Sure-Grip 3.23 vs. 3.55 .... undecided!!

[chaps70rt]

Has anyone out there been faced with the same dilema of trying to decide the above??    What RPM's is a stock 4-speed running on the highway with 3.55 (standard tire sizing)    Have you installed a 3.55 and wished you had gone 3.23 .... or vice versa??

Would appreciate the feedback from anyone who has gone down this path.

[ShelbyDogg]

Are you racing? 3:55 or 3:91s, If you just want to fly down the highway, Cruise long distances, and listen to the stereo, 3:23s.   I have 3:55 only because I have an overdrive installed.

[bb71challenger]

I agree, cruiser? 3.23 or even 2.94. Hot street? 3.55 or higher.

[boydsdodge]

I'll take your 3.23s if you have a set.

[73challenger_TN]

I love my 3.73s...not a traditional mopar gear though!

[dodge freak 2]

Comes down to how is the motor, exhaust and your general personalty.

If the motor can spin clean to 6000 rpms..good valve springs, not worn out bearings, rings and you have a semi quite exhaust 3.55 is a great gear. True you stereo sounds better but I have 3.91's and can hear my tunes at any speed thanks to many speakers and sub woofers..have 4 amps in the trunk. (blocks out horns and shoulder rumble strip noise too  )

If your motor is all done revving at around 5000 rpms or you have a loud exhaust to "sound cool in town" you could go nuts on a 1/2 hour or longer freeway trip...not sure even a mega stereo could get over the exhaust noise without being painful to hear it.

I ran 3.23 gears and a 29 inch tire for a few years and was "happy" but as my motor got tune better I found holding 1st and 2nd gear longer and longer. 1st gear got as high as 60 miles an hour and 2nd 100 mph....no good IMO. Switch to 3.91 gears and was "happy" once again...but now I have 26 inch tires and "really happy" now.

But again, my 318 motor with 360 heads can rev to 6200-6400 rpms pushed, I have 4 mufflers, two on each side to cut the noise but still breathe at high rpms and a loud stereo...plus I am a 40+ year old teenager 

[Katfish]

Here's a neat site for telling the difference.

http://vexer.com/68rt/speed.html

I'm trying to decide between 3.54 and 3.73

[brads70]

Here's a neat site for telling the difference.

http://vexer.com/68rt/speed.html

I'm trying to decide between 3.54 and 3.73

That's pretty cool! Even the clock shows the correct time! lol
Thanks for posting!
Brad

[71chally416]

Back when the 60's RR's were new I had a few friends that had 383 4 speed cars. One was a girlfriend of my sisters that had 3.91 gears and another was a guy that had 3.23's. The girl just cleaned his clocks when they raced The guy blew his rear years later and put a junkyard 2.XX rear chunk in it. It was a total Pig then. It sounded like a Nascar racer when he went down the street and was obviously harder to get moving without slipping the clutch. 3.23's are the highest ratio I would ever consider for a 4 speed car, and I myself would prefer the 3.55's. 

[ShelbyDogg]

My first challenger had a 440, 4-speed, and 4:56 gears in it. I was 17 and it seemed like I never had money for gas because the gas guage would always suck down towards "E" faster than I could replace it.  I could race anyone though and one night on a long stretch, and 5 lights, I blew away a Corvette at each light, till he pulled off with a gush of anti freeze blowing out of the back.

I later put an ad in the paper to trade for a set of 3:55s and still have them today. That was around 1978 or 9.   It's a good choice.

[71chally416]

4.56's with a big block are just BRUTAL to drive on the street. You have to be a kid to enjoy that 

[sadil340]

My 340 came with 14" wheels and a 3:55 rear. I kept the 14" wheels for originality but switched to 3:91s because you can't see it was not original. However, since I do a lot of highway driving I'm considering swapping back to 3:55's. I would net it out like this: if you like the extra acceleration, don't do a lot of highway driving and don't mind extra fuel consumption the 3:91's are a blast. Otherwise I'd go with the 3:55's.

[bb71challenger]

I went past the 4.56 and actually have a set of 5.13's that I ran for a very short time. They were way too short and howled like a madman.

[ShelbyDogg]

4.56's with a big block are just BRUTAL to drive on the street. You have to be a kid to enjoy that 

I was a kid and still feel like one whenever I drive my Challenger.

About the 3:55s on the highway, I still wanted to find the next gear after being in 4rth. Always felt like I was still in 3rd.

[Chryco Psycho]

there are a lot of variables , engine power & intended use + what you are comforatble with control the choice.
 If the engine is very torquey at all RPM gear selection becomes almost a non issue , my Duster ran 12.0 with 3.23 & 11.7 with 4.30 gears ,
where you drive it makes all the difference , if it is cruising in town use only you can easily live with 4.10 or more as speed is not an issue same applies to drag racing . For highway 3.23 will put most engines into the powerband comfortably , I have no issue using 2.91 for highway , the other option is to use some kind of OD & use a 3.7 /3.91 gear & stll get the lower RPM on the highway . We need a better idea of intended use & engine power to help select a gear  that will make you happy