I would like some input from Mallett owners or those with a V8 and AR5 combination. I have a LS1/AR5 Solstice with the factory 3.91 rear end. First gear is useless. Can anyone with a different rear end gearing give me some feedback? I am considering 3.42 or 3.23 gears to make first gear useable. I appreciate your input.
I have the 3.42 in mine and feel 1st is pretty much useless, except at low rpm's. I am considering the 3.23's also. I am not racing mine, but would like to be able to use 1st gear. Still working on figuring mine out, so not much help to anyone.
Not sure what ratios in my CTS diff. The T56 is not much good in first, but workable. Find I can drive in 4th through town at about 40mph so, have considered a taller ratio diff.
On the other hand, I cruise at around 2000 rpm at 70 mph in 6th and need to downshift to 5th if the speed limit calls for 55mph
Although the relative span from 1st to 6th in the T56 is roughly the same as the relative span from 1st to 5th in the AR5, depending on which T56 you have the overall range of ratios is either a little or a lot taller.
Thanks for your input. I am looking for a 3.23 CTS rear carrier from a local boneyard and adding a Quaife differential to that as 3.23s don't appear to come with a LSD.
I have 3.23 with LSD and it is great. All of my gears are usable and I am barely over 2000rpm at 80 mph. I am quite able to smoke the tires in first and second gear, if I had a reason. (which I don,t). Here is a video of Dave from DDM testing my car with 3.23 differential.
I have never seen a failure in the actual differential mechanism, so to say the quaife is much stronger is a fallacy. It's probably more effective, depending on the intended use of the car, but it isn't necessarily stronger.
I am curious about the flywheel, pilot bushing and clutch assembly to match up a 4.8 o5.3 etc...to the stock AR-5. I have read many posts and searched quite a bit and still cannot find a good source for information. I just want to have everything ready when I start my swap.
FWIW, there's a "Kappa Swap" group on FaceBook, the focus is V8 swaps. It's a closed group so you'll have to join to ask questions or make comments.
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