jsut took delivery of the rockers and bumper. IT was too late to install them so I was going to have to wait till monday : (
To my surprise, I got a call from Ted today while at the gym, he decided to button the car up this morning, she was ready!!
I drove down to the shope and picked up my Viper. I have to say, the belanger system soujnds mean. I went with the crosover delete, so the system is loud. I think its perfect. My initail observations of the exhaust. Cant tell much by SOP yet, the roads were a bit wet so I couldn't get into it al all. The sound was insane!! Only drove with the top up and cabin noise is much louder. If you dont want the car to be loud, this is not the system for you, thats for sure. ITs everything I wanted. At idle the car rumbles. At part and moderate throttle the car has a furious sound. I couldn't do any WOT blasts but I'm sure it will be a thing to behold. As far as the gears, I initially ordered 355's but changed my mind to 373's and am very pleased. In CT there's not much road to open the cars up fully. There's a bit more rowing but its the poerfect compromise. If I lived in the midwest, I think the geras would be to tall but here they are perfect. I can idle around a parking loot a 1250 rpm at around 10 mph. In 6th on the highway at 80 mph I'm at 1600 rpm. I can hold 70 mph on the highway now in 6th while going up a hill. I used feel I needed to shift or the car would bog a bit. All in all I'm very happy, great mods. Next year I'll tune the car!!
WHen I brough Jannetty the gears, he quickly got to work. All was good until I got a call from the owner, Ted. He said the ring gear was just slopping onto the Hydra Lock. I made a few calls and the general concusus from Unitrax and Jon B was that this was not an issue and probably caused form the gears being polished (also cryo'ed). Never the less, Ted said he would not install them and guarentee them. I was pissed at first and didn't understand why he wouldn't install them. After I got outta work, I drove down to his shop to check it out myself. Ted was right, the ring gear simply fell into place on the hydrolock with a few thousandth's of an inch worth of slack. I explained this to Unitrax who was to happy to swap the gears out. They called all around and overnighted a set from a shop that had some in stock in LA. Jon B took care of the rest which was sweet (he paid for the new set and I was supposed to sent the old ones right back, I had to leave town on business and I took to long, oops, sorry Jon).
Something happend when the car was on the lift, I saw a few scratched under the fornt bumper. Worst yet, I could see the common rocker panel rash up close and personal and this made me sick! I had the front bumper removed along with the rocker panels to get touched up! While the car was apart, I developed a bad tooth infection and had to get my wisdom teeth pulled on the day I was scheduled to bring the car to Tators. I had to cancel my Tator appointment. I couldn't stare at my beautiful headers for one more minute. I had to get them installed. The rockers were already removed so I gave Jannetty a call and told them I had a project. The guys at Jannetty had the exhaust installed before my rovckers and bumper were done at paint. I had to wait antoher week for those to get finished. In the mean time I got a chance to hear the car, what a sound. This past friday I called Jannetty and they jsut took delivery of the rockers and bumper. IT was too late to install them so I was going to have to wait till monday : (
To my surprise, I got a call from Ted today while at the gym, he decided to button the car up this morning, she was ready!!
I drove down to the shope and picked up my Viper. I have to say, the belanger system soujnds mean. I went with the crosover delete, so the system is loud. I think its perfect. My initail observations of the exhaust. Cant tell much by SOP yet, the roads were a bit wet so I couldn't get into it al all. The sound was insane!! Only drove with the top up and cabin noise is much louder. If you dont want the car to be loud, this is not the system for you, thats for sure. ITs everything I wanted. At idle the car rumbles. At part and moderate throttle the car has a furious sound. I couldn't do any WOT blasts but I'm sure it will be a thing to behold. As far as the gears, I initially ordered 355's but changed my mind to 373's and am very pleased. In CT there's not much road to open the cars up fully. There's a bit more rowing but its the poerfect compromise. If I lived in the midwest, I think the geras would be to tall but here they are perfect. I can idle around a parking loot a 1250 rpm at around 10 mph. In 6th on the highway at 80 mph I'm at 1600 rpm. I can hold 70 mph on the highway now in 6th while going up a hill. I used feel I needed to shift or the car would bog a bit. All in all I'm very happy, great mods. Next year I'll tune the car!!
With my stock GenII gear I'm turning about 1750 @ 80mph if I recall correctly. I think the rear tires of the SRT are about 1' 1/2 taller than the GenII but even so I would have guessed the gear swap would have a much higher rpm result. Interesting.
