Best all around wheel speeds and gear ratio selection ?????

Roy_Hobbs · Jan 31, 2014

Okay. Shopping for atlas and I want to get it right the first time. Those things are too expensive to screw the pooch on your gear selection.

I have read countless threads on gear ratios and what people prefer, which really all depends on the type of driver they are. Myself, i like the speed ( that **** slingin gear) but at the same time id like to have a slow first gear if i want to sniff around a bit. With a manual valve body i wouldnt be hurting my launch speed, could just start in 2nd instead of going thru first to get to 2nd. And lastly it would be nice to have the 3rd gear for riding from previous trail to next one. Dont wanna be wearing out my expensive transfer case shifter haha.

So this is what im thinking, and support and comments will improve findings.

Why not relate everything to wheel speed? MPH There are so many variables with one rig to the next, but there will always be the one constant , Wheel Speed.

Every driver knows which gear they like for certain things. Starting with that "let it eat", skint back, yall watch this gear. I want this to be 2nd gear in my set up. This is what i did, i thought back to riding and what gear performed the best in the hardest situations and put pencil to paper. For me it was 1st gear, high side (7.05:1). I did the math, and at about 6000 rpm (which im guessing is a good average rpm for when we drop the hammer) the actual wheel speed came to 23mph. I was limited to 23mph but probly could stood to be a little higher if needed but 23 cleaned em out well. And any secondary input on other guys "go to gears" and wheel speeds would help this thread alot.

So i put pencil to paper again....

My set up?: Th400, 3.8 Atlas, 4.56 gears. 44's

With this combo i had (and this all depends on where you set your rpm, mine is 6000.) : 1st gear- 17 mph, 2nd gear- 28mph, 3rd gear- 43mph. The deciding factor being achieving that top wheel speed and power in 2nd gear. With a 4.3 it put 2nd gear at 25 mph, may be splitting hairs between the two. and with 3.0 it was at 36 mph.

So the question is..... What's the magic mph? Im guessing 25-30 mph, but i could be wrong. Any help?

muddinmetal · Jan 31, 2014

My unimportant opinion:

If you have a bunch of motor and like hill killing go with the 3.0. If you have anything less than 400 hp or enjoy slow trail riding, I think you will be happier with a 3.8 to 1.

Roy_Hobbs · Jan 31, 2014

Motor will be 500 hp +.... but i wanna utilize all 3 gears, and high, higher, and holy **** seems a little extreme.

Roy_Hobbs · Jan 31, 2014

I just dont see a need for a gear for a climb that tops out over 55mph. Am i wrong?

whiskeymakin · Jan 31, 2014

I vote 3.8 & 4.56. 4.3 is a little low if u truly have 500 hp

Roy_Hobbs · Jan 31, 2014

See thats what im thinkin. For comparison, Think about the good ole days smokin the tires in front of Citgo on a friday night in the ole 2 wheel drive chevy. In first gear you would be around 30 mph. But your pretty much barely moving so it seems like 100 mph.

Roy_Hobbs · Jan 31, 2014

Like racing, Start with the speed you want. Then build what you need to top out at that and the end of the 1/4. Anything leftover and you will hurt your time.

drkelly · Jan 31, 2014

Have you considered an Atlas 4spd with 2:1, 2.72:1, and 5.44:1?

Roy_Hobbs · Jan 31, 2014

I have and not completely opposed to it, would be able to get a usable higher range gear as well as climbing range that way. But we are getting off topic. The question is.... what are folks runnin, which gear are they reaching for and in which type of climb in order to know exactly what gears to buy from the start. and it all relates directly to wheel speed to then be comparable to any rig. Doesnt matter what ratios he has, wheel speed is wheel speed.

June dog · Jan 31, 2014

I'm not smart enough to under stand this thread. If need more wheel spread I hit it in second if I want to go slow keep,it in first. I don't have speedometer so I have no idea how fast my shits going. If first and second won't get me up ****it go around. :dunno:

Roy_Hobbs · Jan 31, 2014

Basically what im looking for is what gear you like when you hammer down on a climb.

Then by using your rig info : RPM, tranny, transfer case, ring/pinion, actual tire diameter to build a comparable desired wheel speed range for different types of climbs. Then you never have to ask, "hey what gears you runnin?" Because you wont need to know anything specific about a rig , just speed.

Roy_Hobbs · Jan 31, 2014

Theres no reason to have a 3 speed tranny when you cant make use of all three gears because 1st and 2nd are too low, or 2nd and 3rd are too high.

EsPowell · Jan 31, 2014

If I remember correctly Bobby Tanner was runnin 3.73 ring and pinion with 4.3 tcase gears and a Th400 trans when he had an Atlas. There was a thread on here a while back similar to this and it kinda came down to havin enough motor to actually utilize 3rd gear

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Elliott · Jan 31, 2014

Everyone usually just figured crawl ratios and with a 500 horse motor mid 30's:1 would be good with an automatic

June dog · Jan 31, 2014

I usually run 3rd and second on the main trails, when climbing just depends long runs I'll start in second and grap first if needed if it's ruff at the bottom start in 1st and hit second. I'm running 4:10s a np 205 and a turbo 350 with a 28/3200 stahl. My converter seems a little big with the gear. Think a 2500 would be about right for what we ride.

Roy_Hobbs · Jan 31, 2014

ok heres one. Just guessin on tires and rpm, but will be close. 44" and 6000rpm

tanner top speed: 1st- 18.6 mph
2nd- 30.7 mph
3rd- 47 mph

my possible set up: 1st- 17.2 mph
2nd- 28.5 mph
3rd- 43.4 mph

Id say that pretty close to same. But was 2nd gear in tanner buggy fast enough to get it done (id say it was). thats what im looking for, speeds that people like when they gotta put out or get out. If you know these speeds you dont have to mimic every aspect of someone elses rig to get what they got. You can make adjustments based off what you have to work with to achieve same result as other rig.