changing gears - 3.27 or 3.55?

Marshall · May 24, 2005

Great to watch this debate........to get so many varied experiences from stang owners is a terrific thing for us who are far away from the big city action but are also considering a ratio swap.

we can now make a decision based on experience.

Thanx to all contributors.

TheFleshRocket · Jul 27, 2005

I assumed my '89 GT vert had 2.73 gears, because they were extremely tall--turning a good bit under 3000rpm at 100mph. So I picked up a set of used 3.27s and had them installed. Well lo and behold, my new gears felt exactly the same as the old ones.

So I checked, and I had 3.27s before the swap. Not only did I pay to have the gears replaced with the exact same gears, the new used gears have developed a clunk to them.

I'm ordering myself a set of 3.73s, brand new. I advise you to do the same.

GRGT1994 · Jul 27, 2005

Too much debate going on here between 3.55 and 3.73. There is really very little difference there, not much of anything from a SOTP perspective anyway. So to serve the poster's concern about going too radical, maybe he should go with the 3.55 for purely phsychological reasons, because there really are NO performance reasons to make the distinction. Yes, in the long run he will clearly be better off with the 3.73 gears, but live and learn.

3.27 is just plain stupid, as pointed out amply well above. You just dont spend $500 for that kind of an inconsequential change. Stay away from the idiot who made that suggestion in the first place.

jeffs89gt · Jul 27, 2005

id say 3.55s. my $.02

GRGT1994 · Jul 27, 2005

5spd GT said:
I guess this thread shows who read the post and who didn't...

"my wife also drives the car"...

Go no more than the 355's...5.0Nostalgia said it well...

I disagree. More aggressive gears are actually EASIER to drive. You can pull away from a stop or off a hill easier. Clutch engagement is smoother. And the difference in "rowing the gears" between 3.55 and 3.73 is nill.

Car RamRod · Jul 27, 2005

whtpny said:
For what he is after than 3.55s will be great. People need to remember not all of us need the most perfreomance possible just an improvement over the sad 2.73 gears.

xactly. I went from 273s to 355s, and the difference is amazing. Second gear burnouts anyone?

Foxfan88 · Jul 27, 2005

i say 4.30s!

j/k
3.55s

5spd GT · Jul 28, 2005

GRGT1994 said:
I disagree. More aggressive gears are actually EASIER to drive. You can pull away from a stop or off a hill easier. Clutch engagement is smoother. And the difference in "rowing the gears" between 3.55 and 3.73 is nill.

No not necessarily...the gas becomes much more touchy and cruise control is also affected in a negative light. To much fluctuation.

Their is a difference...I still say for this case...go no steeper than 3:55's.

Don't call anybody an idiot by the way...name calling ='s

Euphoric306 · Jul 28, 2005

my car does the rattle, shake, lurch thing too when i drive below 1500 rpms, is this normal, or whats going on

by the way... my vote goes to 3.55's

3000rpm gets me about 95 mph in 5th (estimated cuz my speedo only goes to 85 )

MeanMussy · Jul 28, 2005

wife = 3.55

Fishhawk · Jul 28, 2005

notchback said:
crap another double post but hey....

i used to get 14.30's out of my old '88 w/ 5-speed and 2.73's on street tires and bone bone bone stock

so if you want to improve on your 15.xx's .....improve your driving and don't worry about the gears.

btw...not talking to you whtpny....just making a statement in general

performance + fuel economy = "not ever gonna happen"

I run low 13's @ 104 with 3.55's and get 22 MPG. I say go with the 3.55's You'll notice a big difference from the 2.73's.

Fishhawk · Jul 28, 2005

Maryland Stang said:
I'm going to be the oddball here. My wife absolutely hates to drive my car because of it's lack of traction. She even hates it in the dry. 3.55s are going to make a traction problem even worse for you. 3.27s will give you more acceleration over 2.73s. Then there is also the issue of the speedo gear. 3.27 is as low as you can reliably go without tearing the tranny apart and changing the drive gear.

You guys need to remember that his wife will also be driving this car. The lower the gear the less likely it is that she'll wanna drive the car if she's anything like my wife.

Tearing the tranny apart to change a speedo gear?????? All you do is pull the speedometer cable out of the trans and replace it with a new $5 plastic gear. Takes longer to jack the car up and put it on jack stands then it does to replace the gear.

tjm73 · Jul 28, 2005

I actually been thinking on and off about going down to 3.55's in my car. I had 3.08's stock. Went to 3.55's and then 3.73's within a few months. On my car I love 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th withthe 3.73's. They are fine. First is just too steep IMO. My other option is a Z-spec T5.

For you if it's 3.27 or 3.55, go 3.55.

QDRHRSE · Jul 28, 2005

I hear what everybody is saying and a few years back I would have agreed with 3.73-4.10's but I think 3.55's are perfect for a car that sees a lot of road miles. Whoever said that they run out of gear with 3.55's must have a 4spd....that's poppycock!!!! FYIoppycock is a funny word- as to not be insulting.....

changing gears - 3.27 or 3.55?

Marshall

TheFleshRocket

GRGT1994

New Member

jeffs89gt

New Member

GRGT1994

New Member

Car RamRod

Banned

Foxfan88

My Grandpa has great wood.

5spd GT

"the 5.0 owns all"

Euphoric306

New Member

MeanMussy

Fishhawk

New Member

Fishhawk

New Member

tjm73

QDRHRSE

New Member

Similar threads

changing gears - 3.27 or 3.55?

New Member

New Member

New Member

Banned

My Grandpa has great wood.

"the 5.0 owns all"

New Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency