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Re: Autocross Gearing

To: autox-cm@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Autocross Gearing
From: Tyson D Sawyer <tyson@j3.org>
Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 09:30:56 -0400
Mark Sirota wrote:
> Then, decide whether you want a 3-gear or a 4-gear setup -- that is, are
> you willing to be shifting a lot?

I tend to look at this the other way around.  Chuck setup our Reynard 
with close gears and I haven't changed it.

My take on it is that if you only have a few gears to choose from, you 
will often find yourself on a course that is "between gears".  When this 
happens, you have to keep shifting back an forth between two gears as 
you fall of the bottom of one or run out the top of the other.

If you have more closely spaced gears, you have a much better chance of 
being able to select a gear that fits the speed range of a course or 
section of course, then just leave it alone and drive the car.

The other characteristic of close gears that I often hear (besides 
lots-O-shifting) and also view differently is that closely geared cars 
are run constantly at the top of the rpm range.  With widely spaced 
gears you are forced to run to the top of the rev range before you can 
select the next gear.  With closely spaced gears, the optimum rpm for 
shifting is actually lower becase the next gear is "ready for use" sooner.

So, I am a fan of closely spaced gears, but I like them so that I can 
shift less and/or shift at lower rpm's.  This is opposite what I 
normally hear associated with such setups.

Cheers!
Ty

-- 
Tyson D Sawyer
    46CM '85 Reynard 85F  "The Red Headed Stepchild"
   118AM '72 Tui Super-V  2002
    37DS '98 Neon ACR     1997-2001

Those who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security,
deserve neither liberty nor security.  - Benjamin Franklin

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