If you can fit 295s, that means you likely have a big-tub car. If an A-body, that means a lightweight Duster/Demon, OR a Barracuda, which, if a fastback, can be a bit of a pig (mine is 3650 with me in it).
The smallest tire that I would consider to put on mine is a 275/50-15 which calculates to 25.83 tall.
The 295/50-15s to 26.6
The 275/60-15s to 28.
your 225/70-14s are 26.4
From the 25.83 to 26.4 is less than 1% change
From 26.4 to 28 is 6% , which you will feel as a modest torque loss at low rpm, or more accurately a weight gain.
a gear change from 3.23 to 3.55 is ~10%, which you will feel as a weight loss.
A gearing change will depend on your engine size, it's state of tune, your stall-rpm, and intended useage; but in your case, the tire-change alone, may not require any . Ima going with RRR/post #2,
cuz 28s sometimes require the rear axle to be moved back......
Oh yeah, if you have a V8, you gotta have a SureGrip.....
If you have a clutch and a 2.66low first gear, then IMO, the lowest number rear gear is a 3.55, for a starter of
3.55 x 2.66=9.44
but if you have a Commando trans(3.09low) then
9.44/3.09= 3.05s are the same starter
But if you have an overdrive A833, which has extremely wide ratios, AND also have an anemic low-compression 318, then you need to look at second gear. Your second gear IMO, should be no less than
1.92x3.55=6.82, With the od box this would be
6.82/1.67= a 4.08 rear gear.
318 cars with regular A833s love 4.30s, with autos, no less than 3.91s, lol. unless a high-stall, then 3.73s
A 360 can go with 10% less so 3.91s to 3.36s which rounds either way to 3.55s or 3.23s, depending on the stall.
Heavier vehicles will want to increase the rear gear, according to the percentage weight-gain. For example, a 10% weight increase would benefit with 10% more gear; ie. 3100 plus 10% is 3410, and from 3.23s to 3.55s is about the same 10%.
These are my opinions based on my experience.
