Gear Ratio Formula:
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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.
The calculator uses the gear ratio formula:
Where:
Explanation: The ratio determines how many times the driveshaft must rotate to turn the wheels once.
Details: Gear ratio affects vehicle acceleration, towing capacity, fuel economy, and top speed. Lower ratios provide better fuel economy while higher ratios improve acceleration and towing.
Tips: Enter the number of teeth on both the ring gear and pinion gear. Both values must be positive integers (typically between 10-50 teeth).
Q1: What's a typical gear ratio for passenger cars?
A: Most passenger cars have ratios between 2.5:1 to 4.5:1, with lower numbers for highway cruising and higher numbers for performance.
Q2: How does gear ratio affect performance?
A: Higher ratios (numerically larger) provide quicker acceleration but lower top speed. Lower ratios improve fuel economy at highway speeds.
Q3: What's the difference between axle ratio and gear ratio?
A: They're often used interchangeably, but axle ratio specifically refers to the final drive ratio in the differential.
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 and expensive modification.
Q5: How do I find my current gear ratio?
A: You can count the teeth, check the vehicle specifications, or calculate it by marking the driveshaft and wheel and counting rotations.