3.27 ring and pinion, anyone using one ?

31Abone

31Abone

Well-known member
Thinking of going to 3.27 ring and pinion..I have a srtong motor..I have a 3.54 now and not 100% happy with it ,engine still turning to fast..anyone with experiance with this ? thinking of purchasing one..if anyone has one private message me ..sc
 
31Abone said:
Thinking of going to 3.27 ring and pinion..I have a srtong motor..I have a 3.54 now and not 100% happy with it ,engine still turning to fast..anyone with experiance with this ? thinking of purchasing one..if anyone has one private message me ..sc
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Please also post anything you private message as I am interested and am sure others are also.

Charlie Stephens
 
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I put 3.27 gears and a 5.5 head in my friend's 31 pickup and it goes great.
I'm looking forward to putting 3.27 gears and 5.5 head in my Model A also.
 
Yes, I have installed many and have one. A Mitchell in O/D will make final gearing about 3.00 ratio, so it does not get you the speed that a Mitchell does, but it does clean-up the floorboard area and makes for a better ride.
 
I installed a 3.27:1 ring and pinion in our '35 Ford, from Speedway Motors a few years ago and it didn't work out. It pulled too hard. All the gear ratios are about one gear faster than standard. Heavier car than a Model A. Engine could probably use an overhaul, etc. So I put a 3.78;1 back in it and all is well now. The lesson for me was, "be careful of what you wish for". Never tried a 3.27 in a Model A, but the 26% Mitchell I recently installed in our 28 works great, because I can use the extra, faster gear whenever conditions are suitable, ie, long straight stretches of road.
 
I've read that Henry preferred the 3.78 ratio for the model A . A well tuned stock model A can usually run 65 MPH with the 3.78 ratio . Power is more important to me than actual top speed . I'm not racing . If I want a bit more speed , I will add a few mods to the engine . If the engine is weak , a higher gear ratio may not help at all . If the engine doesn't have the power to turn higher RPM , its not going to run any faster .
 
With 3.78 gears in my Fordor I can cruise comfortably at 50-55 and have plenty of power to climb just about any hill in the area in high gear. I can crest the 4 mile long 5% grade to my house at 40.



Probably a different story in flatter country or with a lighter car but I don't think 3.27 gears would work well for me even though I have a strong engine.
 
ryanheacox said:
With 3.78 gears in my Fordor I can cruise comfortably at 50-55 and have plenty of power to climb just about any hill in the area in high gear. I can crest the 4 mile long 5% grade to my house at 40.



Probably a different story in flatter country or with a lighter car but I don't think 3.27 gears would work well for me even though I have a strong engine.
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I agree . What you say is right on !!!
 
I tried 3.27's in my speedster a few years ago. Highway cruising was OK but not as high as I wanted, takeoff from stop was not good, using a 28 tooth V8 trans, on hill climbs it was terrible. With a Model A trans it might be OK? I changed to a quick-change rear and love it. I use 3.05 for road use and 6.40 for hill climbs, starting in 2nd gear. I have used 4.55 on hill climbs and it works very well but because of my stroke I have trouble making the 1st to 2nd gear shift. As Brent says, 3:1 is about perfect for highway, that's why I have OD's in my other A's.
 
I put a 3:27 in my roadster with a strong engine and found it wanting. Went back to a 3:54 and very satisfied with the performance. Too, I live in an area with 10,000’ passes.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
I put 3.27 gears and a 5.5 head in my friend's 31 pickup and it goes great.
I'm looking forward to putting 3.27 gears and 5.5 head in my Model A also.
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Ditto. Our '31 CCPU goes great with the 3.27 ratio rear axle ratio. We have the touring engine from H and H and it is a fantastic combination. We keep it simple by not having an overdrive. We also put the 3.54 gears into our '29 Tudor and with four people in it, it will still just pull the hill and it still does excellent on the level. That too was a good call.
 
Mitchell 26% OD with a 3.78 rear in high range is 2.80 to 1
Mitchell 36% OD with a 3.78 rear in high range is 2.42 to 1

The beauty of the mitchell you can drive it like a stock model a if you want,or with some mild improvement go from 5 mph to 50 mph in one synchronized shift.You do have to balance cost,400 bucks or so will get you a 3.27 gear set,mitchells hold their value quite well if you can find one used,or spend 5 times that 400 bucks or so for a new one.Got a mitchell with a burned chassis,still dancing in the streets over that deal..

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Since I never carry 3 passengers in front I’ve never found the extra lever a problem. It’s great we have choices.....to each his own....I love my Mitchell and the versatility it gives me.
 
ryanheacox said:
With 3.78 gears in my Fordor I can cruise comfortably at 50-55 and have plenty of power to climb just about any hill in the area in high gear. I can crest the 4 mile long 5% grade to my house at 40.



Probably a different story in flatter country or with a lighter car but I don't think 3.27 gears would work well for me even though I have a strong engine.
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With the 3.78, what RPMs at 50-55?
 
Thanks Tom - With a 3.54, without overdrive or Mitchell, I am not comfortable driving for more than 10 minutes or so above 45, the motor just seems to be too "busy" and not running "relaxed". Just seems it would be like running my 2000 Blazer at 90 MPH. Just because I can does not mean that I should.


Am I being overly cautious?
 
I would say you can go a little faster, especially with 3.54 gears. I have a 5.5 head and a touring cam so my car makes peak power around 2400RPM which is ~55MPH, after that power drops off quickly. I like to cruise closer to 50, seems like everything is happier there, including me.



I wouldn't want to hold the engine above 2400-2500RPM for very long, that would be my cutoff due to the gravity and splash oiling system.
 
Another thing to remember.....higher rear end gearing will allow higher cruising speeds, but at the cost of slower acceleration, especially in town. I’ve tried leaving my Mitchell in high range and driving it around town, and even with the 5.5 HC head, acceleration was definitely slower, and in surface street driving that I do, with lots of stop signs and lights, better acceleration is appreciated. One of the benefits of the OD is it gives you the option of the original gearing or OD....you aren’t stuck with one or the other....
 
I installed a 3:27 in our 30 model pickup. Stock head in hilly country. I love it. Beats wrestling with a overdrive install.( which I have done several times) Still need someone to explain to me why the 3:27's cost more than the other ratios.
 
They cost more only because they are made in smaller quantities. We have them made, and we make them 100 sets at a time, where the more common ratios are made 1000 sets at a time. On that note ,we sell them for less then anyone because we have them made,

Steve Becker
Bert’s Model A Center
Modelastore.com
 
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