3.55 Gears Gen2 - Advice

[Boosted Motorsports]

3.73 is in now. All I can say is un-f**king-real. This is how it should have come from the factory.... post some in car videos in the next few weeks.

[Geronimo]

3.73 is in now. All I can say is un-f**king-real. This is how it should have come from the factory.... post some in car videos in the next few weeks.

You don't say?

[Vprbite]

Im no mechanic, But by changing the gearing, wouldn't it be somewhat changing the amount of HP going to the back wheels? The crank HP would obviously stay the same but couldn't that affect the wheel hp and torque rating by adjusting gearing?

I get your thinking. But as I understand it its about getting that power that is already there to you quicker. Sort of like, of it took you 5 seconds to get through the power/torque curve before, now it takes 4. Same amount of power. Perhaps think of it as increases power shoved to the wheels per second (yes I know that's a metric i just made up ).

Same amount of power always there. In it's simplistic incarnation it's how many turns of the drive shaft per revolution of the tires, correct? So the higher you go, the quicker you "max out" your driveshaft turns. Which is why it costs you top end, need to shift sooner, etc.

I am more than happy to be proven wrong. This was just how I was always tought/thought of it.

Either way, I think it's a great mod and believe 3.55 is perfect. Others like 3.73s it's a matter of preference

[Boosted Motorsports]

If I had larger diameter/newer spec wheels I wouldn't have any hesitation to go to a 4.10

No idea why anyone down plays 3.73 as being too much. It's far from it. Gears are plenty long unless you are brutal at driving. 60mph I'm around 1500rpm in 6th.

I had two cbr600s try to run me from a light. I short shifted 1st and casually put it in 2nd and floored it. They both tucked and I watched both of them struggle to even keep up. I was dying laughing! No idea their skill leve but either way this thing is pretty damn quick now!

[Martin2000GTS]

I had a 2000 Dodge Viper stock motor with 19 inch rear wheels I put the 373 gears in and never had any doubt that that was the best choice. I put on about 45,000 miles in 12 years solid mix of long-distance cruising city cruising dragstrip and track. A few years ago I've built the motor and put a roe blower on there I now have 345 gears. As others have said with the stock 18 inch wheels the 355 is a great gear but with your 19 inch wheels you have to go 373 in my Opinion. The bigger wheels make it an effective 355. I'm guessing with a 355 it would make an effective 331? To me a 3.73 in your car is a no brainer. You will not be disappointed. 6th gear at 80mph was still about 2k rpm.... no problem

[heath1225]

I get your thinking. But as I understand it its about getting that power that is already there to you quicker. Sort of like, of it took you 5 seconds to get through the power/torque curve before, now it takes 4. Same amount of power. Perhaps think of it as increases power shoved to the wheels per second (yes I know that's a metric i just made up ).

Same amount of power always there. In it's simplistic incarnation it's how many turns of the drive shaft per revolution of the tires, correct? So the higher you go, the quicker you "max out" your driveshaft turns. Which is why it costs you top end, need to shift sooner, etc.

I am more than happy to be proven wrong. This was just how I was always tought/thought of it.

Either way, I think it's a great mod and believe 3.55 is perfect. Others like 3.73s it's a matter of preference

You actually show less HP on the dyno with a gear.

[My98RT10]

Hey, I need to ask a general question for which I could not find a clear and definite answer so far. In fact, I found contradictory information.

I need to know, whether model year 1998 has a 8.9" ring gear or a 8.5" ring gear from factory? Looking at the lists provided by DANA, all years until 2000 where equipped with a DANA 44 ICA 216 (so with the 8.5" ring gear). However, I read in the DaimlerChrysler Student Workbook, that from 1996 on, the Viper was equipped with a 8.9" ring gear.

Does anybody know for sure? I don't want to open my diff to get clarity.. ;-)

Thanks!

[My98RT10]

No one?

Here's a shot from one of the many DANA documents you find on their website. From this you (well, I) would come to the conclusion that from 1993 to 2000 (at least), the Viper was equipped with a DANA 44/216. Also the number for the Ring Gear & Pinion Kit refers to a DANA 44/216 in the other screenshot below.





Other than that however, there is no specific information on ring gear size, pinion size, bolt size. The net is full of different/conflicting messages but there seem to be some differences regarding these 3 aspects for different years....!?

Personally, I only need to know ring gear size of stock '98 model year, is it 8.5" or 8.9" (I assume these are not interchangeable)? As many out there have changed gears there needs to be someone who knows the answer to this question! ;-)

Many thanks!

[Sybil TF]

If I had larger diameter/newer spec wheels I wouldn't have any hesitation to go to a 4.10

No idea why anyone down plays 3.73 as being too much. It's far from it. Gears are plenty long unless you are brutal at driving. 60mph I'm around 1500rpm in 6th.

I had two cbr600s try to run me from a light. I short shifted 1st and casually put it in 2nd and floored it. They both tucked and I watched both of them struggle to even keep up. I was dying laughing! No idea their skill leve but either way this thing is pretty damn quick now!

I have been trying to tell some of these chumps but they don't listen

[Szeszko02GTSGA]

I upgraded to 3:55 gear and had the Unitrax (ROE racing) recalibration unit installed. My speed was off and after several adjustments was able to get pretty damm close.

[ViperRyan]

3.73 is in now. All I can say is un-f**king-real. This is how it should have come from the factory.... post some in car videos in the next few weeks.

I like the update haha. With the 19" GenV wheels on my GTS, I am thinking I will also go with 3.73's. My Trans Am came with 3.23's I believe and throwing in 3.73's was a crazy difference, so jumping more than that in the Viper, with more power/torq, I can't imagine the difference!

I think I am going to give the Viper to Cory Gehling and have him do all the work to it. Heard nothing but great things about him, and he even stopped over for a while after he saw Jay Leno's show in Appleton. It's just taking the time and getting the car down there to him.

[Sybil TF]

I upgraded to 3:55 gear and had the Unitrax (ROE racing) recalibration unit installed. My speed was off and after several adjustments was able to get pretty damm close.

You could have had the ECM reprogrammed for the gear change. I think, at least on ours (96) we could.

[BrianACR]

I have an SCT X3 and in the options on it you can select different tire sizes and gear ratios.

[heath1225]

I had a "built" rear end with an Eaton Trutrac diff and 3.55 gear set. On the stock 17" wheels it felt great. With 19" Forgestar F14s it definitely lost some "umph." I bought a new rear end with a 3.73 and it feels much much better.

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I have an SCT X3 and in the options on it you can select different tire sizes and gear ratios.

I was not aware that you can change this in a Gen 2.....

[Venomess]

What if I want to keep my stock ACR 18" wheels. Everyone who went with the 3.73 gear has 19" wheels and love them. But would the 3.73 be too much if I keep the 18"s as opposed to the 3.55?

Also, which Dana rear do we have? Exp: Dana44, Dana36, ect

[Geronimo]

What if I want to keep my stock ACR 18" wheels. Everyone who went with the 3.73 gear has 19" wheels and love them. But would the 3.73 be too much if I keep the 18"s as opposed to the 3.55?

Also, which Dana rear do we have? Exp: Dana44, Dana36, ect

No. 44

[My98RT10]

I had a "built" rear end with an Eaton Trutrac diff and 3.55 gear set. On the stock 17" wheels it felt great. With 19" Forgestar F14s it definitely lost some "umph." I bought a new rear end with a 3.73 and it feels much much better.

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I was not aware that you can change this in a Gen 2.....

I don't think, that this option is working on a Viper either. You have to get a tune from a very experienced Viper guru to adjust the speedometer for a gear change. Or install the speedo/yellow box (which is less elegant IMO).

[Geronimo]

I don't think, that this option is working on a Viper either. You have to get a tune from a very experienced Viper guru to adjust the speedometer for a gear change. Or install the speedo/yellow box (which is less elegant IMO).

Dan Cragin did mine with 3:73's a tune+mods= a car more fun to drive.

[Venomess]

Just to clarify lol....
What if I want to keep my stock ACR 18" wheels. Everyone who went with the 3.73 gear has 19" wheels and love them. But would the 3.73 be too much if I keep the 18"s with a 3.73 as opposed to a 3.55??

Where is Dan Cragin Located? Im in NC and theres a shop in Denver, NC but they charge $1g for a damn tune!!!

[nrs1]

It's not the wheel size that matters, it's the dia of the tire that you put on it. Depending on the tire you put on the wheel, you could have nearly the same dia with an 18" or 19" wheel.

[Venomess]

I gotcha. I still figure mine are less in diameter bc I'm running the stock size... 335/30/18

[Geronimo]

Where is Dan Cragin Located? Im in NC and theres a shop in Denver, NC but they charge $1g for a damn tune!!!

I thought he was a sponsor on here. California.

[Geronimo]

I have an SCT X3 and in the options on it you can select different tire sizes and gear ratios.

Was you able to do it on your gen2 with the X3?

[Venomess]

I thought he was a sponsor on here. California.

He may be... was just hoping he was closer. I just think a grand for a tune is crazy. At any rate, I do have stock tires on 18" so Id assume my diameter is still smaller then the guys running 19" with 3.73s

[My98RT10]

He may be... was just hoping he was closer. I just think a grand for a tune is crazy. At any rate, I do have stock tires on 18" so Id assume my diameter is still smaller then the guys running 19" with 3.73s

I don't think that Dan charges that much. However, a speedo calibration box would be cheaper compared to a tune (but a tune would usually include some other advantages as well...)