This is topic GEARS in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by PonyBoy (Member # 1744) on :
 
I am going to buy some gears next weak and need to know how every one elses gears are working out for them. Should i get 3.55 3.73 or 4.10 ????????
 

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Posted by shade-tree (Member # 298) on :
 
unless you're trapping over 125, get 3.55s and we will kick you in the nuts!

(seriously though, at least 3.73s, and if you can't decide, 3.90s are an option now too)
 

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Posted by 5.0Brian (Member # 262) on :
 
What car? I'm getting 4.10's in my 90 on Thursday and I'll post what those are like.
 

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Posted by PonyBoy (Member # 1744) on :
 
I drive a 91 5.0 lx hatch. And it is my daily driver.
 

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Posted by 66MaN (Member # 1976) on :
 
Bro go with 4.10 cuz ( i am assuming you have a 5 speed) your 5 gear is an over drive. match a cam and get some traction and you should be good to go.
 

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Posted by 5.0#3 88'conv (Member # 1534) on :
 
unless you have a auto, stick with the 3:55's only idiots have 3:73's+ with manual trans..."UNLESS" they have the correct gearing in their tranny's, most people have stock t5's which work best with 3:55's
 

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Posted by season'd 88 (Member # 169) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by 5.0#3 88'conv:
unless you have a auto, stick with the 3:55's only idiots have 3:73's+ with manual trans..."UNLESS" they have the correct gearing in their tranny's, most people have stock t5's which work best with 3:55's

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quote:

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Originally posted by 5.0#3 88'conv:
unless you have a auto, stick with the 3:55's only idiots have 3:73's+ with manual trans..."UNLESS" they have the correct gearing in their tranny's, most people have stock t5's which work best with 3:55's

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quote:

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Originally posted by 5.0#3 88'conv:
unless you have a auto, stick with the 3:55's only idiots have 3:73's+ with manual trans..."UNLESS" they have the correct gearing in their tranny's, most people have stock t5's which work best with 3:55's

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I beg to differ...ive had both 355s and 373s on my 88 w/T5, and consider the 373s a much better all around gear.
 

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Posted by 5.0#3 88'conv (Member # 1534) on :
 
do you want to get smoked like the rest of my friends with their 3:73's they started listening to me. They launch hard and then they shift immediatly, if you have 3:55's you launch almost as hard and are able to get more out of the powerband of 1st gear and then hit second. think about how much you and everyone else with 3:73's can actually use 1st gear for more then a second. Until you actually have tries 3:55's which nobody does they just jump into 3:73 then you can actually complain about my post. I'm just giving my opinion based on my experience. I'll tell you what in a weeK when I put 3:55 in a 93 lx and race it against a 94 cobra with 3:73 I'll tell you how stupid I really am ok because its going to be just like the last time the lx will take the cobra.
 

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Posted by 5.0Brian (Member # 262) on :
 
Sticky tires work wonders for all of those "idiots" out there.
 

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Posted by season'd 88 (Member # 169) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by shade-tree:
unless you're trapping over 125, get 3.55s and we will kick you in the nuts!

(seriously though, at least 3.73s, and if you can't decide, 3.90s are an option now too)

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quote:

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Originally posted by 5.0#3 88'conv:
I'll tell you how stupid I really am ok because its going to be just like the last time the lx will take the cobra.

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hey nobodies calling anyone stupid.

Here's $20 that says you can't out 60' what my stock-motored '93 LX did on 3.73s with your LX running 3.55s. (got a couple 1.72s)

gears are a torque multiplier, and sure 3.55s are 'real close' but they're not close enough

But, given street tires, 3.73s or 4.10s simply take more practice to get used to. In the hands of an inexperienced driver, sure probably the 3.55s are 'easier' to drive quickly but I could say the same argument for 3.08s. I mean with 3.08s I could leave really hard on street tires. Does that make it faster? no. Just easier to drive if you have a problem keeping your right foot out of it
 

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Posted by season'd 88 (Member # 169) on :
 
i had 355s for several years and then went with the 373s...."wow this feels soo much better" was my thought. The 355s might be a better high speed road race type gear. to each is own.
 

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Posted by shade-tree (Member # 298) on :
 
3.55s have their place, absolutely. But given the inability of our cars to accelerate in 5th, yeah, 4th should be 'tuned' by a road-racer for the speed he wants to operate in.
Lord knows 3.73s or 4.10s sign off pretty early in 4th gear if you have stock E7TE heads. Something like 110 mph for 3.73s depending on tire size. That is WAAAAAY too slow for most road courses.

course kinda like what you were saying, if you had a tremec with that 0.8 5th gear, it wouldn't make a big deal if you had 3.73s or 4.10s 'cause you could actually use 5th to accelerate.
 

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Posted by 5.0#3 88'conv (Member # 1534) on :
 
shade tree of course you know your tremec 3550 has different ratios then a stock t5. your total gear reduction in first gear with your 3:73's is 7:1 and a stock trans with 3:55's is 6.9:1 so you mine as well have a stock t5 with 3:55's. Your gear ratio is what I was talking about by different trans gears.
A stock t5 with 3:73's has a final drive of 7.08 in first which is almost another full turn. do you see my point?
 

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Posted by PonyBoy (Member # 1744) on :
 
Not to be a dick or anything, but it would be nice if you guys argue a little less and ofer a little more help.
 

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Posted by 88gt (Member # 579) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by PonyBoy:
Not to be a dick or anything, but it would be nice if you guys argue a little less and ofer a little more help.

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Well they are trying to help you so much that they are arguing, because they both feel passionately about this subject. If you read it and didn't complain you might learn something.

As far as answering you're question, mostly everyone will tell you that if you are only worried about track performance and don't drive on the freeway much then get 4.10's, but if this is you're daily driver and you drive on the freeway often then you'd want to go with 3.73's. If you don't care about high speeds and gas mileage than no doubt get 4.10's. I have 3.73's in my daily driven 5.0.
 

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Posted by sic91sleeper (Member # 779) on :
 
Ponyboy since you said your car was a daily driver go with either 3.73's or 3.55's, if I were you I would go for the 3.73's so that you wont regret it later.
 

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Posted by silvergt99 (Member # 1607) on :
 
4.10s, dont be skered.
 

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Posted by MR. STALLION (Member # 374) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by sic91sleeper:
Ponyboy since you said your car was a daily driver go with either 3.73's or 3.55's, if I were you I would go for the 3.73's so that you wont regret it later.

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quote:

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Originally posted by silvergt99:
4.10s, dont be skered.

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nice advice for a daily driver
 

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Posted by TheBrain (Member # 35) on :
 
Get the 3.73's
They are a good all around gear.
I drive my car 500 miles a week with 3.73's and still get 21-23 mpg on the freeway.

3.55's will only lower your 5th gear rpm by about 200 which isn't enough to even worry about.

I also must agree with shade-tree (Which hurts to say )

quote:

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But, given street tires, 3.73s or 4.10s simply take more practice to get used to. In the hands of an inexperienced driver, sure probably the 3.55s are 'easier' to drive quickly but I could say the same argument for 3.08s. I mean with 3.08s I could leave really hard on street tires.

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