Re: whats better 3.23 gears or 3.55?
[Re: erick72]
#294310
04/20/09 09:12 PM
04/20/09 09:12 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,163
CT
GTX MATT
master
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master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,163
CT
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3.55s and yes theyre ok for the street
Now I need to pin those needles, got to feel that heat
Hear my motor screamin while I'm tearin up the street
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Re: whats better 3.23 gears or 3.55?
[Re: erick72]
#294315
04/20/09 09:30 PM
04/20/09 09:30 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,327
Glendale, AZ
69L78Nova
Banned. Forever.
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Banned. Forever.
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,327
Glendale, AZ
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If thats a 95 Dakota rear, it is NOT an 8 3/4...unless someone put it in. Your B-body axles will not be the correct length for a Dakota rear either.
1969 Nova
454/M21/3.31
Mild mid-11 second weekend cruiser
1994 F150 XLT Super Cab 2WD
5.0/4R70W/3.55
(Daily driver)
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Re: whats better 3.23 gears or 3.55?
[Re: erick72]
#294321
04/20/09 10:32 PM
04/20/09 10:32 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 580
Detroit,Michigan USA!
erick72
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 580
Detroit,Michigan USA!
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oh yeah.the axle is from a 94 dakota im pretty sure all 8 1/4 axles had 27 splines up to 97 right? i just want to know if i can take my 72 8 1/4 axles and swap them into this new dakota rear end and then bolt the dakota rear end right on in. is this possible? sorry for not clearing it up 
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Re: whats better 3.23 gears or 3.55?
[Re: DaytonaTurbo]
#294323
04/21/09 08:37 AM
04/21/09 08:37 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
patrick
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
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Quote:
More gear = more power put down. I've got 3.55's and they are a so-so medium. Highway cruising is pretty much 3000rpm at 65mph and performance is decent. Would be a huge improvement from 2.76's if that's what you have now.
Where's a 16 year old going to get a 8.75 from for an affordable price?
I had (well have) 3.55's and 27" tall tires and while they were fun around town, I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATED them because I do take my car out on the highway/freeway regularly, and my choices were either poking around at 60mph, or go nuts from all the noise and commotion of the engine cranking along at 3000-3300 RPM at 70-75mph. 3.23's will be about a 2-300 RPM drop compared to 3.55's. I kept the 3.55's, but added an A500 (42rh) tranny out of a 90's dakota, which makes my top gear equivalent to a 2.45 rear
if you measure the overall width and spring perch location on your '71-up B body, you'll see that the axle is pretty much identical dimensionally to a C body axle. I'd start looking in junkyards/craigslist for an 8 3/4 or 9 1/4 out of a C body. it should bolt right in. and you might be able to find one set up with a 3.23 pretty cheaply. if you plan on doing a fair amount of highway driving, you might want to try find a 2.94 gear, which to me is the best compromise if you enjoy keeping up with modern traffic on the interstate and not have a headache after an hour
if you're changing out the tranny and since you plan on staying small block, I'd definitely look for a low gear 904 to put in there. they have a 2.74 first and 1.54 second, vs. the standard 2.45/1.45, so a low gear 904 w/3.23's has the same effective first gear ratio as a regular 904/727 with a 3.61 gear. or it makes first gear with your 2.71 rear the same as a standard 904/727 with a 3.03 gear. low gear 904's can be found in just about any 80's M body (5th ave, diplomat, gran fury)
no idea on the B vs. dak rear, they both should be 27 spline (like you said, I think the 29 spline came along in '96-98 range), you'd almost have to take both apart and compare the axle lengths. I have no idea if there was a change to the brake drum sizing or wheel bearings along that time, either. a better way to measure would be from axle shaft (or drum face) flange to flange, not the housing. if one uses 2.5" wide drums and the other uses 3" wide drums, or if the backing plates have different offsets, the axle shafts could be quite different lengths with the housing ends the same distance.
Last edited by patrick; 04/21/09 08:40 AM.
1976 Spinnaker White Plymouth Duster, /6 A833OD
1986 Silver/Twilight Blue Chrysler 5th Ave HotRod **SOLD!***
2011 Toxic Orange Dodge Charger R/T
2017 Grand Cherokee Overland
2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (holy crap, my daughter is driving)
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Re: whats better 3.23 gears or 3.55?
[Re: erick72]
#294325
04/21/09 10:41 AM
04/21/09 10:41 AM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
NachoRT74
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,095
Valencia, España
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I changed from 3:23 to 3:55 and I got happy. engine runs a little bit lighter although higher RPMs, but really allmost unnoticeable. keeping stocks cams, of course you are moving out the power range, so a next step camshaft will be fine to keep the power range play. Of course, mileage was affected, but nothing to get lot worried. ( specially doen here in Venezuela, filling a gas tank with US$3  )
With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela
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Re: whats better 3.23 gears or 3.55?
[Re: Paul_Fancsali]
#294327
04/21/09 01:55 PM
04/21/09 01:55 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 871
WA 98043
thecarfarmer
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 871
WA 98043
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I guess I must be nuts... I ran a set of 3.91's with E-60/14 tires and a stock 383, and thought it was tolerable on my seventeen-mile-each-way daily commute back in the mid nineties.
That being said, the OP should have enough room in the wheelwells for tall tires to use 'daily' and a shorter set if he wants to take it to the track.
Best of both worlds.
-Bill
Seduce the attractive, and charm the rest.
******
489 C.I.D., roller cam, aftermarket heads, tunnel ram, stock '54 Dodge rear axle assembly: which of these doesn't belong?
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so i think im good as long as my 72 8 1/4 is 27 spline.
