Gears are over rated.....

BaconBits · Nov 20, 2005

At least that's what I thought for a VERY long time. Like most of you gearless guys, I was a member of your club for a very long time. Sure I read all of the COUNTLESS posts saying that gears were the BEST mod you could do. Yada, yada, yada! Instead I did all of the easy bolt-on's. Spent a lot of money, and after just about every install I would say "Yeah, I think I feel a difference...it does feel faster" that second part only added after you look at how much you just spent! I would talk to guys about my Stang and they would always say "Dude, get some gears!" Instead I would always do the next best "bolt-on". None of them were very satisfying. (although I do love the way a V8 sounds through a Loudmouth I) I knew all of the "hype" was not without merit. Running out of bolt-on's, I knew it was time. So despite how afraid I was to do them, and I WAS afraid, but I REFUSE to pay labor on any mod I do - never have, never will. I bought a set of 4.10's and a rebuild kit. With the help of my Brother we put them in this weekend following these how to's...
http://www.superstallions.com/tech/drive/gears/gears.html
http://www.corral.net/tech/drivetrain/gears.html
http://www.mustang50magazine.com/techarticles/138_0302_rear/
Sure, the gear oil is the most fowl odor you will smell, and yes we had to take the dif out a few times to get the backlash right. And maybe it wasn't right that we walked into a hardware store and used the floor model demo to press on the bearings to the pinion gear because we thought the local NAPA store would have one (they didn't, and it was Sunday - out of options). Maybe you will be luckier than we were having to bang the "F" out of the pinion gear for an HOUR to get it loose, and then having to get that damn new gear oil back in without spilling it all over.
But the ride home made me a believer! HOLY CRAP!! My car is 1000lbs lighter! I can use 5th gear!!! 2nd and 3rd are a BLAST! This is hands down the BEST mod I have ever done outside of nitrous! This should have been my FIRST mod. I AM A BELIEVER!!!

hotmustang331 · Nov 20, 2005

Yea gears help ALOT, and the car does feel alot faster. I did most boltons before my 3.73s and I LOVE them. I kept on nailing it on the straights on my way home from work to feel the power. It was awsome, and im just glad I didnt get a ticket from all the 100MPH blasts LOL.

tylerrocks · Nov 20, 2005

This is what I keep telling my buddy with an 03 Mach1. He is like talking to a brick wall as he is not mechanically minded. He keeps asking me how much HP it will give him. When I tell him none he kinda tunes out. He wants to buy a $400 superchip instead. go figure.

Tyler

tomustang · Nov 20, 2005

ponysarepretty · Nov 20, 2005

tylerrocks said:
This is what I keep telling my buddy with an 03 Mach1. He is like talking to a brick wall as he is not mechanically minded. He keeps asking me how much HP it will give him. When I tell him none he kinda tunes out. He wants to buy a $400 superchip instead. go figure.

Tyler

tell him that 3.73s give him a 7% or 21hp gain and 4.1s will give him a 20% or 60 hp gain... its basically true.

FalconGuy016 · Nov 20, 2005

Hmmm it'd be nice to do myself. I have access to those basic tools...

Hmmmm

joshheat25 · Nov 20, 2005

Man Let someone who has done hundreds of rear ends do it! It is more complicated than you think! It is worth it in the long Run. Cause if you mess up then you have to pay alot more!

FalconGuy016 · Nov 20, 2005

Well thats what I thought but after reading those instructions... I don't see what requires a professional.

hotmustang331 · Nov 20, 2005

joshheat25 said:
Man Let someone who has done hundreds of rear ends do it! It is more complicated than you think! It is worth it in the long Run. Cause if you mess up then you have to pay alot more!

3.73s are VERY simple. You dont have to change the shim on the pinion gear, and just swap the carrier spacers and there you go. PERFECT. And by swapping the carrier spacers I mean taking the left side spacer that goes between the carrier and the housing to the right side. They appear to be the same, but we have tried it with 2 rearends and it is too tight if you put them back they way they come off, swap them and it slips right in. Iv been running mine for a while now and 0 problems, and no whine.

Justin03GT · Nov 21, 2005

its not that complicated, i did mine going in completely blind with no prior gear knowledge, although i was a mechanic for over a year..but never touched a gear set before and the two hardest things for me was getting the ABS sensors out without breaking them(they had rusted) and getting the stock pinion gear out...what makes like easy is having access to air tools, wouldnt have wanted to do the job without them...

Maza4ever14 · Nov 21, 2005

got mine installed today. didnt feel the difference but i didnt mash it. i need to get it tuned tho cuz the speedo is off by 20mph

BaconBits · Nov 21, 2005

My brother and I had never done anything like that before either. I've wanted to do gears, but was always afraid to do it. It is not easy that's for sure, but you can do it without any prior knowledge. And don't tell yourself that you "can't".
Look at it this way, if someone told you that if you did the gears on your car successfully, they would give you a million dollars. You would FIND a way to do it no doubt. So that being said it's not that you can't do it, because you can. You just choose not to. DON’T FEAR THE GEAR!

timeless2 · Nov 21, 2005

3.73s are what I'll do when I get the time/money. My mod fund is basically spare change.

billfisher · Nov 21, 2005

4.30's... do or do not... but don't d i ( |< around...

trailblazr81 · Nov 21, 2005

Well since I dont have the proper tools and I dont want my first gear install to be on my DD Im wanting to have it done. Just need to find a shop that wont rape me.

BaconBits · Nov 21, 2005

I'd ask around the parts department at your local Ford dealer. I have found that there is usually someone who does stuff like that on the side or they know someone who does. Don't expect to pay less than $300 for the job though. But even at $200 for gears and $300 for an install, it would be worth EVERY penny. I've had some time to drive my car some more and I can't wipe the smile off my face! Hands down the best mod you can do. I kick myself for waiting so long. They don't call it the poor man's supercharger for nothing!!! IT IS A BLAST!!!!!

007 · Nov 21, 2005

BaconBits said:
I'd ask around the parts department at your local Ford dealer. I have found that there is usually someone who does stuff like that on the side or they know someone who does. Don't expect to pay less than $300 for the job though. But even at $200 for gears and $300 for an install, it would be worth EVERY penny. I've had some time to drive my car some more and I can't wipe the smile off my face! Hands down the best mod you can do. I kick myself for waiting so long. They don't call it the poor man's supercharger for nothing!!! IT IS A BLAST!!!!!

You should'a listened to us! :SNSign: Definately the best mod I did too.

Jackie Chan · Nov 21, 2005

yeah the gears are the ONLY thing i noticed on my vert. Those and slicks

69Rcode_Mach1 · Nov 21, 2005

Man hearing this makes me really wanna get some gears for the old girl and see how she runs.

ponysarepretty · Nov 21, 2005

hotmustang331 said:
3.73s are VERY simple. You dont have to change the shim on the pinion gear, and just swap the carrier spacers and there you go. PERFECT. And by swapping the carrier spacers I mean taking the left side spacer that goes between the carrier and the housing to the right side. They appear to be the same, but we have tried it with 2 rearends and it is too tight if you put them back they way they come off, swap them and it slips right in. Iv been running mine for a while now and 0 problems, and no whine.

i hope you found some wood to knock on.

Gears are over rated.....

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