T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

[Joe P.]

I am going to have a 60 4 speed T-10 transmission rebuild... I have a 4.11 rear end.. I was actually thinking of going with a wide ratio.

What do you guys think?

Thanks

Joe

[Edward B.]

Re: T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

With a 4.11 rear there is absolutely no need for the added mechanical advantage offered by the first gear in the wide ratio transmission. Go with the close ratio box and enjoy the even spacing of the gears as you accelerate through each one. Been there, done that!

[Joe L.]

Re: T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

With a 4.11 rear there is absolutely no need for the added mechanical advantage offered by the first gear in the wide ratio transmission. Go with the close ratio box and enjoy the even spacing of the gears as you accelerate through each one. Been there, done that!

Joe and Edward-----


I agree.

[Stuart F.]

Re: T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

Better to keep the RPM drop between gears to a minimum with the close ratio. These transmissions were made for small displacement high winding Chevy V8's, and the're not so bad with the big ones either. The wide ratio comes into play on later C-3's that were saddled with tall final drives and smog gear. They can use that stump pullin first gear to great advantage. My son's 78 P.C. has the wide and it really works swell with it. He has had one with the close ratio before and this one with the wide is a whole lot more fun around town. He can squirt away from my 63 340 hp which has close ratio and a 3.36 final, and I have to really wind out to catch up. I've told him if he ever wants to put them side by side for real, it has to be from a 30 mph roll, Ha!

Stu Fox

[Joe P.]

Re: T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

Joe and Edward-----


I agree.

Edward, and Joe.. Thanks for your input.

Would a solid lifter 283 make you think any differently or just confirm to stay with a close ratio?

Joe

[Gary B.]

Re: T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

It depends upon how you plan to drive the car. If you are looking mostly for off the line acceleration, the wide ratio will give you more. The wide ratio gives you lower ratios in first, second and third than the close ratio with a bigger jump (greater rpm drop) when going into 4th versus the close ratio. Essentially, the wide ratio was used to give more off the line in the low horsepowers and yet provide cruising in 4th with the higher speed rear. I purposely run a 3:70 rear and a wide ratio in my 62 - 383 to get the off line feel and yet some cruise. I doubt that you are racing at the higher speeds to benefit from the close ratio of keeping rpm's up through all the gears to be in the max HP range of the older cams.

[Bill M.]

Re: T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

I drove a '59 solid lifter 283 with a 4.11 close for years. I agree with Ed, Joe, and Stuart. Stay with the close ratio. (It may be sacrilegious here, but see if you can try a Hurst shifter if you don't have one; what a difference!)

I did replace my close ratio with a wide ratio for a 3.55 rear axle. That gives me the same overall ratio as a 4.11 close in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd with a 3.55 cruise. (The big gap is between 3rd and 4th.) I did this because the throttle response of my 396 was too soggy in 1st. Now it is crisp. Love it.

[Gary B.]

Re: T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

I should have said more in that the close ratio has even spacing between 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th while the wide ratio has relatively close spacing between 1st, 2nd and 3d with a larger step up to 4th. Or to explain in another way, the wide ratio starts off with a lower gear, but maintains close spacing similar to the close ratio transmission through 3rd gear, then takes a bigger jump to 4th versus the close ratio transmission.

[Joe P.]

Re: T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

I drove a '59 solid lifter 283 with a 4.11 close for years. I agree with Ed, Joe, and Stuart. Stay with the close ratio. (It may be sacrilegious here, but see if you can try a Hurst shifter if you don't have one; what a difference!)

I did replace my close ratio with a wide ratio for a 3.55 rear axle. That gives me the same overall ratio as a 4.11 close in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd with a 3.55 cruise. (The big gap is between 3rd and 4th.) I did this because the throttle response of my 396 was too soggy in 1st. Now it is crisp. Love it.

Bill, Thanks.. I am sticking with the close ratio.

[Michael H.]

Re: T-10 - Close Ratio or Wide Ratio?

Bill, Thanks.. I am sticking with the close ratio.

Good choice.