Ok, I was yakking with the brother in law (who is an expert in everything it seems), and he was chiming off about gear ratios. Tis the season to visit with relatives, and get into friendly spats...

Anyway, to make a long story short..he was arguing that it was better to have gears such as 4.11's or 3.90 for highway driving. I kept telling him that it made more sense to have gears close to 2.56, 2.78, etc.. as the rear wheels will turn more often on those then the 4.11's.

Who is correct?

Am I wrong, or does not 4.11 gears mean that the driveshaft turns 4 times for every 1 turn of the rear wheels?

In my thinking, I would think that gears such as 2.56 or 2.78 would be better because it would mean lower rpms at the highway speeds...thus making it cruise better.

Just so everyone knows...we're talking about a '69 firebird vert, 400-4v, automatic 350th trans..

Your thoughts? What would be the best gears for Sunday cruising on the highway..or simple around town driving... Not the race track...!

I was always taught that the high gears such as 4.11, 3.90 meant racing....while the low numbers like 2.56, 2.78 meant simple cruising...