3.73's or 4.10's

[Snakeyes]

I have a T5 and 3.73's. For cruising around, they are great, and I can imagine 4.10's would make 1st gear real short. At the same time, 4.10's would be about perfect for me at the track, since I have some RPM room left in 4th gear at the end of the track. Being I have a T5, I don't know if that advice helps you at all?

If I were you with an AOD car, I would likely get the 4.10's. I don't drive my car a lot on the streets though, so I have the luxury of just putting her in the garage for a week or two if I want.

Jim

 

[5spd GT]

agreed again. i wonder if people dont mind just running OD at WOT (not something i would want to do).

it seems that few topics about cars are as *personal* as gears. some folks love revving and quick spooling and some dont. we should make people starting gear-threads post their likes/dislikes and desires and comfort levels (i.e. is taching around at C4-like revs while on the freeway alright). no one is more right than anyone else here - just a highly personal topic.

Exactly 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

Good Point

 

[Biggeley]

I have an AOD with 4.10's and I don't like them.. Going to switch to 3.73's at some point.

The car is a daily driver in the summer and also a track toy. With a non-lockup converter, I feel like the car is running too many RPM's on the highway... (pushing 2800+ at 70 MPH) And also, I run out of gear at the top end of the track..

Stepping back to the 3.73's will solve both problems. I suspect that my ETs will improve as well since I can stay in the meat of the powerband longer and not overrev in every gear. If I can't get out of the hole fast enough with 3.73's then I will solve that problem the proper way --- with a looser torque converter!!

 

[RYC CUKR]

I am running 4.10s in my 93. Do I like them? Love'em. I was cruising at 2700 rpm in OD, until it went up in smoke on me . Are they for you? gotta ask yourself some questions on what you plan on doing with the car in the future. If you look in my sig you can see what I have done, I am pretty close to running out of gear by the end of the track.

Are you planning on running any FI in the future if so 3.73s are probably best for you. Gonna build a really stout motor combo. If so 3.73s are probably best. Are you gonna stay mostly stock with just some bolt ons then I would go 4.10s. There will be a world of difference between the stock gears and the the 4.10s. A real kick in the ass.

On a side note I would look at doing some upgrades to the AOD now no matter what gear you go with. Trans cooler, shift kit and I would suggest upgrading the OD servo. Especially since I spend Sat night riding home from the coast after frying my OD band. BTW 4.10s in my car turn 3700 RPM at 65 MPH. Not fun.

 

[old_blue]

go 4.10s, better for a AOD

 

[deadlast]

if you cant make up your mind like me go with 3.90s. i am surprised no one has said anything about them

 

[BlownInjected]

4.10's with an automatic
3.73's with a 5-spd

 

[5spd GT]

373's for AOD or 5spd...a better performing overall gear.

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...

 

[HISSIN50]

Deadlast, i like the 3.90 ratio, but i dont seem to recall seeing them avl from Ford, which is the only flavor of gears i would want to install myself (so as to hopefully minimize shimming needs). otherwise, they are a nice ratio.

 

[stangguy93]

i have 3.73's now and it is my daily driver, they are more than enough for me and would never personally go 4.10's, the reason is i already find it reving hight when i hit a short strip of highway, even when im driving arround 50mph i have to use od or ill be reving too high and waisting my gas for nothing. i don't race my car every second i drive it, im sure 4.10's are a tiny bit more fun, but to me it is not worth it when im cruising, thats why ive done few other mods to my car to make up for not having 4.10's. it is afterall a personall opinion, but i think it is easier to live with 3.73's then installing 4.10's and you not liking them,(it is costly changing gears unless you do it yourself) i can tell you are already worried about making the right desicion, go drive a freinds car for an hour that has the same set up and see if you like it,.....if you do don't just light up the tires and get exited and say i want those gears, drive it normal as you would every day. ( unless you live on the track or race it day and night).

 

[Aftrbrnr]

The best advice, as someone said already is to try other people's cars with different ratios. There's a lot of things people can say, I've heard with some people that they actually get better gas mileage with higher gears. Which brings me to another point, gas is going up like nuts, if your car is a daily driver, do you want to burn more gas?

 

[Modular2v]

take the modular philosiphy... the only thing better than 4.10s is 4.30s lol

 

[5spd GT]

go drive a freinds car for an hour that has the same set up and see if you like it,.....if you do don't just light up the tires and get exited and say i want those gears, drive it normal as you would every day. ( unless you live on the track or race it day and night).

I think that is a great point. 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"...

 

[HISSIN50]

that really is great advice. i test drove a T5'd fox with 3.73's and i was thinking about how it would be as a DD (i intentionally went and drove us through some bad traffic) and it drove me NUTS. Those guys in collegiate canoes do less rowing than i was doing.

sure it was fun, but all i could obsess about was how it would be every day in traffic.

 

[grrrrrrr]

I just bought and had installed 3.73's today. It made a night and day difference in my car. However, if you really pay attention to the way the car drives before vice the way it drives now, you'll realize you need a conserable amount of more RPM to get the car to speed. I'll never go back to the stock gears (2.73's) but I'm wishing I had 6 gears to flog now. I think I would be a little disapointed if I went with 4.10's, but I have a t-5. I think the auto is different. I guess I'm just saying try to test drive a car with the gear you think you want first. Overkill on this would be, IMO a royal pain in the ass.

 

[BaXTeR3221]

Have 3.90's, love em. Added the 2.95 gearset which lowers it a little and adds a much lower 5th which is nice. But the 3.90's are great for performance.

 

[DouglasOhio]

3.55s are my choice, especially for daily drivers, but if your just takin it to the track, with your setup the 4.10s would be better

 

[super302]

373

 

[gt90stang]

5spd GT,

I'm glad I went with 3.73s, I went from NA 306 to KB Blowzilla with 8# of boost. With 275/40R17 DRs 3rd maxes out about 120 MPH. The 3.73s seem just right now and were damn good NA.

Don