4.10's vs 3.73's

i like my 3.73s

i like the 4.10`s and most people that have the 3.73`s wish they would have gone higher

helty - I live like 45 minutes from you

I would stick with FMS gears (better production tolerances - less whine/shimming).

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

Wow

if your going to do n2o i would do 3.90s highest. ive got a 100 shot and with 3.90s and go through the trap at the top of 4th gear. i think if i would of been slower with 4.10s. also with 1st gear it doesn go buy to quick but i also have a tko 600 with a 2.87 first gear so i get to rev out a little slower(better for traction).

Here is the absolute general consensus since I've been here and the answer I give every time now:

3.73's if you PLAN to supercharge (my situation)

4.10's if you PLAN to stay N/A

3.90's if you can't decide if you want the 4.10's

3.55's if your just a wussy. Go buy a mach.

I switched from 3.73's to 4.10's and never looked back. I have a 4R70W and trap at 135 mph in 3rd gear at 6700 rpm. On the highway, I cruise at 70 to 75 mph at around 2700 rpm in OD. I drive as far as 800 miles in a day to FFW events with no problems at all. Get the 4.10's.

If you want to hang with LS1s and Mach1s*, you better have the 4.10s....


















*until the top of third gear anyway...

only everyone. Mustangs get off the line faster than f-bodies, but they are beasts up top. In the upper rpms is where everyone has trouble with them. Down low, they are no problem, but the gears can let you get a good enough lead to cushion some of that velocity they build up. BTW, they also have crap for rear ends, if they tool off as hard as mustangs, their rear ends would grind and break eventually.

hey guys i'm new here and also new on fords... first ford car and its a 01 gt 5 spd (late prod.)stock just got a pair of 40 series and will be adding a k&n firlter only... my question is i dont know what to go for 4.10 or 3.73 and i dont really know what i have now is it a 3.23? anyways i dont want a drag racing car just wanna wake the car up and have more fun... but i also drive about 50 miles highway everyday what would be my rpm with the change at 75-85 mph? alot people say 4.10 but doin 50 miles a day at 3000 rpm and something doesnt sound so sweet .... gas around here its about 2.55 per plus gallon....

any help would be great car its a daily drive = daily fun dont plan adding more stuff on it...

thanx
Carlos

skullmaster427 said:

hey guys i'm new here and also new on fords... first ford car and its a 01 gt 5 spd (late prod.)stock just got a pair of 40 series and will be adding a k&n firlter only... my question is i dont know what to go for 4.10 or 3.73 and i dont really know what i have now is it a 3.23? anyways i dont want a drag racing car just wanna wake the car up and have more fun... but i also drive about 50 miles highway everyday what would be my rpm with the change at 75-85 mph? alot people say 4.10 but doin 50 miles a day at 3000 rpm and something doesnt sound so sweet .... gas around here its about 2.55 per plus gallon....

any help would be great car its a daily drive = daily fun dont plan adding more stuff on it...

thanx
Carlos

Click to expand...

If you read this thread, you'll find the answer to your question. If you do a search, you'll fine this question has been asked and answered hundreds of times. Why do people continue to ask this question? What else is there to be said that hasn't already been said?

hey jimfitzgerald it was a simple question witch if u read and do the search i wonder if u gonna find the information that i am looking for .... what kind rpm will be at certain speed and mpg... now if u dont want to help than dont... just font ***** about it ...simple like that

thanx

skullmaster427 said:

hey jimfitzgerald it was a simple question witch if u read and do the search i wonder if u gonna find the information that i am looking for .... what kind rpm will be at certain speed and mpg... now if u dont want to help than dont... just font ***** about it ...simple like that

thanx

Click to expand...

Yes, if you do a search on "gears" you will find the answer to every question you have and many you never thought about. This is probably the most asked and answered question on this board. By the way, nothing less than 4.10's.

jimfitzgerald said:

Yes, if you do a search on "gears" you will find the answer to every question you have and many you never thought about.

Click to expand...

04GTDrop, I wondered that question too when I started modding. I went with 4.10's because that's what everyone said. I would never ever think of getting rid of them, and if I did it would be for 4.30's(after I cam it). 3.73's to me would have been highly dissapointing. I don't go to the track, but I plan on it. I do some highway driving and my rpm is about 2500 at 70mph, but I have a different tranny so you would rev a little lower(not sure how much exactly). 4.10's to me are perfect. They allow you to launch like a bat outta hell and then your in the powerband. Hope this helps, it is my personal opinion.

And ya, do a search cause you will find those answers.

for those thinking of 3.73,you might not feel a difference cause the 5 speed come with 3.27,i just finished the 4.10 install and i like it,i can't tell how fast im going yet cause i need to calibrate,it was a bi*** to install and had to take it appart like 3 times but there is no whine.

skullmaster427 said:

hey jimfitzgerald it was a simple question witch if u read and do the search i wonder if u gonna find the information that i am looking for .... what kind rpm will be at certain speed and mpg... now if u dont want to help than dont... just font ***** about it ...simple like that

thanx

Click to expand...

Asked and answered:

http://www.03sbgt.com/gear_ratios.html

But your main goal with gears, besides the obvious helping off the line, is setting up for the next gear. 3.73s are a little on the lowside for a perfect setup with a stock RPM ranged GT (just a TAD) for PERFECT racing. IMO 4.10s are a little much in that area but give perfect traction, the 4.10 will beat the 3.73s car SIMPLY due to its launch. There is a point to where the gears get so steep that the engine cant rev up fast enough to take full advantage of them. On a FI car you want a higher gear (like 3.73 or higher) because they build boost off of engine drag or strain/load...the more load, the quicker the boost comesin (especially in a turbo car). Most FI cars dont even get full boost in 1st gear. N/A, 4.30s are about the limit....now with a higher/quicker revving dohc, they can use 4.56s. But for a DD car 3.90s would be about perfect. The difference between gears at that lv shouldnt be very noticable, on street tires...its about non existent. There are a ton of 4.10 guys that are swearing by the 4.10s...well look at thet ET/trap is it really any better than the rest of us with 3.73s? Or even much better than 3.27s? Nope. Get the gear that you feel the safest with. 3.73s should be the min. 4.30s should be the absolute max. JMO.

hey merc123 perfect information there... thanx for the help ... still kind scared about the rpm doesnt sound too good on mpg i think i will get a 3.73