1. What is Rear End Gear Ratio?

The rear end gear ratio is the number of turns the driveshaft makes compared to one complete turn of the wheels. It's calculated by dividing the number of teeth on the ring gear by the number of teeth on the pinion gear.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the simple formula:

Where:

• \( Ring\ Teeth \) — Number of teeth on the ring gear
• \( Pinion\ Teeth \) — Number of teeth on the pinion gear

Explanation: The ratio represents how many times the driveshaft must rotate to turn the wheels once.

3. Importance of Gear Ratio

Details: The gear ratio affects acceleration, towing capacity, fuel economy, and top speed. Lower ratios provide better fuel economy while higher ratios improve acceleration and towing.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the tooth count for both ring and pinion gears. Both values must be positive integers (typically ranging from 30-50 for ring gears and 7-15 for pinion gears).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a typical gear ratio for passenger cars?
A: Most passenger cars have ratios between 2.5:1 and 4.5:1.

Q2: What's better for towing - high or low ratio?
A: Higher ratios (like 4.10:1) are better for towing as they provide more torque at lower speeds.

Q3: How does gear ratio affect fuel economy?
A: Lower ratios (like 2.73:1) allow the engine to run at lower RPMs at highway speeds, improving fuel economy.

Q4: Can I change my vehicle's gear ratio?
A: Yes, but it requires replacing the ring and pinion gears in the differential, which is a complex modification.

Q5: What's the relationship between gear ratio and tire size?
A: Larger tires effectively create a higher (numerically lower) gear ratio, while smaller tires create a lower (numerically higher) ratio.