3:73 or 4:10 gears????

muscle mustang and fast fords always seems to recomend the 4.11's for the auto cars. i was talking to a drag racer and he says that with the quality of high stalls now adays you can run less gear in a auto. i have 3.73 mind you i have a stick. i love the gears. you wouldnt be disapointed with the 4.11/4.10's im sure.

you should prolly search since there are 3597362976 threads about this. General rule is 4:10 for an auto unless you do A LOT of highway driving.

With 4:10's (when/if you do more mods) you will run out of gear (especially with a poweradder like nitrous/blower).

410's are for Ford's...not 4:11's.

Go with 373's or 3:55’s on a daily driver (that is my suggestion)...I'll put some info for your gear selection decision. If your worried about "hurting" anything the 373's will technically be better for you over the 410's...

373’s will be more daily driver friendly and if you get boost/nitrous later you won't run out of gear at the track and you will have less traction problems. Some that have actually had both gears were slower at the track with 410's over 373's and some also claimed no seat of the pants difference.

I run 2400 rpm at 70mph (I have 373's)…the 410’s will run higher closer to the 2600-2700rpm range with the 245/50/16’s I have on my car.

Here is how I look at when picking gears for a daily driver...To me the gearing of 410's or steeper on a daily driver is not worth it to me...you get worse gas mileage/more engine wear/and use your shifting components more (clutch/trans/etc)...around town...and I also look at it like this...when your cruising on the highway at 80mph (interstate) your cruising at roughly 3000rpm with 410's...that is HALF your 302's revving capabilities and that is in the overdrived 5th gear at CRUISE...not at WOT...I personally don't like the idea of having half the engines revving capabilities at just cruise. Also...what if an emergency comes up and you got to "get it"...you have to be there for someone or are running to the hospital...and running higher than 80mph...maybe running 4500rpm steadily (faster than 80mph of course)...during that emergency I don't think that would be a good time for your engine to let go on you...what do you think?

Then you have to factor in 410's or steeper cause my engine braking at higher rpms on the highway...go pull out somewhere and hold your car to 2500rpm or so (worse with gears) and feel the engine try to slow you down when you let off the gas...same similar occurance happens on the highway/interstate plus the wind resistance.

I know when I had the slipping clutch problem I could smell the clutch burn at a higher rpm cruise which in my case was comparing 2000rpm to 2500rpm. At the lower rpm I didn’t smell it but the higher rpm I could smell it. Just some things to think about when you think you want every little tenth out of your car (4:10’s)…I prefer a better overall performance personally…

Go 373's...I would rather want more (373's to 410's) than get to much (410's) and want less (373's)...get what I'm saying?

There will also be less drivetrain shock under traction with 373's over 410's...

The problem with 410's in an AOD is you only have 3 gears to work with at the track (effective gears anyways) and the gears will get you out of those gears quicker and you could lose your gearing powerband at the track.

Also if they were to convert to a t5 (pretty popular actually) then they are "stuck" with the higher revving 410's...I hate the "winding out" sound on the highway with a gear like that...

On the listing of "pros/cons" of a mod like gears. I have stressed that in a couple choice threads, for example on shorty vs. longtube headers. Longtubes will get a better midranging power over the shortys (so the pro is more power) but some forget to mention the cons of it which are buying a matching mid-pipe (more money and aren't able to use the stock mid-pipe) along with ground clearance issues (especially on a lower car) and also the difficulty of install is "stepped up" quite a bit when trying to get longtubes in. It also can cause heat-soak issues and steering column clearance/rubbing issues. The potential purchaser has to ask themself is the extra midrange worth it? Then you get your answer...

So I ask...are the 410's (a tenth or two quicker at track to a matched combo over 373's) worth it? (more engine/drivetrain wear/worse gas mileage/and a couple other "cons" listed above in my post)...again the potential driver/purchaser has got to ask themselves what they want

willys1 (member on this site) actually was slower at the track in his bolt-on car with 410's than he was with 373's...

To often people go "drive" a friend's car with gears and go have fun in the car and don't drive it normally or thing of longterm effects with normal driving. They often just use their SOTP meter to determine what gear they want but when a final gear ratio effects all different parts of you and your car...I think it is best to not try a gear ratio "drag strip style" but "daily driver style"...

I have rode and drove in every car except one with 4:56’s and I see easily how the 4:10’s and especially 4:30’s are overkill for a daily driver. One trip on the interstate will let you know…

Also on the 200rpm difference (I actually think it is a bit more) but to put that into perspective since I ride at 2400rpm at 70mph I run 2600rpm at 80mph but that is a "big" difference in the feel of the car. Just as well you will be even more limited with the 410's pushing nearly 3000rpm just at cruise Every time I drive on the interstate with the 373's I just can't imagine having 4:10's…


Again good luck with your choice

4.10's for that combo. I have 3 friends with 4.10 gear cars none run outta gear and none complain. Two of them made the switch from a 3.55/3.73 gear and are very happy.

A search would be a smart move too.

93stangTN said:

on my 93' AOD, which u think i should get?? i just plan on doin all the bolt ons for now... CAI, Headers, h-pipe, edelbrock manifold, 70mm TB.... i wont be drivin it too much,m just some on weekends.. i might take it to the track everyone now and then... is there a big diffence in the 2??? some people here say 3:73 is better for a all around car...

Click to expand...

Look at the bold print so often overlooked...

Your mods/list will soon grow and it will become to much gear for the track or the highway for that matter...

If you were just settling for those mods and that was that for sure...then 410's would be fine...but just look at the bold

When my car was auto, I switched from 3.27 to 3.73s the difference was very noticable. IMHO you should go 3.73 just incase you do a 5 speed swap in the future.Good luck

Dont Fear The Gear!!!

87mustang347 said:

Dont Fear The Gear!!!

Click to expand...

Lol...

Good Point Curse

aod =4:10's
5 spd=3:73's

The aod makes the 4:10's ok to still drive on the interstate and the RPM'S arent way to high

I have a 93 with an aod and bolt-ons only.You cant beat 410's for the fun factor!! But believe it or not I went 2 tenths faster in the 1/4 with 373's. 410's limit you on the highway to 70mph(which is what everyone drives anyway,but at 70 your doing 2500rpm,well,68mph!! But like someone else said,get a good quality torque converter like Precision Industries, or an Edge and 373's will be perfect!! But if your not gonna hit the track too much and your not gonna do alot of highway driving,definitly get 410's,there a blast!!

are you gonna drop a blower on it or go naturally aspirated...the rule i heard was 3.73s for blown and 4.10s for naturally aspirated...unless this is your daily driver, then just go with 3.73s...its the most versatile gear out there...

-jeremy

I had 4.10's in my 89 auto I had a few years back and loved it. Highway revs definatley go up, but unless you have to drive on the highway every day then don't worry. I have 4.10s in my 88 w/5speed now and love them too.

the only thing I don't like about 4.10's is the speedometer is way off(same with any other gear too though) I haven't installed a 4.10 speedo gear yet, but I've heard the speedometer is still gonna be off.

the SOTP feeling of 4.10's and 4.56's is great. You won't regret 4.10's in your auto if you wanna have fun

I installed 3:73's on my AOD. Am I sure glad I didn''t go with the 4:10's.
Unless you're only going to the track, I would definately go with 3:73's.

4.10's!!!

billpo - Yeah that is what I think to

Actually if you were going with a blower car on top of those bolt-ons or further into the engine...I would get 3:55's...

I have 3.55s in my 88GT and they work great good on the high way and around town. 4.10s would prob be better if all you were doing is town and dragging but if its an everyday driver i would go with the 3.73

5spd GT said:

billpo - Yeah that is what I think to

Actually if you were going with a blower car on top of those bolt-ons or further into the engine...I would get 3:55's...

Click to expand...

Dude we know what you think,,, your reply that you put in all the gear threads is kinda long.

willys1 said:

Dude we know what you think,,, your reply that you put in all the gear threads is kinda long.

Click to expand...

That reply is short compared to some I do or others. I respond with some info. It is not intended for you to read over and over. In fact that is your option...I put it to the poster of the thread.

Not everyone knows what I think...