Need advice: '98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

[DEVILDOG]

Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

Looking for some experienced advice on the best gear ratio for my '98 GTS with 675 HP & 680 TQ NA. I'm looking for the best driving experience that will enable me to utilize 5th and 6th gear more for highway driving. Right now I can't use 6th at all unless I'm going 85 mph minimum. I'd also like to get a little less bucking in the lower gears at city street speeds. Thanks for your recommendations.

 

[RX VIPER]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

With that much power I'd think the 3:33 rear would be best. What kind of tires are you running?

 

[DEVILDOG]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

Michelin Pilot Sports.

 

[JUCD VPR]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

With that much power I'd think the 3:33 rear would be best. What kind of tires are you running?

I agree, with the other gears you'll be blownin the tires off. Get some BFG drag radials and you'll be hookin like a maniac! BUt i'd suggest no driving in the rain lol

 

[carguy07]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

The big question is can you even find 3.33's? There was a set on ebay a week ago that went for $795. Other than that I can't find them anywhere.

 

[Viper X]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

Devil Dog,

The 3.45's are readily available and work very well with my GTS at a mere 650 hp. I have a friend with a similar set up and he likes them too.

5th and 6th gears are very useable at this gear ratio and the car is a bunch of fun to drive on the street and at the track.

As for tires, Nitto makes a nice set of DOT drag radials for the street in Gen 2 sizes that will hook very well at that power level. The Kumho Ecsta V-700s, if you can find them, hook pretty well too. My next tire for my GTS is the Toyo Proxes RA1's. These have received good reviews from guys running them with 650 packages.

If you want to lower your gear ratio, you can run the SRT-10 wheels. The rears are about 1.4 inches taller and with the 3.45's and these taller tires, you will be very close to 3.33.

Dan

 

[Joe Dozzo]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

I had 3.45's in my 98 GTS with 8 psi Roe SC and went back to stock. 3.45's definitely made 5th and 6th more usable, for reasonably sane highway driving, but launching hard with street tires (Pilots, but not Sports) was problematic.

If you're NA and perhaps not making quite as much TQ just off idle as an SC car (don't get me wrong, 675/680 hp/tq are great number!), 3.45's might be just the trick with your stickier tires!

 

[Buckeye Viper]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

3.33's

Mid-July

Unitrax

 

[carguy07]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

3.33's

Mid-July

Unitrax

Been waiting for these for a long time!

 

[DEVILDOG]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

Thanks for the input guys. Seems to be about a 50/50 split decision so far. Still undecided. Anyone else have any experience with either?

 

[97 Viper GTS]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

I had a set of 3:45s and just switched to 3:33s. I like the 3:33s better, but my car is N/A with just 540 rwhp. I will sell you my 3:45s cheap if you want them, or Unitrax should have 3:33s in about 6 weeks for $300.

Shawn

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

Roe 5 pounder /3:45s / Fidanza flywheel / Pilot Sports.

I am very happy with this set up. I'm not a drag stip guy. Traction is limited in first gear, but that just ties in with my one set of rears per season rule I've had the gears since 4/04. Had the 3:33s been available then, I would have gone that way. Topping out at 125 in 4th (not redline, but keeps the RPMs down a little) means an overdrive gear comes next. 99% of what I do is under that speed anyway so it doesn't matter.

Given another 125HP or so, I would guess you'd want the 3:33s. It's a better drag racing gear.

Not sure why you can't use 6th till 85. I routinely used it at 65 MPH, with the car in stock trim, for over 30,000 miles. Never had a problem.

Steve

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

Looking for some experienced advice on the best gear ratio for my '98 GTS with 675 HP & 680 TQ NA. I'm looking for the best driving experience that will enable me to utilize 5th and 6th gear more for highway driving. Right now I can't use 6th at all unless I'm going 85 mph minimum. I'd also like to get a little less bucking in the lower gears at city street speeds. Thanks for your recommendations.

I have the same numbers you do on my GTS and went to the 3:45s a few years ago from stock. The biggest problem with them is on the larger tracks where you end up shifting more and thus losing valuable time, otherwise I like them.

 

[BLWNV10]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

3:33 or stock.
Traction is a real issue with a SC car.
I may know where there is a set of 3:33's available because they are installing a SC on their car and has decided to abandon lowering the gear ratio.

 

[1TONY1]

Re: Need advice: \'98 GTS 3.33 or 3.45 GEARS???

Looking for some experienced advice on the best gear ratio for my '98 GTS with 675 HP & 680 TQ NA. I'm looking for the best driving experience that will enable me to utilize 5th and 6th gear more for highway driving. Right now I can't use 6th at all unless I'm going 85 mph minimum. I'd also like to get a little less bucking in the lower gears at city street speeds. Thanks for your recommendations.

Are those rear wheel numbers or flywheel numbers ? I'm at 640/640 rw and the only reason I will change from my 3.55 is to stay out of 5th gear in the 1/4 mile.