Thread: Some contemplations on overdrive

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I think some of you are missing the point I am trying to make. Stay with me here, this is hypothetical. Ok lets say that instead of a 5 speed that has a .080 overdrive and a 3.55 rear end, you had a 5 speed with a lower first gear and a 1:1 5th with a 2.84 rear end. For the sake of the whole argument let's say that the overall ratio is the same in each of the 5 gears but the top gear is 1:1. The engine rpm would be the same for any given speed in any given gear still but instead of the power path going through a .80 overdrive it is a direct powerpath through the gearbox in 5th. There would have to be less parasitic drag in the transmission and also I think less drag in a taller rear end gear too.