89 Lx Auto With 4:10 Gear Ok For Daily Drive ?

[mikestang63]

That's the consensus amongst the crowd that like to drive with their foot in the oil pan all the time. For those that simply like to "cruise", those gear sets are about 2-ratio's too high.

It depends on what your setup is and personal preference. Me? With an AOD and N/A, 3.08's were too high a gear. The 3.73's woke the car up. Now if I was doing all highway driving, sure I'd drop it down a litte.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Makes sense. How about for supercharged cars?

Same deal, just to a greater degree.

It depends on what your setup is and personal preference. Me? With an AOD and N/A, 3.08's were too high a gear. The 3.73's woke the car up. Now if I was doing all highway driving, sure I'd drop it down a litte.

Well, I see it like this. If you're running a set up that requires more gear to function properly with say an aggressive H/C/I combination, they you're certainly not the "cruising"type. You fall into the latter category of guys who like to drive with their foot in the oil pan and with that kind of top end, you probably aren't very concerned with fuel mileage anyway?

There's a wide margin of gear choices between 2.73 and 4.10 for a person to choose from, so it's safe to say one could find a decent compromise in there somewhere that would both wake the car up to some degree and retain some semblance of their highway manners if they wanted to.

FWIW, my mileage dropped about 3-4mpg going from 3.08's, to 3.73's. Yes, it made the car more responsive during jack-rabbit starts, but considering that kind of driving only encompasses less than 5% of my driving habits, the compromise in highway manners, passing power and fuel mileage wasn't worth the gain in acceleration.

 

[mikestang63]

Same deal, just to a greater degree.




Well, I see it like this. If you're running a set up that requires more gear to function properly with say an aggressive H/C/I combination, they you're certainly not the "cruising"type. You fall into the latter category of guys who like to drive with their foot in the oil pan and with that kind of top end, you probably aren't very concerned with fuel mileage anyway?

There's a wide margin of gear choices between 2.73 and 4.10 for a person to choose from, so it's safe to say one could find a decent compromise in there somewhere that would both wake the car up to some degree and retain some semblance of their highway manners if they wanted to.

FWIW, my mileage dropped about 3-4mpg going from 3.08's, to 3.73's. Yes, it made the car more responsive during jack-rabbit starts, but considering that kind of driving only encompasses less than 5% of my driving habits, the compromise in highway manners, passing power and fuel mileage wasn't worth the gain in acceleration.

Like I said Brian, it depends on what your personal preference is. Having the lower gear rato, especially with an AOD means your car isn't lugging around in city driving. I haven't noticed any significant drop in mpg. I'm getting around 18-19 in the city. I am hardly the " foot in the oil pan" person,and the lower gears made a noticeable difference in the car over the 3.08's. Most people that own mustangs don't own them for the mpg anyway. Get a Prius then.

 

[Killa]

my 85 gt 5 speed with a 3.73 now, and I tell you what, I dont like that . it make shift out first gear way way too soon. as soon you step on it, its already 3k rpm.

mabe i am tires by working all day, at the end of hard wor day I just want put in D and cruising home. mabe this is reason why I choose build automatic over manual.

manual is fun to drive, its just not for stuck in traffic , hot weather day, on the phone all time cause of business, holding my gf hand. or tires after long day at work. I think because of it, from now on, im consider an auto guy, rather have an build HD auto then an manual.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Most people that own mustangs don't own them for the mpg anyway. Get a Prius then. Get a Prius then.

I hear what you're saying., but I'm not a person that thinks so one dimensionally. I like the idea of having my cake and eating it too. I don't feel the need to conform to having either performance, or economy....when I can build the car to offer generous helpings of both?

I also do not disagree that city driving isn't affected much (unless of course the person is continuously taking advantage of said new found acceleration after the gear swap....which is often the case ). But highway driving takes a dump regardless. If you don't do much of that, that's fine....but the OP stated he put on 600-mile round trips at a time. I'd say his priorities are going to swing in a different direction than the guy who's looking to pick things up in the lower end with little regards for much else?

 

[Mustang5L5]

Theres tons of extremely low mileage 3.31's out there that came ofvthe newer models. Picked mine up for $30

What's the correct speedo gear for 3.31's?

I like the idea of picking up cheap 3.31's with low miles, but I sometimes think I'd be happier with 3.27's or 3.08's.

Who's making the best gears these days?? I know when i did my 3.73's i went with motorcraft for a reason. Have they moved to china production these days?

 

[Mustang5L5]

That's the consensus amongst the crowd that like to drive with their foot in the oil pan all the time. For those that simply like to "cruise", those gear sets are about 2-ratio's too high.

That's how i fee. I like to cruise around.

After owning a 2003 GT for 5 years, and spending a lot of time on the highway with it, i came to love the 3.27's. You could get on it in 3rd at 45MPH and ride it out to 100MPH and as that 4.6L got higher in RPM, it would just pull more and more. I actually love the longer gears and having throttle response on the highway.

With fox 5-spd and 3.73's...i just feel like I'm already in 4th gear on the on-ramp and have no choice but to use 5th gear when passing at 80MPH unlessi drop to 4th gear and go WOT.

I just think for ME...i'd be happier with a lower gear ratio

 

[Killa]

That's how i fee. I like to cruise around.

After owning a 2003 GT for 5 years, and spending a lot of time on the highway with it, i came to love the 3.27's. You could get on it in 3rd at 45MPH and ride it out to 100MPH and as that 4.6L got higher in RPM, it would just pull more and more. I actually love the longer gears and having throttle response on the highway.

With fox 5-spd and 3.73's...i just feel like I'm already in 4th gear on the on-ramp and have no choice but to use 5th gear when passing at 80MPH unlessi drop to 4th gear and go WOT.

I just think for ME...i'd be happier with a lower gear ratio

yukon gear made some quality gear though, IDK if they made for our fox body, but its popular on LS1tech, last option was ford racing gear, they had good review on LMR , btw ditch the RP gear oil and go with RedLine 75w90 + ford LSD bottle .

if you high way alot, daily drive I would just leave stock gear ^^

 

[jAEded]

my 85 gt 5 speed with a 3.73 now, and I tell you what, I dont like that ****. it make shift out first gear way way too soon. as soon you step on it, its already 3k rpm.

mabe i am tires by working all day, at the end of hard wor day I just want put in D and cruising home. mabe this is reason why I choose build automatic over manual.

manual is fun to drive, its just not for stuck in traffic , hot weather day, on the phone all time cause of business, holding my gf hand. or tires after long day at work. I think because of it, from now on, im consider an auto guy, rather have an build HD auto then an manual.

I'm with you on the gears. I like manual tho... I have 3.55s. On the freeway going 75, it will accelerate quick without downshifting cuz the rpms are already up. City driving kind of sucks cause I go through the gears fast. I barely give it gas in 1st through 3rd and then accelerate once I hit 4th or 5th. Takes like a 1/4 mile to get up to 50 that way, but milage is better.