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Hi Everyone
I have 83 f100 4x2 stepside w/300 and a t-18 running 265.75r15's,
I hardly use 1st and do mostly highway and cruise about 70-75, I do pull a 6x12 enclosed trailer once in a while
Still trying to get a grip on ring and pinion's ratios
I'd like to upgrade to disc and get the rpm's down
Is there a good axle swap that will allow me to use 1st and keep the rpm's low in 4th
And get my disc's?
The axle ratio isn't the reason that you don't hardly use first, the T18 has a granny first gear. It is (I believe) a 6.32 ratio in first.
For comparison, a T-5 5-Speed Mustang transmission with a fully usable 1st gear has from either a 2.95 or 3.35 ratio depending on the year. 2nd Gear on the T18 is somewhere in that area.
The axle ratio isn't the reason that you don't hardly use first, the T18 has a granny first gear. It is (I believe) a 6.32 ratio in first.
For comparison, a T-5 5-Speed Mustang transmission with a fully usable 1st gear has from either a 2.95 or 3.35 ratio depending on the year. 2nd Gear on the T18 is somewhere in that area.
The axle ratio isn't the reason that you don't hardly use first, the T18 has a granny first gear.
But what he is looking for is an axle ratio that will let him use first gear starting off (unlike presently), & gain him comfortable rpms at high road-speeds.
I would decide what ideal roadspeed & rpm's you want at the top end, then work back from there using the mph/rpm calculator in 'Articles/Specs' at the top of the page, to get your diff ratio.
Don't try to make first gear useful in normal driving. It's there for towing and off road. It's also not synchronized, so if you want to use it all the time you better get real good at double clutching, which can be difficult to learn when you're working a huge gear spread.
Your best solution is a ZF5. Easy bolt in swap gets you a .76:1 overdrive gear.
As for disk brakes in the rear... I think that's just not necessary and a waste of money unless you're pulling some serious weight around. You've got a small lightweight truck that shouldn't have any trouble stopping even with your small trailer... I know my '83 Stepside didn't when I pulled larger trailers.