1. What is Gear Ratio?

The gear ratio is the ratio of the number of teeth on the driven gear to the number of teeth on the driver gear. It determines the mechanical advantage and speed relationship between interconnected gears.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the gear ratio formula:

Where:

• \( Teeth_{driven} \) — Number of teeth on the driven gear
• \( Teeth_{driver} \) — Number of teeth on the driver gear

Explanation: A gear ratio greater than 1 indicates the driven gear rotates slower than the driver gear (torque multiplication), while a ratio less than 1 indicates the driven gear rotates faster (speed multiplication).

3. Importance of Gear Ratio

Details: Gear ratios are crucial in automotive transmissions, industrial machinery, and any mechanical system requiring speed/torque conversion. Proper gear ratio selection affects performance, efficiency, and component longevity.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of teeth for both driven and driver gears. Both values must be positive integers (minimum 1 tooth).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a gear ratio of 3:1 mean?
A: It means the driven gear makes 1 revolution for every 3 revolutions of the driver gear, resulting in higher torque but lower speed.

Q2: How does gear ratio affect vehicle performance?
A: Lower ratios (numerically higher) provide better acceleration and towing capacity, while higher ratios improve fuel efficiency at cruising speeds.

Q3: What's the difference between gear ratio and final drive ratio?
A: Gear ratio refers to individual gear pairs, while final drive ratio is the overall ratio including all reduction stages (transmission + differential).

Q4: Can gear ratio be less than 1?
A: Yes, this indicates an overdrive situation where the output shaft rotates faster than the input shaft.

Q5: How does gear ratio relate to RPM?
A: Output RPM = Input RPM / Gear Ratio. A 2:1 ratio halves the RPM while doubling torque.