12lbs Intercooled Vortech with 3.90 rear... thinking about switching to 3.55 thoughts?

04torktech · Feb 11, 2012

Hey my car is currently making 420rwhp and 408rwtrq via an intercooled Vortech and some nice cool winter air. Prior to installing the SC I installed a Richmond 3.90 gear set. The 3.90's worked wonders with the naturally aspirated 2V but there were some problems. First of all RICHMOND GEARS WHINE....ALOT. I came to live with the constant whining but after installing the supercharger and than intercooler it almost seems like too much gear. I know a set of FRPP 3.55's will be quieter and help my mpg's but what do you think about performance. In the cold weather traction is definitely an issue until 3rd gear. Even in the dry weather with Nitto 555 315's outback I get squirly in boost. What do you think I should do?

Noobz347 · Feb 11, 2012

Work on your rear suspension and weight transfer until you get more bite.

vertigasen · Feb 11, 2012

^^ Agree! Fix the suspension then think about different tires. The 555s are not the stickiest tire in the world.....especially in the winter. The tires get harder in cold air and they wont hook for anything. See what you can do with the suspension, then take a look at tires......it is hard to judge actual traction in the winter...because tires just dont work like they do in the summer.

mustangman9812 · Feb 11, 2012

Noobz347 said:
Work on your rear suspension and weight transfer until you get more bite.

+2, Dont FEAR THE GEAR, you will regret going to 3.55's

trinity_gt · Feb 11, 2012

With a centri I'd be inclined to retain the lower gear...

Rick 91GT · Feb 11, 2012

trinity_gt said:
With a centri I'd be inclined to retain the lower gear...

I agree....whats the rest of the combo?

04torktech · Feb 12, 2012

I hear what you are saying and I understand that tires, especially summer tires, don't hook as well in the cold. Honestly though I kind of like the 555's at least for an all around tire. I have some friends with the NT05's or a stickier equivalent but you wear through them so fast and this is my daily driver. Here is the rest of my set up.

Suspension/Brakes:
KYB AGX Adjustable shocks and struts front and back
Eibach Pro Kit Springs (1.5" drop)
Slotted Rotors

Performance:
Anderson Power Pipe
Vortech V2 SC
CX Racing Intercooler
Vortech Mini Race Blow off Valve
VMP MAF w/ Diablosport Mafia
C&L Upper Intake Plenum
FRPP 70mm Throttle Body
MGW Short Throw Shifter
Richmond 3.90 Gears

Fuel:
Siemens 60# Injectors
Kenne Bell Boost A Pump

Exhaust:
BBK Long Tubes
BBK Off Road H Pipe
Flowmaster 50 Series

Obviously lowering the car doesn't necessarily help with weight transfer however I love driving my car on the back roads. Everyone is definitely making me want to keep my 3.90s . What do you propose for weight transfer mods?

bhuff30 · Feb 12, 2012

You may like the 555, but it is still a summer only tire. An all season tire would give you better winter time hook. Even in a high power car, you are still better off running true winter tires in the winter. It comes down to the compound of the tire. Summer compounds get hard in cold weather and give up the traction advantage they have. Winter tires will stay soft at cold temperatures, giving you better bite on the street, including the dry and rain/snow/ice. However, in warm temps, the winter tires get too soft, and you will wear through them in no time at all.

Bottom line, if you want the best traction at any given time, wear the correct shoes.

Also, suspension mods are less and less effective when traction is already reduced. Meaning, you need some good bite to take advantage of suspension mods. Otherwise, you will just be spinning and never able to get the initial weight transfer to take advantage of the suspension changes.

04torktech · Feb 12, 2012

bhuff30 said:
You may like the 555, but it is still a summer only tire. An all season tire would give you better winter time hook. Even in a high power car, you are still better off running true winter tires in the winter. It comes down to the compound of the tire. Summer compounds get hard in cold weather and give up the traction advantage they have. Winter tires will stay soft at cold temperatures, giving you better bite on the street, including the dry and rain/snow/ice. However, in warm temps, the winter tires get too soft, and you will wear through them in no time at all.

Bottom line, if you want the best traction at any given time, wear the correct shoes.

Also, suspension mods are less and less effective when traction is already reduced. Meaning, you need some good bite to take advantage of suspension mods. Otherwise, you will just be spinning and never able to get the initial weight transfer to take advantage of the suspension changes.

You make a very good point. If I had some extra money it would definitely make sense to have dedicated summer and winter tires. That is definitely something I should invest in for the future. But on the subject of gears there does come a point of diminishing returns with the current set up. Assuming I keep the 555's or a similar compound do you think the slight loss in acceleration would be canceled out by the fact of traction. In an ideal world you don't want 100% traction. Actually around 18% slip is ideal for the best acceleration and braking times. Getting that perfectly of course is very hard but as of now I am just curious to what everyone thinks about a 3.55 ratio with my current set up. At the track, when I do go which is not all the time, I am running out of gear in 4th.

usaf_branham · Feb 14, 2012

i had 4.10's and decided to switch to 3.73's because of my blower. although i am happy with the 3.73's, i miss the 4.10's. they were alot more fun on the street...

moral of the story... dont fear the gear.

if you are dead set on changing your gear ratio, i wouldnt even consider going lower than 3.73

vertigasen · Feb 14, 2012

Let me pull out something from one of my favriote movies. "If you build it....he will come." Or in this case.........

IF YOU FIX THE SUSPENSION......TRACTION WILL COME.

1fun281 · Feb 14, 2012

Suspension and a stickier tire, id try a mickey thompson before changing the gear ratios, i have 555r on my car theyre awesome for the daily driver great median tire good in the rain hook better then street tires wear decent, but if i wasnt daily driving it would be mickey thompson all day

12lbs Intercooled Vortech with 3.90 rear... thinking about switching to 3.55 thoughts?

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