To 4.30 or not to 4.30, THAT is the question!!!!

[Nate14120]

Ok, one of my mustnag buddies keeps telling me how much he hates his 4.10 gears on his 92 5.0 (think thats his year). I told him yesterday i'm planning on some 4.30's next spring and he got all worked up about it because he hates his 4.10's. Of course, his car dyno's at 425 and mine around 270....he told me i will have a huge traction problem and will get crappy miliage....I DONT WANT TO BELIEVE HIM!!! CONVINCE ME PLEASE!!!!

O yeah, my car is a 97 cobra

 

[AzSnake]

Mileage should be close to the same because your actually in the throttle less time when accelerating to a certian speed. Traction may be an issue on the street but if your going to go 4:30's you need to look at DR's or ET streets for the track. I would just run a good set of DR's on the street and possibly start out in 2nd on the street. You won't have a problem on the street as long as you don't go crazy with the throttle. It will be hard. J's98snake is sending me his 4:30's and as soon as I get them im getting them installed.

 

[missouri_guy197]

4.10's on a 5.0 and 4.30's on a DOHC 4.6 are two different beasts...He probably doesn't like them because he runs out of gear at the track and has to shift into 5th...4.30's on a DOHC and you are just shifting into 4th at the 1000' mark...

I'm moving up from 4.10's to 4.30's sometime this spring, they are in the other room waiting to go in...

 

[99SVTAddict]

4.10's on a 5.0 and 4.30's on a DOHC 4.6 are two different beasts...He probably doesn't like them because he runs out of gear at the track and has to shift into 5th...4.30's on a DOHC and you are just shifting into 4th at the 1000' mark...

I'm moving up from 4.10's to 4.30's sometime this spring, they are in the other room waiting to go in...

What he said
Just ditched my 4.10's for 4.30's during my solid axle install.
Can't wait for next spring.

 

[trents99]

Yes 4.30s all the way. Can't compare a Fox to a DOHC Cobra in terms of gearing.

 

[kyliesdad]

just ask him what he shifts at, then tell him what u shift at, then tell him to go buy a 4 vavle, and build it up. he wont be sorry.

 

[kyliesdad]

BTW, go with the 4.30s

 

[5.0's 4 ever]

I run 4.30s in my cobra and love them, I still get 21mpg on the highway. I also run 4.10s in my convertible and love those gears with the 5.0, I do have a serious traction problem but I have a lot of work to do suspension, tire, and drivetrain wise to get it under control.

 

[Angus]

Don't fear the gear!

Had 4.10's in my '01 Cobra, wish I'd installed 4.30's...

 

[rays1999cobra]

Had 4.10s installed in my '99. I also wish I had gone with 4.30s. Since you have a 4.6 4V, 4.30s all the way!!! Like mentioned above, comparing 5.0 and 4.6 gearing is like comparing apples to oranges. Go for it. You'll thank us immediately after the test drive.

 

[soon2bblown]

I went with 4.30's and I believe this is the all around gear, very streetable, yet keeps you in your sweetspot at all times, I would not go with anything else on your DOHC. Highway driving is no problem for me at all, 65 mph and around 2500 rpms.

 

[COBRyan]

just do it

 

[SnakeBite98]

i just got my 4.10's installed yesterday and spent all last night driving around getting them broken in. i admit that 4.30's are probably a better naturally aspirated gear but since im planning on charging in the spring or summer 4.10's are plenty. BTW i don't really understand the whole shifting right before the line BS, driving around today i opened it up on the freeway, at 95mph im at about 5k rpm's in 4th, when i cross the line it should be at around 5500rpm's. but i haven't been to the track so im not totally sure, we'll see when i hit the track. if staying naturally aspirated then go 4.30, if charging, go 4.10, seem to be a perfect all around gear.

 

[fiveofanatic]

Most say that you're shifting from 3rd to 4th right before the end of the 1/4 mile, slowing you with another gear change, & not in the next gear (4th) long enough to get more acceleration from it. Check your RPM's in 3rd approaching 100mph, not 4th.

 

[BadMoFo]

anouther vote for 4.30's. I have 4.10's and wish I had gotten more gear, but I do hope to get a power adder and hopefully I made the right choice. I will be very mad if I need more gear after I get more power.