gear ratios???

[dafirebird]

ok, here's a stuuuuuuupid question, y'all are gonna laugh at me for this one, but, I've never really gotten a grasp on gear ratios. I have a 2002 Firebird, auto trans, rear end ratio of 3.42. So thats 3 what? against 42 what? Does it refer to driveshaft/pinion revolutions to differential output shaft revolutions? Or is it number of pinion teeth to differential ring gear teeth??? Or neither?

Please help, paul


P.S. go ahead and bonk me... [img]graemlins/twak.gif[/img]

[98Camaro3.8]

3.42:1 is the ratio of teeth on the ring gear to the number of teeth on the pinion gear. It is also the ratio of the number of turns of the driveshaft to the number of turns of the axle.

Turning the driveshaft 3.42 times will result in 1 rotation of the wheel.

In the case of 3.23s, IIRC, there are 14 teeth on the pinion gear and 42 on the ring gear. 42/14 = 3.23:1.


Just like on a 10-speed bike, a lower gear (higher number) mean you can accelerate faster/easier, but you will top out at a much lower speed. A higher gear (lower number) allows you to pedal slower, but it'll be harder.

[ April 20, 2005, 06:17 PM: Message edited by: 98Camaro3.8 ]

[dafirebird]

Thank-you, moderator, I have a better understanding now- [img]graemlins/bowdown.gif[/img] - Paul...