Re: Gear ratio determined in upper or lower or both?
This is the first time I have seen those documents...and I'm so glad I did, because I was going to post a question about this very thing that was bugging me to no end!
Begin long rant...
I got into what became a losing argument :argue: with a parts counter guy at a Sea Ray dealership some time ago when discussing potential prop changes because I had changed outdrives on my boat. This guy kept insisting that numerically higher gear ratios (say 1.98:1) were inherently weaker than a (1.50:1) because, (in his mind) an outdrive with 1.98 gearing had more teeth on the gears, thus they were smaller, thinner teeth that were more susceptible to breaking! His logic was; a 4 banger only puts out "X" horsepower, thus it couldn't overwhelm the "weak" gears in a 1.98 drive. Conversely, he reckoned the 1.50 gear set has fewer teeth, thus they were bigger thicker teeth on the gear cogs, and could take the abuse of "X" horsepower V-8's! What a load of carp!
When I really knew this guy had been reading boating brochures for too many years, was when he whipped out this gem of logic. Says he: "A truck with a 4.56:1 rear differential is weaker because it has more teeth on the ring gear that are smaller and thinner than a truck with a 3.55:1 rear end, that has fewer, thicker teeth"!
Gee, I don't know about you, but I was always under the impression that a 4.56 rear end was for stump pulling, while a 3.55 was for grocery getting! Am I wrong on all points, or was the parts counter holder-downer an epic failure as a wanna-be mechanical engineer? :noidea:
I will gracefully shut up if I am wrong. :facepalm:
Rant over
