i have 3.31 with my 11' gt manual. if i get the 3.73 will i need a 3rd shift to 60mph? i think if i do then the 3.55 will get the best 0-60 time without a 3rd shift needed. thanks
The 3.73 gears will let you accelerate faster, I am not sure about the third shift to 60 though. What is so magic about 60? The only time a 0-60 time is important is in a magazine. To find out about the shift, you can take your current speed at redline in second, divide it by 3.73 and multiply by 3.31 and you will get your max speed in second for the 3.73 gears.
I was about and about today and tested this. You can get to 60 in 2nd, tach was at about 7k, so I would have redlined if I didn't have a tune on there.
Not everybody associates knowing car stuff with the math classes they had to sit through, so I guess it's a fair question. There certainly are a few situations where you do not want to have to be in 3rd before hitting 60 mph. Autocrossing for one (and with OP having only a single post here it isn't possible to eliminate this as one of his concerns), as well as not feeling that you must run the revs in the lower gears up all the time.
60 in the MT82's 2nd gear @ 7000 rpm on 27" tall tires is just about right.
My '12 can get 60 in 2nd. I have American muscles gt500 19" wheels with sumitomo tires...haven't measured the actual height of the tires. Yes, it gets you up to speed on the onramps quick!