My new Mods List

[CRoberts91]

Need help with cams, gears, etc!

Hey guys, i finally have a solid mod list down and just wanted your input on a few things. here is the list as stands.

Tokico D-Spec suspension kit (shocks, struts, and springs)
BMR Fabrication Anti-Wheelhop Package
FR500 Wheels 18x9/10
Nitto NT555 255/45-R18 (2)
Nitto NT555 295/45-R18 (2)
3.90 Gears
Steeda Pulley Kit
Cams (FRPP HotRods or COMP stage II NSRs)
MRT Hood Struts
GT500 Spoiler (ordered today)

first off, i believe Darkfire is runnin the same size wheels/tires without a problem. is this combo compatible with lowering springs and what-not?

second, i cant find any 3.90 gears made by Ford and i don't want to get any from motive or 5.0 because i've heard so many horror stories about them. anyone know if FRPP makes 3.90s? should i just go with 3.73? i dont want 4.10s because i like using 1st gear. any input?

lastly, which cam would be best for a mildly modified DD? i saw a dyno chart where the hot rods performed better from idle to about 5800rpms and only had about 3-5 peak hp less than the NSRs. what do you think?

All of this will be installed this coming winter once i get back from basic training and my 68W AIT, so i have time to research and play around with some different ideas. thanks in advance for any advice. god bless.

 

[CRoberts91]

can anyone help me out here?

 

[gashog]

Regarding the gears, I believe richmond makes a set of 3.90s. They are not as popular as 3.73s or 4.10s with these cars. FRPP doesn't make a set.

I was personally considering the 3.90s but I believe after reading so many stories here on the net i'll probably end up with the 4.10s.

 

[dbrufus1234]

after the goin to the track its, then no doubt you need to put et streets on that list

 

[CRoberts91]

yeah, once i get decent tires and wheels i'll use my old wheels to put some M&Hs on there

 

[chad9350]

Go to at least 4.10.... 4.30 or 4.56's are run by alot of people on their daily drivers; I have for over a year

All else looks good

 

[bynumj]

Keep in mind that if you run a 295/45/18 (diameter 28.45”) tire in the back you will effectively change the gear ratio, the stock diameter is 27.18”. Your stock 3.31gear will be like a 3.17 gear equivalent.

Also, when you start trying to compare what gear to use, do not just go with what you hear people say about the gear by itself. You have to consider if they have an Auto (5R55s) or Manual (T-3650), what size tire they are running, and if they have FI.

I have the 4.10 gear and a 27.58” diameter tire; I would have went with the 4.30 gear but I am putting on the Vortech supercharger and thought that it may be too much (I will see in a week or two). With that said, the 4.56 gear will be the optimal gear with DRs for track use NA car.

I am assuming that FI is not in your future because you are talking about putting in cams and you would need to use different cams for FI and NA cars to be cost effective.

If you want to gear the car for the track, I would actually make the jump to the 4.30 gear; you need to consider what tire you will be running. Here are a few examples for trap rpm with speeds between 100-105 mph on a 5-speed car:

295/45/18
4.30s will put you through the trap in 4th gear @ 5100-5400 rpm. You will really have to work on the launch with street tires.
4.10s will put you through the trap in 4th gear @ 4850-5050 rpm
3.73s will put you through the trap in 3rd gear @ 5800-6100 rpm.

ET Street Radial II 265/40/18
4.30s will put you through the trap in 4th gear @ 5450-5750 rpm.
4.10s will put you through the trap in 4th gear @ 5200-5450 rpm
3.73s will put you through the trap in 4th gear @ 4725-4975 rpm. 3rd gear becomes unusable for the trap.

4.10s are a good compromise for street and track use with stock height tires but with 28.5” diameter tires the 4.30s would be a better choice for overall performance. In addition, if you are going to run the 295/24/18 street tires at the track, you are hurting your ETs with the 3.73s because you will not get any use out of fourth and your launch will be slow with high 60-foot times. If you run a drag radial with 3.73s, you will need to keep its diameter over 27.75 inches to keep you in 3rd through the trap or the 4th gear shift will kill you. There are many factors to consider when getting the gears and tires setup right for your application.

I have a good spreadsheet that will show your tire diameter, tire revs per mile, rpm at mph with choice of gear, mph at rpm and more if you would like it.

If you are not going to run at the track or do not care about your times, 3.73 gears would be great for DD.

Let us talk about the cams you want to get. If you are going to go FI in the future you need to plan for the right cams this also goes for gears. Assuming that you are going to stay NA, I have heard the best comments come from those with comp cams. I personally would get the Thumper or Mutha Thumper cams (if I were staying NA), they are by far the best cams you can get for the sound and offer good power gains above 4500 rpm. You will also need gears with both these and the stage II cams.

I hope this is worth your reading and good luck in training.


To open the file, change the gear_chart.txt file extension to gear_chart.xls and open the excel file or use the open with excel command.

 

[CRoberts91]

well, i must say that excel chart is quite impressive. I'll take your word and go with 4.10s. i will get some M/T ET Streets put on the stock wheels once i get my new set of wheels/tires. as for the cam. i do want to go FI at some point i just dont know when. when i get back from basic training this summer i'll have in the neighborhood of $7.5k in my pocket. the list above is gonna run me at least $2,500, so i might have the cash, but i want the KB 2.6L and that bad boy isn't cheap. will it hurt me to run blower grind cams for a while until i get the KB?

 

[06bluegt]

if you have the money you should consider the 4.10 gears then get the tr6060 kit which will come with aluminum drive shaft, short throw, bellhousing and then you can have a higher gear so through 1-4 you will have the tourqe from the gearing then with the double overdrive 6th gear it will be close to like having 3.73 on a 5 speed tranny so u wont lose to much gas mileage...and you will have close to what u wanted with the 3.90 but you will have the tourqe

 

[CRoberts91]

thats not a bad idea, 06. i'll probably do that because i've always wanted a six speed, plus i dont want to tear up my TR-3650 with that KB blower. i assume you have one, are you pleased with yours?

 

[bynumj]

Gear Chart

To open the file, change the gear_chart.txt file extension to gear_chart.xls and open the excel file or use the open with excel command.

Here is a new and improved gear chart.

 

[chad9350]

That would be great if all dead hooked in a vacume... get to the track... better yet, after you get the gears.... in less than 2 months you wont notice and unless you tell someone its done, noone will know... but your pocket book

 

[06bluegt]

i plan on getting the t6060 and 4.10 gears jst waiting on some cash...the car has been set on the back burner bc im buyin a house....the t6060 is a good trans and it has been proven to hold up on the gt500...the kit is 4000 which isnt bad bc it comes with everything but the clutch(bellhousing, 1piece aluminum driveshaft, short throw shifter, and trans)

 

[bynumj]

Trans Upgrade Needed?

if you have the money you should consider the 4.10 gears then get the tr6060 kit which will come with aluminum drive shaft, short throw, bellhousing and then you can have a higher gear so through 1-4 you will have the tourqe from the gearing then with the double overdrive 6th gear it will be close to like having 3.73 on a 5 speed tranny so u wont lose to much gas mileage...and you will have close to what u wanted with the 3.90 but you will have the tourqe

Here are the gear ratios for both transmissions:
5-Speed gear ratios are 3.38, 2.00, 1.32, 1.00, and 0.68
6-Speed gear ratios are 2.97, 1.78, 1.30, 1.00, .80, and .63

6th gear (0.63) in the TR6060 and 5th gear (0.68) in the TR3650 only have a 7.9%diffrence. They also have approx the same 3rd gear and same 4th gear. I would save the $4000 on the 6-speed kit.

The stock trans is strong enough for any HP you will be able to give it with a stock motor. There is a long list of things that are required well before thinking about the 6-speed and by the time you get to it, it may be wise just to go pick up a GT500 and throw some gears and a tune at it all for under $38,000.

I love my GT but I will not over build it; a GT500 would be in my future if I were going to drop $6000 on FI and $4000 on a trans kit + clutch and labor for it all.

 

[06bluegt]

good to know the gear ratios...i didnt now them... i was goin off some old trannys...in that case u r right bynumj....but for me i got the car for a steal at the time i could do FI and tranny and still b cheaper then a gt500...but im still the 6speed but i goin N/A...ill have to dig and get my numbers i can tell how much of an rpm difference it will be between the trannys...that way there will b for sure numbers for someone to go off of...another thing to take into consideration is the insurance when if u get the gt500 it will prolly b a lil more...i already pay to much considering im under 25 and not married...