What kind of gears do you guys have or reccomend?

[Martin2000GTS]

So I have had the viper for about a week now but I dont feel that same exceleration that my somewhat modded vette had. My vette had an after market 4.10 gear, long tube headers, etc...basically a bunch of boltons but no heads and cam. It ran a 12.6 @ 113 mph in the 1/4 mile.It also had 18inch rear wheels.
Where my viper has the stock 3.07 gears and after market 19in HRE wheels. The viper is all stock. But I felt that my vette was a bit quicker especially 0-100mph. After that the viper keeps pulling I think. Im a little low on money right now but would gears make a big difference in exceleration? Also what gears are avialble for the viper. I live in MA is there any reputable tuners in the area ? I dont mond driving back to Baltimore to see if Jason can install some gears for me (my viper was previously owned by Jason Heffner). What are typicall prices?
Thanks for any help.
Martin

 

[XS TORQ]

I bought a rear end complete w/ 3.54 gears from Dan Cragin (www.dcperformance.com). The rear end was built by Unitrax. Their gear sets and rear ends are very well thought of. Sold my stock rear end for about what I bought the complete one w/ the new gears for.
Not that difficult to swap rear ends either.
The gearing makes a NICE difference in off the line acceleration, as well as making 6th gear quite useful at normal freeway speeds.

 

[Snakester]

I also have 3.54 gears like Mark, but I bought the gears and had them installed locally. With proper break in procedures followed they work great.

I also had 4.10s (and nitrous) in my last Corvette, and the gears definitely give the car a better feel, with low gear traction, shifting a bit more, and a slight MPG hit as the only downsides.

You should do at least K&N filters, smooth tubes and high flow cats to start. They are easy and inexpensive mods that have no downsides. I like the 3.54 gears as they give the Viper a clearly more powerful feel.

You should be able to easily run quicker than 12.6@113MPH with your stock '00 Viper, and it should be quicker to 100MPH with a 1/4 mile trap speed around 118MPH!
But the bolt-on mods combined with the 4.10s in the Vette could have easily made it feel quicker.

If you are having someone swap the gears, make sure that they use Super Dana 44 gears, and that they have a LOT of experience swapping out differential gears, as it's not a job for someone without experience. Pulling the Viper's rear end is relatively easy, but doing the gear swap is almost an art, so you want a pro.

 

[joe117]

Like XS TORQ said.
I did the same thing to my 94.

It will make the car feel lots faster but some say it really wont change the quarter mile times much.

You don't say what kind of Vette. If you had a slightly modded ZO6 then I wouldn't expect the stock Viper to feel much different than your Vette anyway

 

[Martin2000GTS]

Hey guys thanks for the replys, the 12.6 quarter i ran was in my vette it was a 97 (1st year of the c5) Jason ran my viper at 11.9 and 11.7 on drags. But I believe that was with the smaller (stock) wheels. I now have the HRE's on there and they are 19 in rims. Maybe that slowed the car down slightly. The car is also lowered, does that effect exceleration? After market shocks and springs (koni and eibach). Also what other options are there for gears (ratios) that you guys have installed.

 

[tommygun]

One of my customers had me install 3:55 gears on his 99 rt/10 and had a hard time keeping the tires from turning to smoke on the track with nitrous. He purchased a set of 3:43 gears and had me install them and is currently quiet happy with them. As far as the suspension, yeah, if the rear shocks are set too stiff the vehicle cannot squat and bite and you can lose traction &will not launch as well. Most of the serious guys in my area will also remove the front sway bar at the track so the f/e lifts easier and more evenly for a better launch. A 4:10 gear will make the launch feel a lot better, just like in your vette, but makes daily driving quite a chore even with the 6 speed. If you do install any other power upgrades and plan to spend time at the strip with slicks, make sure to upgrade the half shafts with Unitrax shafts. You won't be sorry.

 

[Detlef]

My first Viper had the stock 3.07's and my current GTS has 3.73's and the difference is very positive for street driving. Haven't tried drag racing on the strip (prefer the twisties). The gas mileage I got driving to/from VOI was somewhere between 19 and 20 MPH, so not much of a dip. So in summary, I love them!

 

[flying dutchman]

maybe a funny question, but would it make a difference on the outcome when y dyno a car that has swapped the gears from 3.07 to 3.55????

 

[XS TORQ]

Sean Roe did a before and after dyno, and said that the dyno reads (something like) 15HP lower w/ the 3.54 gear. This does not mean you lose horsepower, just that the dynojet dyno reads it differently.

 

[Martin2000GTS]

Any one have a 4.10 gear in their viper??? I loved the 4.10 gears in the vette. I dont plan on putting a lot of mods into the car. Probally just the gears, cats, and exhaust for now. Ha I still havent made my first payment yet!!

 

[Martin2000GTS]

Now that I think about it 4.10 might be over kill in the viper. Because the vette stock came with 3.42 and I went to 4.10 where on the viper it comes with 3.07 and going to 4.10 might be to big. May be 3.73 would be the best over all for me. Any other thoughts and comments?
Martin

 

[joe117]

I never heard of anyone going any higher than a 3.73.

 

[XS TORQ]

3.73 on a car that had 3.07 would be very similar (% of change) to putting 4.10 on a car w/ 3.42.
I am quite happy with 3.54, but there are others on this board that have gone 3.73 and are happy with them.

 

[Kiaser]

From 3.07's I've seen 3.45's, 3.55's, and 3.73's. My '94 has 3.45's and I don't think I'd change it one bit. When you take into consideration the torque curves on our big block 488's during straight line launching you can go lower on the ratio's as compared to other cars and get great performance as well as nice street driving/miles per gallon.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

I am very happy with my Unitrax 3:45 rear end. The end of third gear comes more quickly on a track forcing a shift to 4th that wasn't necessary for me before on the tracks I've been on. However, for street use and xcrossing--it's the ticket! I also checked mileage this summer at a steady 70-75. I got as high as 22.8. The other big plus is how usable 5th and 6th gear now is. I would not go lower than I am due to speed limitations in 3rd and 4th gear. Per my computer program 0-150MPH times are about equal from stock to the 3:45 gears.

Steve

 

[Snakester]

One thing to think of also is that right now you are pretty close to stock power-wise. So the combination of the tall 19" wheels and 3.07 gears seem a bit sluggish. But when you go past 3.55 gears you are already going to be fighting for traction with 500 foot lbs torque. And if (down the road) you decide to add more power, having extreme gears like 4.10s will make the car spin it's tires BADLY in both 1st and 2nd gear.

When I added nitrous, even the 3.55s cause the car to spin it's tires in 2nd and sometimes 3rd gear (with 600RWTQ+).
I short-shift in the 1st two gears to compensate, but it would really be a mess with 4.10 gears (perhaps even dangerous) because you could lose traction at 70, maybe 100MPH!

3.55 are a nice balance.

 

[RedGTS]

I short-shift in the 1st two gears to compensate, but it would really be a mess with 4.10 gears (perhaps even dangerous) because you could lose traction at 70, maybe 100MPH!

I've even heard of that happening with 3.07's.

 

[FE 065]

A Viper's power is different than a Vette's. After test driving alot of high revving Vettes at GM's Milford Proving Grounds, I thought my '94 Viper was a dog based on SOTP until I took it to the strip. The Viper's do pull ******* top end too.


Your 19" tires are going to spin easier than 18" tires the sidewalls are stiffer. So the reports above of more tire spin will be a bit worse with those 19" tires after installing most any gear.


I've got a 3.45 to put in my 2002 GTS next year and I wonder how I'm going to keep it straight under heavy throttle in first and second on the street with 18" Pilots when it's already sliding sideways now in 1st & 2nd gear. (must be the vacuum pump!) The 3.45 will make it worse.

Since 3.31 gears are said to be impossible to find, a 3.45 is your best bet. It'll still allow about 138mph in 4th for the strip while giving you extra oomph.

 

[Skip White]

4.10 gears are a bit insane, unless you have cat like reflexes, perfect timing, master modulating the throttle, perfect nerves or you'll blow it on the line. As mentioned the 3.33 is perfect for all around use, but seems to be hard to find. The 3.45 the second choice. Much info about gears is available on this site. There are drivability issues with gear changes.

Skip White

 

[Martin2000GTS]

Yeah I figured 4.10's would be rediclous, Ill have to make up my mind with either the 3.45, 3.55, or 3.73. I think with the 3.73 Ill be around the same rpm's that my vette with 4.10 were. Another fellow here on the forum sent me a message and told me with his 3.73's in 6th gear at 80 mph he was turing 2000 on the tach. Which was the same as the vette with 4.10's. So 4.10's in the snake is definatly overkill. Hey im still a viper newbie, learning stuff every day!!! Thanks for the info!
Martin

 

[Anthony - 98 GTS]

I have a 3.45 with a 1" taller 19" rear wheel - giving me an effective change of around 3.33.

This combo works well at my power levels.

 

[ViperRichRT10]

I have 3.55 from John B. at Parts Rack. They are much more fun than the stock gears!

 

[Shelby3]

I have 3.73's.

 

[Viper X]

3.55's work well for me. But, as the guys stated above, with any mods that add hp / tq, you will have traction issues even with 3.55's. From start to about 30 mph in first gear, if I add too much throttle, wheel spin is inevitable on all dry surfaces with stock tires. Any kind of wet and forget it. Shifting to second and third aggressively will also break the wheels loose. I am surprised how well the SRT-10 handles this power as the car stays quite straight during these events, even at freeway speeds. Perhaps this is due to the new CV set-up in the rear, but I don't know. Someone else may know the answer to this, but it's nice to stay straight when accelerating as quickly as these things do. You're goning to love the car.

 

[sun diego]

Keep the 3.07's and add power as you can afford it is my vote. When you add a lot of power you will want the 3.07's back.

 

[genXgts]

I like Sun's advice above.

The car is an exercise in futility laying it down as is with 3.07s. Adding gear just amplifies the problem.

I stand by my case of racing my buddy with the exact same car as mine that dyno'd within a few horse of each other. He put in a new rear end and went back to 3.07 gears from a 3.54 and we had and continue to have rollon races every time we get together to cruise. At least 50 1/4 mile runs at various tracks around his area and mine against each other and others and no difference in times at all in his car 3.54 to 3.07. Opens up a can of worms on these boards but I am talking about personal experience so I pass it on.

Some get into torque multiplication ratios of the rear gearing vs the gear and equate things into formulas. True enough, perhaps duration in each gear comes into play. While a geared Viper will have more "torque multiplication" in any given gear vs the same gear in a 3.07 car the bottom line is you are in each gear longer in a 3.07 car.

That's my theory and I am sticking to it! Seat of the pants feel, different story, gears rock.

 

[Gerald]

Stock 3:07's with power. If you want a STOCK Viper to seem faster throw in some gears.


G

 

[opnwide]

The 19" pilots will not spin easier than the 18"s. The sidewall is actually taller on the the 19" wheels (345-30 vs 335-30) UNLESS you have the 19" runflats. Also, a Viper with stock gears can do 118-119mph in third, so you won't have to shift to 4th. If you are shifting to 4th at the finish with the 18" wheels, the 19's may help you run quicker.

 

[Ray W]

I have 3:55 w/19" wheels. For daily and all around driving it seems to be the best. My opinion is based on 19" wheels only anthis is what I find.

A.3:73 would be most fun on the street and worst at the strip.
B.3:55 is perfect for street and allows use of 6th gear.Usable but tricky at the strip.
C.3:33 returns you to almost stock gearing with the taller tires. Works best at the strip.
D.3:07 w/19's really dog the car. Sixth gear is almost useless under 85mph. If high mph is your goal use them for Bonneville.

Other than NOS my gear change has been the best thing I have done and I highly recommend it. Also get the complete
center section new. It's afew dollars more but you have no down time.

 

[Martin2000GTS]

More thanks for all your opinions! I appreciate them, very interesting analyiss Ray. Im still waiting for Jason to send me the title to my car so i can register and insure it (so I can legaly drive it to Tators for the work. I hate these 3.07 gears withthe 19" pilots (non runflats). I still havent made a decesion on what I wanna go with so more opinions are good. I would do 3.73's with out a doubt if there were stret drag radials in 345/30/19. But they only make them in 18's. So I think its betwwen 3.55 and 3.73. I like that felling when your stuck to your seat but I dont really want major traction issues. 4.10's in the c5 were great because i drove on the bfg drag radials all the time.
Thanks guys!
Martin