i got a questin about transmission ratio things...i know each gear has a gear ratio but im not sure exactly what it means...is smaller or larger better? lets say i want my car to accelerate faster...would i put larger or smaller. or lets say i want my car to have more top end...and pull harder from lets say 100 to 130...would i want a larger gear? im assuming like 3.11 gear is larger than a 2.7 unless theirs some weird way of doing it and the smaller number is actually a larger gear. anyways i jus want an overview about how this stuff works.

 

That question is not easily answered. It depends on your power curve, whether or not you would want close ratios. Horsepwer and torque amount also plays a role, it also depends on what are you going for, top speed or fast acceleration.

Lower numbers ratios make taller gears.

 

I second that... it's not easy to determine whether or not a change in gear ratios will help acceleration. If you introduce another gear shift during the 0-60 dash, say it was one shift before but if you shorten them up and have to shift twice, sure in gear acceleration is snappier but because of the extra change you need to negociate, the total time is greater.

But the greatest benefit I see to a somewhat porky car (3000+ lbs) with a somewhat low compression engine when off-boost, is the ability to get the revs up quickly off a roll when at low speeds in 1st gear. Sure 2nd gear will also become a weapon around town.