gear ratio

This is more of a daily driver question so I put it here.
I want to either put stock 60 series hi performance tires or keep my BFG 50 series and change rear gears.
I notice the turbo loads up better with 225/60's and I don't have to short shift all the time as with my 50 series.
I found some 3.08's and the guy will swap for my 3.55's.
Will the 3.08 be hi enough or do I need 2.73 or something?

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88 5 spd, K&N in front, stageII T-3 & GN whl, 3" DP to Dynomax Ultraflo dumped for now,
Raging Roller Cam & Race Eng spkt, ported E6 & intakes, MSD & Blaster coil, 8.5mm SS spiral core wires
ARE 5 star whls, BFG 225/50/VR16 comp TA's,
S T lowering springs and
Monroe's, B&M shifter, Autometer boost and triple gauge pod above Denon 20 bit CD player.

Just my 02 but I wouldn't consider either of those gear ratios. Those may be fine gears for a torque monster, but not for a 4 cylinder. Can you say 0 to 60 by next week. Smell that clutch burn at every stop light.

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NATO Member. it's not a vice, it's an obsession
"The nice thing about each new day is nobody ever used it before" Barnaby Jones
88 TC X 2, 86 SVO, mods list at
http://www.turbotbird.com/showroom/pd_88tc.htm

[This message has been edited by Pete D (edited 06-29-2002).]

Playing around with the numbers a bit , I come up with 3.27 with the 225/50VR16 having about the same speed at a given engine rpm as the 3.55 with the 225/60VR16.

Hope this helps.

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Mike Walsted - NATO member
1986 5-speed TurboCoupe and 1985 5-speed XR7

O ya, thats what I was trying to figure out.
I'm not sure about 0-60 times but also cruising down the freeway I can easily pass 3000 on the tach and O2 meter goes full rich.

Pete is right on,2.73's are a a big no-no with anything less than a V-8 or a S/C V-6 at the very least.3.08's are not much better.They need torque behind them at the bottom to make them work.

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Too much fun, what's that mean?That's like too much boost,there's no such thing.

[This message has been edited by Hybridbird (edited 06-29-2002).]

I recently put 225/45 ZR16 Sumitomo tires on my car. I know that putting a shorter tire on your car kinda tricks the car into thinking that you have a lower gear ratio, my question is, can one of you guys that know how to crunch these numbers tell me what gear ratio the car "thinks" it has in it. In case anyone wonders, the tires grip like nothing I've ever driven, so good that I get body lean real bad before the tires even begin to slide, with the firm ride on. But they look a little too small for the car, it needs to be lowered at least an inch to look right, but the wheel well would still look too big. I don't want to lower the car though, I'm waiting for the company where I get my tires to be able to get my 17X9 cobra R replicas like Pat Fay's. I hate to copy cat, but it just looks too damn cool! Anyway, thanks for any numbers anyone can get me.

Kev

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Kev
88 TC 5spd
K&N in front of the radiator, bypassed BCS at around 17 psi, polished throttle body, 2 1/2 dynomax ultraflow mandrel bent duals. 255 lph fuel pump. Car is all black, no red stripe, blackouts, and chrome duals, red leather interior.
Mean Fast and Smooth

Well just from my experience with Rangers I would compare mine to about a 3.73 ratio.
But that is not entirely true cause the gear ratio is staying the same.
You still have 3.55 driveshaft rotations to 1 axle , just that your shorter tires are taking you less distance for each cycle.
Hmm.....what to do

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88 5 spd, K&N in front, stageII T-3 & GN whl, 3" DP to Dynomax Ultraflo dumped for now,
Raging Roller Cam & Race Eng spkt, ported E6 & intakes, MSD & Blaster coil, 8.5mm SS spiral core wires
ARE 5 star whls, BFG 225/50/VR16 comp TA's,
S T lowering springs and
Monroe's, B&M shifter, Autometer boost and triple gauge pod above Denon 20 bit CD player.