Fox asking for gearing help

[darryl paarman]

I've had my Notch for a little while now- I'm pretty sure the rear gears are 2.73's = rpm in 5th at 65 is only 1700-1800 rpm.
I'm thinking of swapping some 3.31's in. My car is a Daily driver mostly in town and a short 5 mile stretch on the bypass.
Currently I'm getting average of 14 mpg. As you can see I do have a Vortech supercharger on it. 275/45/17 Nitto 555
I would like some input on my selection....

 

[BlakeusMaximus]

I love my 3.73’s, in town driving only though.

 

[Steel1]

I run 3:73s on my 93GT but it's just a weekend cruiser, for a daily driver I would think 3:55s would be a good all around choice.

 

[Noobz347]

I've had my Notch for a little while now- I'm pretty sure the rear gears are 2.73's = rpm in 5th at 65 is only 1700-1800 rpm.
I'm thinking of swapping some 3.31's in. My car is a Daily driver mostly in town and a short 5 mile stretch on the bypass.
Currently I'm getting average of 14 mpg. As you can see I do have a Vortech supercharger on it. 275/45/17 Nitto 555
I would like some input on my selection....

This is a rather cryptic set of points that you chose to indicate. Tell us what is important here.
What do you want out of it? Do you want it to be a metric ton of fun? Do you want better fuel mileage? I think you want better acceleration but where does fall in relation to "ton of fun" and "fuel mileage"?

Anybody and everybody can come in here and spit out a gear ratio ( I know them all too ) but what help is that?
Let's talk more about your car too. Give us a better (i.e. complete) list of modifications to include suspension and brakes.

I'll tell ya right meow (shhh kitteh I'm typing) if you're asking about gears, I would like to think that your other stuff is already up to snuff (I see nothing in your sig about chassis stiffening, control arms, or brakes).

 

[BlakeusMaximus]

Noobz is right. What’s your plan? My plan was to build a little weekend ripper. I have 3.73’s, subframe connectors, installed hawk pad and drilled rotors, (for now), new brake lines, and upgraded suspension is soon to follow, my stock suspension is actually in good shape. Just don’t have the cash to spend on my car right now. I almost went with 3.55’s but I don’t drive on the highway much, but the gears I have are fine on the highway. I drive my car mainly on weekends. Sometimes to work. 3.73’s worked out fine for me. I would like more first gear sometimes, but I do like when I can shred tires in 2nd!! I don’t give a about gas mileage with this car. It’s not my daily.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Personally, i'm not a fan of my 3.73's in my car. It puts me at an awkward RPM on the highway that's just slightly too fast for 4th but I hate cruising in 5th and needing to drop to 4th to do a minor pass.

I also hate how short 1st is and how it always feels like I need to rev it out and get into 2nd ASAP when taking off from a stoplight. I;'d like a little more MPH out of 1st.

If I could do it all over again.... 3.27 or 3.31. I actually do have a set of 3.27s I want to swap in some day.


For the record, when I had my 2003, it had 3.27's and I loved that gear. Highway driving was awesome. I could do everything I needed in 4th gear. Cruise at 60, cruise at 80 and plenty of passing power.

 

[darryl paarman]

I'm looking for a reliable daily driver. I have no plans to drag race it. More of a good at everything, rather than great at just being fast. I have welded subframe connectors, torque box reinforcement plates, mm lower control arms. Also have replaced the sway bar bushings with polyurethane. I'm actively looking for a 5 lug swap for larger brakes. Battery is in trunk. I already have a larger aluminum radiator. 60 lb injectors, MSPnp2 cobra tubular upper and lower intake. Vortech V3 Sci . Ford racing shorty headers, BBK X pipe full exhaust. It's as fast as I want it just seems like I'm lugging the engine all the time.

 

[darryl paarman]

I feel like it's not efficient , if that's the right description. Like its built for top speed , and not in the power band. For example 5th gear at 55 mph is only roughly 1600 rpms.

 

[Mustang5L5]

For example 5th gear at 55 mph is only roughly 1600 rpms.

That sounds great to me.

Just kidding. 2.73's are much too tall for these cars. However, since you have more HP than stock, going with 3.73's or 4.10's might turn the car into a tire smoker unless you ride around on Drag radials all the time. Just need to pick a gearset that gives you the RPM's you are looking for

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

Try entering some info into that and see what you like. I think 3.31's or even 3.55's might be what you are looking for.

 

[darryl paarman]

so , on the way home I decided to use an APP on my phone using GPS to make sure my speedometer was correct.
Using the gearing calculator Mustang5L5 provided I used 70mph to check.
70 mph = 1950 rpm which means I have 3.27's already.
It's not worth it for me to change gears to 3.55.
I guess I'm just not driving it hard enough !?

 

[General karthief]

I think that with a v3 and 327's you should be able to fry the tires at will. What are you running for heads, cam and intake? Transmission?

 

[darryl paarman]

Oh your right , I have NO problem smoking the tires.

T5 trans , Ford Motorsport - GT40 heads - GT 40 lower and upper tubular intake manifold -

F303 cam. 1/7 roller rockers.

 

[Blown88GT]

The T5 first gear is pretty tall, even with my 3.55's. No WOT in 1st gear with 400hp. 3.31's will be a little better.

 

[General karthief]

I think you need to stick with the gear you have, if in fact it is a 327 ratio, jmo.

 

[Blown88GT]

I think you need to stick with the gear you have, if in fact it is a 327 ratio, jmo.

I agree.