Best gears for street use?

I need to buy some new gears for a 72 Buick 8.5 rear and have been looking around and noticed there are several different brands. I'm either going to get 3.23's or 3.42's and need an idea as to which ones are the quietest and best quality for street use. I keep thinking a set of GM OEM's would the way to go as they have been making them longer than anybody else. How easy are they to set up? I've heard Richmonds are noisy. Thanks.

 

Best gearing has alot to do with tire diameter, H.P., wieght and desired cruising speed/ top speed.

Fun gears are 4:11- 4:56's with a 26-28" tall tire, in a 3,600- 4,200 pound car. But suck on the highway, since the motor would be spining over 3,000 RPM at 60 mph.

3:90's are a good middle of the road gear and 3:73's are another good option and are usaully cheaper due to being popular.

I have had really good success with Strange brand gears and U.S. gears.

Richmonds, I have less then favorable results as mentioned along with a couple of broken ring gear teeth ( I would like to think it was due to way to much power :laugh: )
This has been my experience, others will most likely correct me.

 

i'm always hearing about peeps using them on their trail rigs and theyre always breaking too

 

Unless you really like winding your engine up on the highway, don't go any higher than a 3.55.

 

3.42's are a really good comprimise for bottem end and keeping the engine from winding too high on the freeway.With a 26 in. tall tire your RPM's will stay around 2700-2800 @ 60-65 MPH.

 

I was thinking 3:73's with a 28" tires, close to 3:55's and a 26"

 

Since your looking for opinions I'll chime in here. You didn't say what kind of car or what engine so I'll base this on a 72 Skylark. With a 350 I'd say 3.42s are about right, if it's a 455 I'd go with 3.08s, the bigger engine doesn't need as much gear multiplication as the smaller engine. If it's a bigger car go with 3.42s with either engine.

Dave B

 

My preferred 8.5 gearsets
-US Gear/Strange
-US Gear Torqueline
-Yukon Gear from Randy's, IF confirmed as US Gear product.
-Precision Gear

Only 8.5 GM's I set up are 3.23's.
GM changed the machining & recommended B/L tollerance on their 8.5 gears about 6 years ago, personally have too good of results with the US Gear product to pay more for GM.
:3gears:
Roger

 

I'm currently running 3:23's in my 71 Cutlass with a 350 4 spd and thats a fun and comfortable setup, and my GS455 with AT is running 3:42's and that goes great and is comfortable as well....I tried nastier stuff in the GS [ 3:90's 4:11's ] but it took the all around drivability out of it, kicked ass, but it was fairly impractical.

GM gears and others are CNC machined, some others are not....I would make sure to check on that when buying.

 

what gears would be best for a 255/60/15
mild build..750 speed demon, poston headers, and a gs110

 

I have US gear/8.5 with 3:42 and a 455----but Hwy cruising is about2900@
70 mph---2550@60 maybe should have 3:08, Pete----Gears are quiet but
the engine is turning.