mach18604 said:
I have differing opinions than most on gears but my opinion is really based on what the desires are for what one wants out of their Mach1.
I have had 3.55's, 3.73's, 4.30's and 4.56's in mine and if you're only going for 1/4 mile, don't waste your time on anything but the 4.56's!
If you want a good gear that develops all the power in the first 4 gears throughout the entire power band, than 3.73's are it. Even the Director of Engineering for the Mach1 (Scott Hoag) says the best gear for the Mach1 is a 3.73 for the most overall usable power.
I started with 4.30's thinking I was going 1/4 mile racing only. I found the Mach1 had a lot of RPMs left going through the traps with that ratio so I went to 4.56's. With those gears the Mach1 went through the traps with little left up top which is ideal if you are only concerned with the 1/4 mile.
I read a lot here and other Forums as well and taked in large with Scott Hoag who is now at MRT and decided to go with the 3.73's since I planned to do some Road Course Track Days as well.
I found that when I had 3.55's in order to get to red-line in 4th gear it was a long distance endeavor, with the 4.30's and 4.56's it reached red-line too quickly in 4th but didn't pull all that well in 5th to make up for it, although 5th was way more useful than stock.
Now with the 3.73's the Mach1 pulls strong in 4th right up to red-line which I'd say with that gear you are using the complete power band available as the Mach1 was designed.
As far as 3.90's they are always a good in the middle gear. I find a little problem with that though and that is Ford or FRPP does not offer that ratio. A good gear guy with all the proper Tools can install any ratio but the way Ford sets up their gears, using the Ford Factory Set-up Tools, I know the same pinion shims are used regardless of which "Ford" Gear is being used because of the methods used in Manufacturing.
With that said, if a person is using Fords method for setting up gears with the Ford Set-up Tools, as I do, then I'd only use "Ford" gears but if using a conventional set-up process, like most Shops other than Ford use, than any gear can be used. I say that only because I don't feel all aftermarket gears are manufactured to the same specifications as Ford's gears are and using Ford's set-up process could result in incorrect settings when using other than Ford gears.