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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

5sp 3.55 vs 3.73

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mach428
  • Start date Start date Dec 7, 2003
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millhouse

Founding Member
May 14, 2002
1,985
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46
Simpsonville, SC
Dec 9, 2003
#21
  • Dec 9, 2003
  • #21
What's funny is my drone with my flows gets quiter as soon as I reach 75mph. Seeing as I cruise on the freeway daily with my 3.73's at 80-85mph, I actually notice quite a bit less drone than when I'm cruising at 60-70 mph.
 

SAYNOTORICE

New Member
Aug 21, 2003
152
0
0
Massachusetts
Dec 9, 2003
#22
  • Dec 9, 2003
  • #22
i have stock ratio 2.73's, and im revving at around 3000 at 85 mph is that about right...my friend is tyrin to convince me that i have 3.73's, cause he had them in his 90 5.0 and he says mine revs the same...i think he didnt have them or either that his tach was f**ked...my moms 00 GT vert with 3.27's feels like it pulls harder than my 5.0....mine doesnt feel like it has gears....who is right, me or my friend?
 

final5-0

Mustang Master
Apr 6, 2003
6,817
12
79
DFW Texas
Dec 9, 2003
#23
  • Dec 9, 2003
  • #23
Mach428 said:
My brother owns a 88gt 5sp manual. Our next mod will be gears. My friend owns a 99 GT 5sp man and he put 3.73 into his car and I love the ratios. My question is, since the 99+ have 3.27 stock and the 5.0 have 2.73's, will 3.55 in an 88 gt have the same effect as 3.73 in a 99 gt?
Click to expand...

There is very little difference between them as far as cruising at highway speeds. We are talkin about less than 200 rpms if I remember correctly.

You will feel the diff between them when you punch it with the 3.73's.

You now have my opinion with all of the others!!!

Go here for the facts about gears

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/Detailed/608.shtml

Later
Grady
 
S

Stock89LX

Member
Apr 28, 2003
254
0
16
Wichita Falls, Texas
Dec 9, 2003
#24
  • Dec 9, 2003
  • #24
88SC_GT said:
im also another person with 3:55's who wants them over 3:73's.

i drive on the freeway to go anywhere pretty much, i dont think i could take 2500+ rpms of flowmasters for an hour. right at about 2100 rpm's is where they really start speaking on the freeway, according to my 5" tach im doing 1800-2000 rpms at 70-75
Click to expand...


I'm running 2 chamber flows with a Dr. Gas off road X pipe. The drone really drops off at about 2200 rpm, and believe it or not, cruising at 2500 rpm is pretty calm. Again though.... to each his own. I'm happy with my 3.73's, you're happy with 3.55's. Ain't America great?
 

BelueLX

Founding Member
Jul 10, 1999
1,195
1
0
Dec 9, 2003
#25
  • Dec 9, 2003
  • #25
SAYNOTORICE said:
i have stock ratio 2.73's, and im revving at around 3000 at 85 mph is that about right...my friend is tyrin to convince me that i have 3.73's, cause he had them in his 90 5.0 and he says mine revs the same...i think he didnt have them or either that his tach was f**ked...my moms 00 GT vert with 3.27's feels like it pulls harder than my 5.0....mine doesnt feel like it has gears....who is right, me or my friend?
Click to expand...

with 2.73s and my 25.83" tires in 5th gear i cruiser right above 2000rpm at 85mph. sounds like you have 3.73s or 3.55s. jack the car up, mark the tire, count your driveshaft revolutions -vs- one rotation of the tire. my 91 turns 3-3/4 times and it has a 3.73 gear. pretty simple. gearing makes all the difference. just keeping my daily driver in the 21.69 avg mpg city zone for now. you dont really appreciate it until you have a car with a C4 and 3.73 gear with 26" slicks.
 

SAYNOTORICE

New Member
Aug 21, 2003
152
0
0
Massachusetts
Dec 9, 2003
#26
  • Dec 9, 2003
  • #26
according to that i have 3.73s but im sure i dont have em....can anyone else help me, i know the only real way to tell is to jack it up and count the axle rotation, but im at school and have no garage....anyone?
 
E

eric88gt

Founding Member
Aug 10, 2000
163
0
16
Chisholm, MN
Dec 9, 2003
#27
  • Dec 9, 2003
  • #27
I can assure you that those are not 2.73's in your car if it's showing 3000 RPM's at 80 mph, unless you're running donuts on the back. I've still got 2.73's in my car (3.55's going in when it come out of hybernation) and it's about 2000 at 80.
 

SAYNOTORICE

New Member
Aug 21, 2003
152
0
0
Massachusetts
Dec 9, 2003
#28
  • Dec 9, 2003
  • #28
just drove it.....i am 3000 at 85 mph...is this still wrong?
 

millhouse

Founding Member
May 14, 2002
1,985
0
46
Simpsonville, SC
Dec 10, 2003
#29
  • Dec 10, 2003
  • #29
Sound like you have 3.73's to me. I run around the same rpms @ 85-90mph.

It's either that or your tach is waaaaaaay off...which is quite possible.

The difference between 2.73's and 3.73's is stagering...but unless youve compaired the differences for your self in the same car, you wouldnt be able to know.
 

SAYNOTORICE

New Member
Aug 21, 2003
152
0
0
Massachusetts
Dec 10, 2003
#30
  • Dec 10, 2003
  • #30
maybe i do have em....thats probably why when i raced my friends lt1 i put a car on him after 2nd, even from a roll...i guess i am just gonna have to count....and if i do have em...then I WANT 4.10's!!!!!!!!!!!! cause i am not fast enough!!!!!!!!!
 

91BlckGT

Founding Member
May 24, 1999
2,386
75
68
in a van, down by the river
Dec 10, 2003
#31
  • Dec 10, 2003
  • #31
i run the 3.55, I don't really have an issues with them. At the time, they seemed like the right choice, but I would rather have 3.73 since my car is still N/A.

Don't worry about 3.73 being too high. You'll be fine.
 

155dB5.0

Member
Jul 2, 2003
165
7
18
Upper MI
Dec 10, 2003
#32
  • Dec 10, 2003
  • #32
I realy like my 3.55's and would not trade them for 3.73's
only bad think is 55mph is only about 1700rpm i belive, its kind of out of my powerband but its not to bad. In town driving is great


Darren
 

mustangdaren

Founding Member
Apr 21, 2002
605
0
0
Hildebran, North Carolina
Dec 10, 2003
#33
  • Dec 10, 2003
  • #33
oo7thenova said:
it all depends on the future plans that you may have with the car. Some of my friends get 3.73's or 4.10, then later they add a supercharger and the gears are too much for traction. So they step down to 3.55's or 3.27's.

but if you have an N/A car go with the 3.73's

Good luck
Click to expand...

I have 3.73's in my car and its superchargered, love it. It will blow the tires off at 70mph, man what fun. I originally had 3.08s and drove a friends with 3.55 gears, could hardly tell the difference. With the 3.73's it is just right but if you plan on doing any racing you will definitely need some sticky tires.
 

DirtyD916

Active Member
May 25, 2003
804
1
38
Norcal 916
Dec 11, 2003
#34
  • Dec 11, 2003
  • #34
if you had a supercharged 393 , would 3.55 or 3.73 be better.
 

mustangdaren

Founding Member
Apr 21, 2002
605
0
0
Hildebran, North Carolina
Dec 11, 2003
#35
  • Dec 11, 2003
  • #35
My friend has a Novi 2k supercharged 352 stroker making 22-24 psi of boost, 700rwhp. He has 3.55's in the car. The car runs 10.0's on radials and 9's on slicks with no problems. The car has run mid 8's with a Vortech XX-trim with igloo cooler and the same 3.55 gearing. I couldn't tell you which would be best for a big cube high boost engine but his seems to work fine. I have 3.73's with my 302ci Vortech sc-trim supercharged coupe but I am probably only making near 400 rwhp. It definitely will spin the tires easy in just about any gear but that is what I like, lol. I don't go to the track much, more of a cruiser/show car.
 

runningmole

Founding Member
Jun 24, 2002
1,127
0
36
San Diego, CA
Dec 11, 2003
#36
  • Dec 11, 2003
  • #36
I like my 3.55s
 
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