Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

Well....This is how I look at it. For casual drag racing at the strip, with maybe Nitto DR's, 3.55's work pretty good. To retain stock cruising drivability, set of cheap rear 17X8 wheels with Nitto DR's cost about same as gear change. Our 3.38 first gear with a 3.55 rear gear gives a fairly low overall ratio for first gear (3.38X3.55=12-1). That ratio is lower than an 03/04 Cobra with 4.30's and 2.66 first (11.44-1). Work on getting 60' down to about 1.8 or so. You can run it out in 3rd. Cars have gone high 12's with this combo and stock power. Most cars on this forum with every bolt on mod available, 4.10's (manuals) and such, on stock type tires, don't run 12's.

For much more serious drag racing with sticky tires (BFG DR's or better) on race wheels, I would run 4.30's, and learn to launch off or near the rev limiter. But purchase race wheels. This is the hot ticket, if you wish to make your car into a race oriented car. You must get your 60' in the 1.5-1.6 area. It's all about 60' times, more so than HP. This kind of abuse requires some serious mods to drivetrain.

For cars not set up to race at the strip (been lowered etc), but where you just want a little more mechanical advantage for street acceleration, then run 3.73's, 3.90's, or 4.10's, depending on your tires and how much 4th gear speed you wish to give up, and how many extra RPM's you're willing to put up with while cruising. But these gears require an extra shift at the strip VS 3.55's, offsetting some of their advantage.

Forget what top speed could be in 5th. If you have to shift to 5th in any kind of encounter, it's all over with our extremely tall .62 5th. 5th just for cruising. We really just have a 4 speed car (manuals) plus tall overdrive.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

Speaking along these lines I can actually shift into 5th @ 35MPH w/ the 4.30s. To be funny last night, I shifted into each gear @ 2KRPMs. It was almost impossible to shift 1st fast enough to keep it under 2000. 2nd was almost as challenging. Once I got into 4th I was allowed to accelerate to just under 50 before needing to shift to 5th @ 2000RPMs. Just though this was interesting.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

What performance gain would our cars see if adding 4.10 gears in say a 60 roll race on the freeway?

Unfortunately most of my races happen when I am commuting. I know people talk about how strong the LS1 cars are up top, but I have an amazing record against those even past 100 mph races. I don't know if the chip helped in this area that much.

I used to have 4.10s in my 97 Cobra, I know it helped when 1/4 dragging but wasn't sure if the affect was as great on 60 punch races.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

There sure is A LOT of extemely valuable information in this thread. Thanks to all who posted their input, whether it be simply mathmatical, or from previous race experience.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

If this is to become the official gears sticky, may I suggest adding info about what degree of rebuild kits would be needed at various mileage, what misc parts are needed (I recall some sort of special pin or grinding needed with 4.56+), etc.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

with 31 spline differentials, you get a thicker cross pin; and also, with steeper gears, the ring gear will be thicker, to the point the teeth of the gear will cover up some of the real estate needed to put in/take out the cross pin. I don't believe all 31 spline differentials offer similar thickness pins, so you might be able to slide by with some.

The Ford 31 spline traklok needs to have the pin ground to be able to fit 4.30s or higher on there. I believe same is the case with the Torsen differentials. Not sure about the eaton or auburn ones.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

I Need Some Advice About What Gears To Get. I Have A 02 Gt 5spd And I Am Looking Into Getting Some Gears Soon, What Should I Get?

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

:worship: "This IS a tasty burger".... Thanks for all the info, in this thread... I just took the 4:30s out of my car, in favor of the 3:55s. I think every owner has to analyze their individual use, and gear-up/down accordingly. The fuel economy with the 4:30s sucked. I hope to see better economy :3: when I can keep my foot out of it...

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

I dont care much about top speed, I just want acceleration, but I heard having the lower gears like 4.10 or 4.30 are harder on the engine. Is this true? Plus I would like to have reasonable gas mileage still so I was thinking maybe 3.73s would be the best gears for me, or should i stay stock?

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

Im either going 3.73's or 4.10's I just wanted to know if I switch to 4.10's how bad of a spinning problem am I gonna have ?. I mean right now im street tires I had the et streets on the car but they didn't last to long

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

If I'm reading this correctly, would 4.10's in an auto tranmission be roughly equal to 4.56's in an manual transmission? Or am I backwards?

Michael

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

right now im thinking about getting 3.90 or 4.10 gears but its my every days driver. if i have a k&n cai, bbk long tube headers,slp loundmouth cat backs, diablo preditor tune and put one of these 2 gears on will i be having trouble with spinning the tires off of every take off? my car is loud as hell with my slp loudmoths and cops love to mess with me now, so im just trying to see if ill have to baby my take offs as to not get more cops to pull me over for something.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

You'll spin only if you peform sprited take offs, so don't let that hold you back. As fars as the gears, again that depends on your transmission, remember 410's in a auto is like having 456's in manual. If your car is a 5 speed, you'll love the 410,'s. If your an auto go with the 390's.

Michael

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

thanks for the information. if i take my car to the track on occasion would i have any troubles with the stock rear axle with 4.10 gears in a manual? should i get 28 or 31 spline axles or am i good with as little upgrades that i have.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

If you plan on doing lots or 1/4 miles stuff the safe bet is to go with 31 spline axles.

JMO

Michael

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

thank you for your help

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

Does anybody know anything about these guys?

Pro50 Gears

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

you guys can see the difference in max speed (MPH) in every gear with different final drive ratios. i used 6800rpm as max rpm in any gear.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

I still dont know if i should go with 4.10s or 3.90s? i have a manual.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

If you had an auto I'd say 4.10s...with a manual, I'd say 4.10s aren't enough. go with 4.30s

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

I am not sure if this question is answered yet and I thought I have seen it before... can't seem to find it right now. I have a blown auto mach with stock gears. Which gears would be the best for me? I do a ton of driving and see some track. How well do you guys think the car will hook up on the street with 285 drag nittos with the gears? I don't have the 285s on the car yet and I have 245s that spin like crazy with the blower. I cruise at 120 a lot right now and race til 150 or so usually; but I guess I can let the high MPH go for some quickness.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

I see that you are in Houston. I have 2 sets of Nitto Drags 275/40 17 and 305/35/18s. If you want to meet up one day we can mount a set and take it for a drive. I would like to feel that blown Mach so I would be happy to see what you think of the bigger drag radials.

Keith

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

You wanna sell the 275s? I live in Tomball, we go out everyday Tuesday to a Lowes off 249, tons of cars go out there and we do some street racing. I also go out to 1960 an 45 to sonic every friday night. If you ever go I have a red mach 1 with black fr500s with a BLOWN emblem on the back.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

Street racing ain't too smart but posting when and where on the Internet is even worse.

Re: Gears - to answer the questions once and for all
 

We don't race there...usually go up there just to talk and sit around. People drive 30 miles away to go race if they want to.