1933 Dodge Rear End Question ( gear ratio)

[mopar scott]

I am currently doing work on my 33 Dodge rear end, has anyone had any experience switching their gear ratio from 4.375 to 4.125? 

I have 2 NOS 4.125 gear sets and was thinking of switching mine out. Or I could order a stock ring & pinion.  My current ring & pinion has some wear to it. I know the difference at the highway speeds would be better but I also wonder at the lower end not having a syncro tranny if it would make a big difference?

 

Thank you for your response,

 

Scott

 

[keiser31]

You need to get with this guy Sactown, and go in together and have some gears made.

 

Edited June 27, 2018 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[Guest]

If it were my car and I had the lower gearset I would change it.   It won't make a lot of difference on the highway but then you know you have properly set up new gears.  You should learn how to float your gear shifting.  I only use the clutch from a start or if I am really trying to keep up with modern traffic.  I can float into second at thirty mph and into first at 18 even though I usually up shift to second at 4 or 5 mph and into third at 10 or 12 mph.  Been doing this for 400,000 miles without a problem.  You tube has may videos on both double de-clutching and floating the gears.

[mopar scott]

Good advise Tinindian, I’ll check it out. I have 4 or 5 NOS 4.125 pinion sets that still have the cosmolene on them in my parts room. I thought since I’m into this so far I might as well have new gears, I also had all the bearings and races so it will be nice knowing it’s all freshened up.

 

Thanks again

 

Scott

[Spinneyhill]

I had larger tires on my 1930 Dodge Brothers 8. It lowered the revs but made it less able on the hills. On flat going it was good, allowed another 5+ mph. The odometer and speedo read about 7% low. If your car is like mine, 1st is really for pulling tree stumps and you can often start in 2nd. But with the lower rear end ratio you will need first more often and your acceleration will be noticeably less. Mine is a different car with the standard tires, climbs anything and goes well. Gas mileage is not so good though because the extra oomph invites one to be heavy-footed.

[Sactownog]

man, I have been looking into this for a few months now for my 33 Dodge, it drives me crazy that my car only goes 50mph max on the highway, not that its the worst in the world, but for long trips, I have to add 20-40 min to my drive time due to the slow speed. 

 

I do not know what it would cost to get new gears made, but if you were interested in going in on it, I may be interested. 

 

I am not sure if 4.125 would be enough, I was thinking of 373 or 355 gears. something in that area, if possible. something to keep stock transmission but allow 60-70 mph on my 6.50-60 tires. 

[mopar scott]

Sactownog,

 

I've been watching your progress on your sedan. Sure looks like a beautiful car, for my 33 stock sedan I'm going to use my 4.125 gear set that I have. I was only wondering if anyone in the forum has used the 4.1 in lieu of the stock 4.3. Both of these gear sets are listed as working on 33's in the parts books.

 

If you want to talk about modifying one of these old mopars PM me and I'll share some info with you. This forum gets ugly when one talks outside the box, not everyone approves of that. I appreciate and have both stock and modified 33 cars, but I prefer my modified to look as stock as possible.

[Sactownog]

9 hours ago, mopar scott said:

Sactownog,

 

I've been watching your progress on your sedan. Sure looks like a beautiful car, for my 33 stock sedan I'm going to use my 4.125 gear set that I have. I was only wondering if anyone in the forum has used the 4.1 in lieu of the stock 4.3. Both of these gear sets are listed as working on 33's in the parts books.

 

If you want to talk about modifying one of these old mopars PM me and I'll share some info with you. This forum gets ugly when one talks outside the box, not everyone approves of that. I appreciate and have both stock and modified 33 cars, but I prefer my modified to look as stock as possible.

oh man I know what you are talking about, its hard to get info from those who have it but also have views of DO NOT MODIFY anything. 

however they don't have to drive my car, so I will do as I want. 

 

I plan to keep car the way it looks and mostly stock, just am not looking for a bit more speed when cruising down the road. a bit more freeway speed would be nice and a bit more safe in Southern California where people cant drive for S**T and tend to put my car in more danger because they are on there phone and not paying attention to the 1933 car doing 49MPH in the slow lane. 

[keiser31]

Here's Idrjoe's Dodge Brothers DA6 going down I-8 heading towards the beach....

Edited June 28, 2018 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[ply33]

30 minutes ago, Sactownog said:

oh man I know what you are talking about, its hard to get info from those who have it but also have views of DO NOT MODIFY anything. 

however they don't have to drive my car, so I will do as I want. 

 

I plan to keep car the way it looks and mostly stock, just am not looking for a bit more speed when cruising down the road. a bit more freeway speed would be nice and a bit more safe in Southern California where people cant drive for S**T and tend to put my car in more danger because they are on there phone and not paying attention to the 1933 car doing 49MPH in the slow lane. 

 

Max comfortable long distance cruising in my '33 with its stock engine and 4.375 rear end is between 60 and 65. Above that and not only is the engine winding up more than I'd like but the suspension, etc. is showing its limits.

 

In California tractor-trailer rigs are officially limited to 55 MPH but usually push that by about 10 MPH. Seems like 64 MPH is the sweet spot for them, my guess is that being a good trade off between wasted time and risking a ticket. But there is usually a few trucks on the freeway going a bit slower, between 60 and 65 MPH. I often just find one and follow it. Modern car drivers, often wanting to go more like 80 MPH are tuned into seeing slow trucks and changing lanes away from them. The result is they will change lanes before getting near me, not even sure if they've seen me or not but they certainly see the truck ahead of me. Only issue then becomes people entering and exiting the freeway cutting into my safe following distance.

 

On the whole, I would much rather take the back roads and avoid the freeway. But having large moving road blocks (semi's/tractor-trailers) at about the speed I am willing to travel does, I think, provide a little protection against the average distracted and speeding driver.

[mopar scott]

Well I drive mine like an old lady, we tour mostly back roads in Northern Ca. wine country with our  AACA region. My car with wood wheels and all stock running gear and suspension is comfortable at or below 55. If we take a long trip and want more creature comforts then I drive one of our modified cars that's built more for todays highways. Our roads and other drivers have gotten so terrible here in N. California you really have to be careful out there.

 

Keep on Moparing!

[Reg Evans]

where in Nor Cal do you live Mopar Scott ?  I'm also in Nor Cal in Grass Valley.  I'd love to see your cars sometime.

[mopar scott]

We live in Sebastopol, west of Santa Rosa, Petaluma about 15 miles from the coast. Do you know Thane Atherstone he is a Mopar guy in Grass Valley?

[Reg Evans]

No, I don't know Thane.  I'll try looking him up.

[Sactownog]

I miss Nor Cal, I now live in San Diego and our roads are pretty bad also. The back roads are OK in most cases, I would not like to go over 65 MPH but as you said, when others are merging on the freeway, they tend to be either distracted on there phone or just dont understand that our old rides do not go fast.