I Just bought a 2002 Silverado, 4.8L 5-Speed. It WAS completely stock at the time, but anyhow. I took it to a 660ft track and pulled a 10.3. I came off line pretty good, shifted into 2nd gear and it started smoking the TIRE, yeah, just one tire, and spun for a good 200 ft or so down the track. I believe i have the stock 3.42 gears. I like the gearing because at the time i'm gettin great gas mileage, don't want that to go down, but i'm wanting to get some more traction, like maybe gettin to spin BOTH tires. However, if anybody knows exactly how much a lower gear would make the gas mileage suffer, let me know. But i'm just wanting to know what is the best thing to get to help on traction down the strip. Also, it being a 5-speed, i don't need anything to help on shift firmess and shift points, but i would like to change my rev limiter and such, any ideas??? Thanx a lot.

 

Ok, the way I understand gears, the lower gear you have the less your motor turns at highway speeds, and the higher you have the more it turns at highway speeds. I have a long bed with the 4.3 and can do 100mph in 3rd gear at 4300rpm with 3.42 gears.

A locker would help your get traction and power to both tires. I wish I could spin in 2nd gear, but a long bed and tonneau cover (fiberglass/metal) doesn't help abit, but it looks nice.

 

Get an eaton posi, and maybe some 390 or 410 gears. Not to much difference in milage or cruising with either of those gears. Your truck will pull much harder with gears, and the added traction, but you will be shifting more.

 

The lower the gear (the higher the gear ratio), the faster it will spin. This will cause less traction. If you want more traction and love your gas mileage than stay at the 3:42. And get an eaton to lock both of those tires for traction.

 

What's the cost of an Eaton locker, say w/installation and all?? Also, any of ya'll have a nelson tune on a 4.8l Manual, just curious if it's worth the money. Thanx a lot.

 

I would say for just the eaton install with parts and labor would run you around 6-700? I know that gears and posi install, wiht parts and labor is normally around 1000

 

I would get the nelson tune just for the performance. I love my tune. My .02

 

Isn't there something you can get that will keep the service engine soon light from coming on, i took my cats off and now it keeps coming on and i have to go to auto zone to get them to erase it.

 

And what all does the nelson tune do anyhow??? I'm pretty new w/all this up to date stuff. I've just messed with 4.0L jeep engines for about the past 4 years. I did do pretty good with em though. I took a 202,000 mile engine and got it to pull a 9.3 in the 8th. But i got tired of them and thought i'd start something new. It's hard to "rig" stuff up w/these trucks because of the computer stuff, the jeeps i could do simple stuff to and not worry about engine lights and stuff coming on. Well anyhow, i appreciate everybody's ".02" Thanx.

 

I got the eaton. Night and day on my 4.8 5 spd regular cab. Tires, Eaton, Clutch.

Oh yeah, and keep the 3.42 gears. Definitely - they are the automatic equivalent of about a 3.73. Trust me, do the math.

Eaton, Clutch, cost me $1300 Installed