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Gear Swap: 3.27's to 3.73's

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan95-5.0
  • Start date Start date Jan 24, 2004

Dan95-5.0

Active Member
Jun 14, 2003
1,110
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36
Manitoba, Canada
Jan 24, 2004
#1
  • Jan 24, 2004
  • #1
I'm going to get some 3.73's soon to replace my 3.27's to wake up my AODE. i'm curious to how much of an improvement i will get over the factory 3.27's? Also what speedo gear do i use? i have the factory 16 inch rims but with 245's. I will be getting the FMS gears because i can get a good deal from my work. what else should i need when i get this swap done?

thanks
 
S

SuperDust22

The Power of Pixie Dust?!
Oct 19, 2003
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Gilbert,AZ
Jan 24, 2004
#2
  • Jan 24, 2004
  • #2
The gear swap was probably the best mod that I have done. I went with the 3:73's as well. I really wish I would have gone with the 4:10's. As for the speedo gear I am not sure. I think I used a 23 teeth one but I have 17's. I don't think the wheel sizes makes a difference.
 

Quick95GT

New Member
Nov 23, 2003
69
0
0
St. Louis, Mo
Jan 24, 2004
#3
  • Jan 24, 2004
  • #3
my car came stock with the 327's as well and then i put in the 373's . i noticed a world of difference with the 373's, but i kinda wish that i went with 410's as well to get that little extra umph out of the hole. other than that im completely happy with them.
 

Joes95GT

New Member
Jan 23, 2003
3,132
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Delaware
Jan 24, 2004
#4
  • Jan 24, 2004
  • #4
Dont waste your money on those rebuild kits, they aren't worth it. The gears should come with a pinion shim, pinion nut and crush collar, get a bottle of friction modifier for the posi, a pinion seal and pinion bearing. The 23 tooth speedo gear will get you close, but to get the car dead on, your going to need a 21 tooth speedo gear and a yellow 7 tooth (fox body) trans gear.

Joe
 
C

CALIstanggt

New Member
Jan 20, 2004
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0
Granite Bay, California
Jan 24, 2004
#5
  • Jan 24, 2004
  • #5
How much do 3.73's cost usually and how much more would it be for 4.10's ...also how much was your install?
 
S

SuperDust22

The Power of Pixie Dust?!
Oct 19, 2003
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0
Gilbert,AZ
Jan 24, 2004
#6
  • Jan 24, 2004
  • #6
I bought my gears for $189. The 4:10's were the same. I paid $240 for the install. I am going to be switching to 4:10's here soon. I will do the install myself next time.
 
M

myeleanor

New Member
Jul 6, 2003
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tx
Jan 24, 2004
#7
  • Jan 24, 2004
  • #7
the tire size dosnt matter when you change gears and getting the speed gear, as long as the speed gear si the correct ones for that gears size. the fms catalog and the mustang unlimted catalog have charts to get the correct speedo gear
 

ARed1995GT

New Member
Dec 9, 2003
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Boca Raton, FL
Jan 24, 2004
#8
  • Jan 24, 2004
  • #8
http://www.gefracing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=G&Category_Code=50REAR

FMS Gears for 5.0's, they are $140 on that site. Shipping cost is determined by your location. That's the best price for gears i've come across yet.
 
9

9lb302

New Member
Dec 29, 2003
54
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0
Jan 24, 2004
#9
  • Jan 24, 2004
  • #9
Big difference w/ 3.73's - worth the $ IMO, and is the best bang for the buck.

With no power adder and basic bolt on's, I think the 4.10's would be better.
 
S

SuperDust22

The Power of Pixie Dust?!
Oct 19, 2003
1,821
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0
Gilbert,AZ
Jan 25, 2004
#10
  • Jan 25, 2004
  • #10
ARed1995GT said:
http://www.gefracing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=G&Category_Code=50REAR

FMS Gears for 5.0's, they are $140 on that site. Shipping cost is determined by your location. That's the best price for gears i've come across yet.
Click to expand...


That's the best place I have seen too. I think that's where I am going to buy my new gears.
 

Dan95-5.0

Active Member
Jun 14, 2003
1,110
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36
Manitoba, Canada
Jan 25, 2004
#11
  • Jan 25, 2004
  • #11
thanks for the help.

i plan on a adding a blower in the far future so i'd rather just buy gears just once.

Joes95GT- thanks for giving me a list of what to get and not to get. that really sumed it up for me.

Quick95GT- thats why i'm not to sure about either 3.73's or 4.10's. i'm worried if the 3.73's aren't going to be enough. but seeing how i plan on getting a blower 3.73's would be the better choice of the 2.

i guesse i'll order the gears this week then

theres a guy in the corral classifieds selling new gear sets. heres a link
http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=434807
 

Joes95GT

New Member
Jan 23, 2003
3,132
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Delaware
Jan 25, 2004
#12
  • Jan 25, 2004
  • #12
Dan95-5.0 said:
Joes95GT- thanks for giving me a list of what to get and not to get. that really sumed it up for me.

Quick95GT- thats why i'm not to sure about either 3.73's or 4.10's. i'm worried if the 3.73's aren't going to be enough. but seeing how i plan on getting a blower 3.73's would be the better choice of the 2.
Click to expand...
Your welcome. Another thing, if you plan on getting blown, I would not go with 4.10's for many reasons. First, without a chip, you will nail the limiter in 1st gear, and that can get ugly if done too many times. Secondly, if you plan on drag racing the car, your going to need to buy 28 inch tires because you will find that you need overdrive with a 4.10 and a 26 inch tire. 4.10's are a great gear for an N/A car, but for a blown car a 3.73 is the way to go. A 4.10 and a 28 inch tire will perform the same (close enough) as a 3.73 and a 26 inch tire. Sure, you will get more performance from the 4.10 in N/A form, but to me, it's just not worth it.

Joe
 
S

SuperDust22

The Power of Pixie Dust?!
Oct 19, 2003
1,821
0
0
Gilbert,AZ
Jan 25, 2004
#13
  • Jan 25, 2004
  • #13
Joes95GT said:
Your welcome. Another thing, if you plan on getting blown, I would not go with 4.10's for many reasons. First, without a chip, you will nail the limiter in 1st gear, and that can get ugly if done too many times. Secondly, if you plan on drag racing the car, your going to need to buy 28 inch tires because you will find that you need overdrive with a 4.10 and a 26 inch tire. 4.10's are a great gear for an N/A car, but for a blown car a 3.73 is the way to go. A 4.10 and a 28 inch tire will perform the same (close enough) as a 3.73 and a 26 inch tire. Sure, you will get more performance from the 4.10 in N/A form, but to me, it's just not worth it.

Joe
Click to expand...

Exactly what he said. You will hate the 4:10's with the blower. I have seen 4.6's get away with it but with a 5.0 it will be taxing your engine too much. 3:73's is definitely the best choice with the blower. I wouldn't go as high as 3.55's you will be disappointed.
 
W

White03Mach

Founding Member
Apr 23, 2002
360
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0
Jan 25, 2004
#14
  • Jan 25, 2004
  • #14
If you want your speedo as close as you can get it... here is what you do to calculate. . .it is not all about "just get the 21 tooth, just get the 23 tooth" ---negative. Lets take my car for example. I HAD 4.10s in the rear end and that was too steep for the stock speedo drive gear. So i pulled the tranny, cracked the tailshaft housing off, and put a black 6 tooth drive gear. You take the # of drive gear teeth x gear ratio x # of revs per mile(rear wheels) divided by 1000 and that is the # of teeth needed on your driven gear. Mine was 6 x 4.1 x 805(which were275/40) / 1000 = 19.803a 20 tooth was the closest i got. Now that i have 3.73s it is 18.0159.... so an 18 tooth is pretty close for me. Hope this helps ya out.
 
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