360 will bust the Dakota 5 speed asap! Put a mopar four speed by the correct balanced flywheel you won't regret it.
A833s are all 1:1 straight thru in fourth gear. Hiway rpm varies with tire size and speed. With 3.73s, and 27s you get 65=~3000. Every 1% difference in tire size will be 1% difference in rpm. Every 1% increase in speed will be 1% increase in rpm so
70mph will be 70/65= plus 7.7% so add 7.7% to 3000 and you get 1.07x3000=
3230=70mph, still with 27s.
With 28s, 70 would be 27/28x3230=3115
with 26s, 70 would be 27/26x3230=3350
and so on
Overdrive is any ratio that turns the driveshaft slower than the engine, and is usually expressed in a ratio preceded by a decimal point and is therefore read as a percentage; like .70 =70% engine speed and so on. Usually the smaller the percent the better but it really depends on the starting ratio and the splits, and the cam specs ; oh heck, it depends on the entire combo, and how you intend to drive it.
A transmission with two overdrives is often called a double overdrive and usually comes that way in a 6-speed.
A 5 speed is usually has just one overdrive, or could have none at all.
A 4 speed usually has no overdrive. If it has a weakazz 18tooth gear like some of the A833s, I call it a 3+1, cuz after you shatter that little gear two or three times, you will be driving ever after as a 3 speed.
I got an idea for an AX-15, but the 360 will make short work of it. That trans is dying for a 273 or lo-po 318 and a hiway gear. I think it could be a lotta fun. But with a 360, even a stock Low-compression one, I think you'd have to be pretty careful to not blow it up.The ratios I like are
3.83-2.33-1.44-1.00-.79overdrive, with splits of .61-.62-.69-.79; These are nice progressive shifts with a short 4-5, perfect for a small low-powered engine.
With 3.23s, the starter gear is 12.37, and 60= 5600rpm at the top of second gear. Cruises at 65=2060
With 2.94s you get 11.26; and 60=5100in second and 65=1880, nice for a stock 360LA cam or perhaps one size bigger.
This trans will not like 3.73s. the startergear is an outrageous 14.29. 60 will be too high for second so in third, 60=4000, and 70mph would be OK at 2560 in overdrive. You will easily be able to take off in 8.69 second gear which is same as the A833 with 3.23s.... so Kindof a waste of first gear.
in fact if you line them up in road gears you get the
AX15 with 3.73s is; 14.29-8.69-5.37-3.73-2.95, whereas the
A833 with 3.23s is;.......... 8.59-6.20-4.49-3.23, and as you can see the A833 has better ratios in second thru fourth, with a just adequate first gear, and the missing overdrive is not that big a deal.. But... the
Commando
box with 2.94s gets you .. 9.08-5.64-4.12-2.94 This is like the Ax-15 without the 14.29 starter
, but just a hair better in second thru third and with same top-gear.
The point is; just having a 5 speed is only part of the combo, you have to be able to match a rear gear and engine build to it, in order to make it worth the time and effort you spend in the conversion.
PS
AX-15s come in other ratios; just google it.
As to starter gears;340 cars came with 2.66x3.55=9.44
With a hi-torque 360 you should not need more than that.[/QUOTE]
I am not sure the AX15 will fall apart as easy as some people think. I know guys that put them behind 392 hemi and I know the Jeep guys swear by them. A lot of people confuse them with the AX5 which is junk. The AX15 is made by the same people who make the supra trans and the ricer guys put 1000+ horse power through them. I believe some of the parts will even swap out. I am just learning about the AX15 myself and have been researching it for a couple years. I have one I am mating to a 360 magnum that is carbed with a cam. I don't think I'd drop the clutch at 5000rpm but I think normal driving and some hot rodding. Like stated before they put them behind old hemi and now they have a kit to bolt LS engines to them.
