GT500 top speed test.

[Epiphany]

Well once Ford picked a target top speed the gearing choice was elementary. And in this case, a bit more aggressive than that of the '13/'14.

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[Idaho2018GTPremium]

While I don't have anything to back this up, I believe the top speed has to do with rear end gearing limitations. The only reason why the 2013/2014 GT500 would achieve a 200mph top speed is because the rear end was set up with 3.31 gears. Hell, the car could do 0-60 mph in 1st gear and the 6th overdrive gear allowed this car to evade the gas guzzler tax (I believe it achieved 24mpg on the highway). The current GT500 has 3.73 rear end gears and hence the reason for the lower top speed. Any thoughts on this?

Engineers can adjust the gear ratios within the trans. to achieve the desired overall gearing for a speed. The C8 Z51, for example, has a final drive ratio of 5.17:1, yet it can go 184 mph. It just has numerically lower gear ratios in the trans. to achieve an overall targeted gear ratio.

 

[Jmeo]

If the car had enough real estate, it would exceed 200 MPH if there were no limiter (IMHO). If they build it to go faster than 200, they have to engineer it for that. They probably put a cap at 180 because anything more is not practical for what the car was intended for.

I have to agree with you Tom, I think you hit the nail on the head.

 

[ALUSA]

Hmm. And to think Ford had to go to Nardo to do it when they could have simply done it in traffic on the Autobahn while yapping away for YouTube. All the effort wasted away on a track with Randy and specialized timing equipment replaced by a German guy cruising down the highway saying he hit a speed he failed to capture on video.

Sounds legit.

Imagine driving this at 180 mph on the Autobahn, all happy cheering and all and the next thing you know it is someone is passing you with a 300 hp vw golf or a family sedan or something.

 

[Snakecollector]

Imagine driving this at 180 mph on the Autobahn, all happy cheering and all and the next thing you know it is someone is passing you with a 300 hp vw golf or a family sedan or something.

Very seldom do you get passed on the autobahn at those speeds. Most certainly not by a ‘300hp Golf.’

 

[ALUSA]

Very seldom do you get passed on the autobahn at those speeds. Most certainly not by a ‘300hp Golf.’

I don’t know, when i was in Germany had a 120 hp Honda Civic and that thing was hauling 230 kmh. The gearing on the most Euro spec cars are ridiculous.

 

[JUNQDAWG]

Alignment is not a factor. I use a pyrometer to check tire temps after each run. The tire temps are a tell tale sign that there is an alignment issue. I have spoken to michelin engineers about the peculiarities of Daytona quite some time ago when I was running my R models there flat out. Yes, alignment is important, but tire pressures and staggering them for the induced weight distribution on the banks is important. The right rear does carry more weight induced by centrifugal forces, so you carry more tire pressure on the right rear, followed by the right front, and rhen by the inner two tires.

Anyway, none of that has to do with what happened here. This is an example of a particular course and being able to run it flat out. Yes, like you said, the car is heavy. The CVs are nothing but a mechanical transfer of energy. The engine is putting out a huge amount of hp and torque. The transmission transfers it to the differential. The differential transfers those forces to the half shafts via the CV joints. The CV joints consist of a race, a cage, and bearings that lie within the race to transfer the hp and torque to the wheels, which make the car go.....

It is my opinion that the CVs overheated from repeated accelleration of a 4000# car from maneuvering speeds on the inside course to maximum speeds as seen on the outside course all the way up to repeated hits on the speed limiter. 30 mins of this cycle heats the grease in the CV (which ford chose to not use high temp grease) to the poimt that the grease hit its drop point (where it changes from a grease to a liquid) and then stopped lubricating the CV joint components. The CV overheated due to lack of lubrication (it went bye bye after it turned to liquid) and the the joint overheated and tore itself apart. The situation was exaggerated by the cherry red exhaust pipes that sit right near the joint with no heat shielding.

So the video has a guy running up to the speed limiter and then backing off before running off the runway. If he were to keep doing that over the course of 30 mins (without cooling time) he or anyone else would probably melt the grease that lubricates the CVs...... and they would eventually fail.

Why this hasn't happened so much is twofold. First, there are not many tracks in the country like Daytona. Second, there are not many people who would drive their cars to reach this point.

 

[JUNQDAWG]

Trying to wrap my 'lil BRAIN around this "GREASE BREAKDOWN " after extended balls to the walls runs @ Daytona for example . My question is... What do the "BIG BOYS" of NASCAR use to keep this from happening in their Mustangs ? Do they use a different rear axle assembly or ????????
Just Curious . I think it suks to buy a 100k PLUS car with a top speed advertised of 200 mph or more and they govern it to 181 mph .. Can you disable the governing process or have THE ENGINEERS got it rigged where you can't .. You guys are absolutely right that probably 90% of GT 500 Owners will never have the chance to actually drive it THAT FAST ". IN Dallas a couple months ago ,Cops were in "HOT PURSUIT" of a "HELLCAT on the Freeway . GUY stole the car "SO THE STORY GOES" . He exceeded 200MPH and outran the Police Chopper. Only caught him cuz he ran out of gas !!!. I reckon @ 200Plus your MPG ain't very great . Thought a little "humor" would be fun .
Junqdawg

 

[Cobra Jet]

A higher top speed means nothing if you can't achieve it. The 500 was not designed for all out top end on the autobahn. The car was designed to be a track car. Can any of you keyboard racers tell me where the 500 can achieve faster speeds on a US track?

Some of you seem to be making this out to be a pecker size contest over a metric that means nothing. Anyone who argues which car is better over top end speed does not get it. There is nothing less interesting than watching idiots bicker over something that means nothing for the sake of brand bragging rights.

^^^ Spot on. I've seen this over the years on many forums - it's exactly as so eloquently stated.... a pissing contest with no metric relevance.

 

[Tomster]

Trying to wrap my 'lil BRAIN around this "GREASE BREAKDOWN " after extended balls to the walls runs @ Daytona for example . My question is... What do the "BIG BOYS" of NASCAR use to keep this from happening in their Mustangs ? Do they use a different rear axle assembly or ????????

It's a grease drop point. Simple, grease gets to hot, it melts, and is slung off the parts that the grease is supposed to keep lubricated.

I'll let you put 2 and 2 together. I was not given permission to go over the process. I asked if i could do a writeup and I did not receive the ok.

 

[JUNQDAWG]

It's a grease drop point. Simple, grease gets to hot, it melts, and is slung off the parts that the grease is supposed to keep lubricated.

I'll let you put 2 and 2 together. I was not given permission to go over the process. I asked if i could do a writeup and I did not receive the ok.

 

[JUNQDAWG]

Guess the Death of First Amendment has reached this "FORUM TOO" . You have to get permission to now "WRITE AN ARTICLE OF INTEREST TO MANY MEMBERS ?? FROM WHO ??? I ain't the smartest pr**k in the room but I recognize B.S> when I smell it . None of this makes sense , Questions were "simple" and far as I know I did not break any rules asking them . 2+2 = 4 . Junqdawg . Answers I received made me look like a "FOOL" for asking the questions . Thought we were here for info among friends who all love MUSTANGS ..

 

[JUNQDAWG]

^^^ Spot on. I've seen this over the years on many forums - it's exactly as so eloquently stated.... a pissing contest with no metric relevance.

 

[WildHorse]

I'll let you put 2 and 2 together.

Challenge accepted ! As I said earlier, CV's failed cause you're throwing over 2 tons around corners at speed. The GT500 with stock horsepower (without a limiter) will never hit 200 mph because of its aerodynamics. Built like a brick to keep it planted like a brick thing. You'll need a lot more horsepower for that last 20 mph. How's that math ? Kentuckyish ? Haha.

 

[JUNQDAWG]

Ain't looking for a "Pecker Contest of any sort " just asked why they sell you a car advertised to go 200MPH and Stop it @ 181mph . And if there's a way to bypass governor system setup by engineers to keep you @ 181 . I understand the grease breakdown scenario , kinda simple deduction of obvious facts and info . Nobody knows better than me that there are few places to run 200 MPH except a Sanctioned track . I spent 25 years married into a Winston Cup Nascar Family that raced from the 1950's to 1995 . Not a big name cuz he was an INDEPENDENT that ;loved to run fast and race the "BIG BOYS" . No sponsors except a Well Known Houston ,Tx. Wrecking yard I ran for him while he chose 10 or so favorite tracks to run @ each year . 5th place @ Daytona 500 and First place @ Texas Race of Champions in late 70's . Not a Champion by any means . Just an expensive HOBBY .... TEX Race Of Champs was in College Station .HOME of TEXAS A&M Univ. Track was 2 mile oval identical to MICHIGAN . RACE was 2 Road course races then a 250 Mile on the 2 mile Oval . Add all three together to decide the champion . Ok ... His name was H.B. Bailey # 36 . yep I can hear "WHO THE HELL WAS THAT " ?? Somebody we all wish that we could have experienced the racing he did by himself . You gotta at least give a guy like that a little credit . Sorry for my illegal posts of questions ,that answers not allowed . I'll try to do better next time .. Junqdawg

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