[Stewart Way]

Lets back up. First. we were not testing a clutch car, we were just talking in the toter on the way back from running an automatic. The man who asked the ? has run gassers, SS, NHRA and IHRA Pro Stock over a 50 year span. We know how to adjust a clutch (sort of, we think). If it slips going into high gear we know what to do to stop it. The question was what causes it. Is it more HP, more torque, more resistance at the higher MPH or a combination of them?
With the up hill example, pulling it into high gear drops the rpm putting more torque and likely less hp on the input shaft.
If you look at 3rd vs 4th ratios a closer ratio will get you a higher 4th gear rpm at the change for more hp but less torque at the shift. But the closer ratio gets you a higher MPH at the gear change for more of the resistances. The 1.50 vs 1.20 3rd gear ratio example talks about the added "stress" on the 1.50 vs 1.20 ratio. Where does this come from. The engine. It seems to me that since the clutch is between the engine and trans that any change in ratios causing more "stress" has to happen by the engine producing more power since thats the only thing making power.
DL Rambos pulley example would seem to show that as the resistance increases for what ever reason the power transmitted increases. Get rid of the mechanical advantage of a pulley or gear reduction, it takes more power.
All good thoughts. Thanks and keep them coming.