T5 1st gear Ratios- 3.35 or 2.95 ?

Pbum5 · Dec 27, 2004

Hi All,
What are some of the advantages of a T5 with the 3.35 1st gear or the 2.95 1st?
What is the 1st gear ratio in a Top loader 4spd? How much HP can a (small block) Top loader handle? Just want to compare it to a T5 witch is about 300hp (give or take) from what I have read.

usedtobe 67p51d · Dec 27, 2004

when they changed to the 2.95 gear,it allowed them to up the torque rateing.
it should be fine with a "300 hp car" get a shifter with adjustable stops It should help it last longer

Glen's 1965 5.0 · Dec 27, 2004

2.95

The 2.95 1st gear will also allow a steeper gear in the rear like 3.73.

Any 4 speed top loader from the early cars will be inherently stronger than a T5. A Top loader weighs about 125 LBS. That is allot of material to work with. A T5 is approx. 75 LBS. and they have smaller (In thickness) gears.

Now a T5 is lighter and easier to install on your back. Has tons of machining refinements and most of all overdrive.

chepsk8 · Dec 27, 2004

I thought the T-5's had a 3.07 first, or something like that.

The Close-Ratio Top-Loaders have a 2.32 first, good only for Big Blocks. I think first on the wide ratio's is 2.75.

gjz30075 · Dec 27, 2004

A friend of mine just put a T5z (2.95 1st) in his '65 with a 4.11 rear gear. A great combination. A 3.35 1st wouldn't get him beyond the first 20 feet before having to shift again. And, as pointed out, .63 on the 5th gear is great for cruising.

Pbum5 · Dec 27, 2004

gjz30075 said:
A friend of mine just put a T5z (2.95 1st) in his '65 with a 4.11 rear gear. A great combination. A 3.35 1st wouldn't get him beyond the first 20 feet before having to shift again. And, as pointed out, .63 on the 5th gear is great for cruising.

So what if you had a 3.35 1st and had a 3.20's read end ?
wouldnt that be like having a 2.95 1st and 4.11's.
I just threw those #'s out there as an example for a Low 1st gear and high rear end and vice-versa.

D.Hearne · Dec 28, 2004

A wide ratio Toploader's 1st gear is 2.78. And even the small block version will handle 600 ft/lbs torque. 3.35 1st x 3.23 works out to a 10.82 overall . A 2.95 x 4.11's is 12.12. The 1st in my Ranger is 10.36 with the Toploader and 3.73's out back. This combined with taller than a Stang's rear tires ( 28" vs 26") is low as you want to go in 1st gear. It tops out 1st almost instantly on takeoff. I can sometimes take off in 2nd, it's that low.

tjm73 · Dec 28, 2004

In about mid-1983-1984 the T5 had a 2.95 1st gear. Starting in 1985 the 3.35 1st gear showed up and stayed standard right up till current. The FRPP Z spec T5 has the 2.95 gear ratio.

The company G-Force is making an upgraded strength ratio similar to the 2.95 gear set. It's 2.94/1.94/1.34/1.00/.59 or .73

Pbum5 · Dec 28, 2004

D.Hearne said:
A wide ratio Toploader's 1st gear is 2.78. And even the small block version will handle 600 ft/lbs torque. 3.35 1st x 3.23 works out to a 10.82 overall . A 2.95 x 4.11's is 12.12. The 1st in my Ranger is 10.36 with the Toploader and 3.73's out back. This combined with taller than a Stang's rear tires ( 28" vs 26") is low as you want to go in 1st gear. It tops out 1st almost instantly on takeoff. I can sometimes take off in 2nd, it's that low.

Wow, I had no idea that the Toploader was that strong.

So the way to go for a Street Strip Stang (more street than strip) is 2.95 1st gear and 3.73's out back?

D.Hearne · Dec 28, 2004

Pbum5 said:
Wow, I had no idea that the Toploader was that strong.

So the way to go for a Street Strip Stang (more street than strip) is 2.95 1st gear and 3.73's out back?

In a Stang with shorter tires ( 26" vs my Ranger's 28") I'd go with 3.50's in the rear with a 2.95 1st geared trans. You effective ratio in 1st would stll be a little lower than what I've got in my Ranger. The shorter rear tires work to lower the effective ratio.

Pbum5 · Dec 28, 2004

D.Hearne said:
In a Stang with shorter tires ( 26" vs my Ranger's 28") I'd go with 3.50's in the rear with a 2.95 1st geared trans. You effective ratio in 1st would stll be a little lower than what I've got in my Ranger. The shorter rear tires work to lower the effective ratio.

makes sense
So why are people running 3.90's and 4.11's if you don't get much out of 1st gear?

SitDown · Dec 28, 2004

the toploader is essentially a tremec 3550 without a 5th gear...

i run the 2.95 t5z with 410s and the 2 are a perfect combo for the qtr... crossing the traps ~6k on a 26" tire

jaredgoodwin · Dec 28, 2004

I run 2.95 first with 3.89 rear (25.5" tire). In my opinion, it is about as short of a 1st gear as you would want (street use). I would highly recommend a 2.95 first with a .63 od, lets you run a high (numerically) rear gear without screwing up 1st and 5th too bad. Best of both worlds.

D.Hearne · Dec 28, 2004

SitDown said:
the toploader is essentially a tremec 3550 without a 5th gear...

UH, I believe it's the other way around------- A Tremec is more like a Toploader with an OD 5th gear. Afterall it's been around a lot longer than Tremec.

Pbum5 · Dec 28, 2004

jaredgoodwin said:
I run 2.95 first with 3.89 rear (25.5" tire). In my opinion, it is about as short of a 1st gear as you would want (street use). I would highly recommend a 2.95 first with a .63 od, lets you run a high (numerically) rear gear without screwing up 1st and 5th too bad. Best of both worlds.

Good to know.. What size tire is your 25.5" tire and what size rim is it on?

jaredgoodwin · Dec 29, 2004

That was a guess from memory... The tire is 245/60R14 (the sidewall might only be 50 series, can't remember). I think they are 14 x 7's.

SitDown · Dec 29, 2004

D.Hearne said:
UH, I believe it's the other way around------- A Tremec is more like a Toploader with an OD 5th gear.

UH, thats what i said....

the toploader is in essence a 4spd 3550

D.Hearne · Dec 29, 2004

So tell me, how a Toploader could be a Tremec 3550 without the 5th gear, since the Toploader came first? It's made of iron, not aluminum, and it's got a completely different shifting mechanism. Now if you removed the 5th gear from a 3550, you'd have a 3550 that was similar to a Toploader 4 speed,in it's basic design ( both are assembled thru the top cover, but that's about it) but hardly as strong as a Toploader.

gp001 · Dec 29, 2004

I run a 3.27 1st gear, a 3.5 rear gear, and 245/45-17 tires. You can see my RPM /MPH in this chart

http://www.2mfffabshop.com/mycar.htm

SitDown · Dec 29, 2004

D.Hearne said:
So tell me, how a Toploader could be a Tremec 3550 without the 5th gear, since the Toploader came first? It's made of iron, not aluminum, and it's got a completely different shifting mechanism. Now if you removed the 5th gear from a 3550, you'd have a 3550 that was similar to a Toploader 4 speed,in it's basic design ( both are assembled thru the top cover, but that's about it) but hardly as strong as a Toploader.

...nobody has answered his Q on what power the toploader will hold? as i am uncertian on the specific #s as well, im just trying to give him an idea from what ive been told.

There are a mass amt of ppl on these boards who run 3550s and TKOs(woulda been a better example) and there #s will likely give him a better idea... and since ppl run 400-500rwhp under their 3550 with no problems then id hope he'd feel confident that he has room to grow.

i ran a toploader in my 65 until it came out for a tremec so im aware of the differences

T5 1st gear Ratios- 3.35 or 2.95 ?

Pbum5

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