How did you get down to a 13.3 trap time with a 96mph trap speed...I guess you had somesort of traction adder (wide dr's or slicks?). Anyways... Go with 373's on a daily driver (that is my suggestion)...I'll put some info for your gear selection decision. If your worried about "hurting" anything the 373's will technically be better for you over the 410's... 373’s will be more daily driver friendly and if you get boost/nitrous later you won't run out of gear at the track and you will have less traction problems. Some that have actually had both gears were slower at the track with 410's over 373's and some also claimed no seat of the pants difference. I run 2400 rpm at 70mph (I have 373's)…the 410’s will run higher closer to the 2600-2700rpm range with the 245/50/16’s I have on my car. Here is how I look at when picking gears for a daily driver...To me the gearing of 410's or steeper on a daily driver is not worth it to me...you get worse gas mileage/more engine wear/and use your shifting components more (clutch/trans/etc)...around town...and I also look at it like this...when your cruising on the highway at 80mph (interstate) your cruising at roughly 3000rpm with 410's...that is HALF your 302's revving capabilities and that is in the overdrived 5th gear at CRUISE...not at WOT...I personally don't like the idea of having half the engines revving capabilities at just cruise. Also...what if an emergency comes up and you got to "get it"...you have to be there for someone or are running to the hospital...and running higher than 80mph...maybe running 4500rpm steadily (faster than 80mph of course)...during that emergency I don't think that would be a good time for your engine to let go on you...what do you think? Then you have to factor in 410's or steeper cause my engine braking at higher rpms on the highway...go pull out somewhere and hold your car to 2500rpm or so (worse with gears) and feel the engine try to slow you down when you let off the gas...same similar occurance happens on the highway/interstate plus the wind resistance. I know when I had the slipping clutch problem I could smell the clutch burn at a higher rpm cruise which in my case was comparing 2000rpm to 2500rpm. At the lower rpm I didn’t smell it but the higher rpm I could smell it. Just some things to think about when you think you want every little tenth out of your car (4:10’s)…I prefer a better overall performance personally… Go 373's...I would rather want more (373's to 410's) than get to much (410's) and want less (373's)...get what I'm saying? There will also be less drivetrain shock under traction with 373's over 410's... The problem with 410's in an AOD is you only have 3 gears to work with at the track (effective gears anyways) and the gears will get you out of those gears quicker and you could lose your gearing powerband at the track. Also if they were to convert to a t5 (pretty popular actually) then they are "stuck" with the higher revving 410's...I hate the "winding out" sound on the highway with a gear like that... On the listing of "pros/cons" of a mod like gears. I have stressed that in a couple choice threads, for example on shorty vs. longtube headers. Longtubes will get a better midranging power over the shortys (so the pro is more power) but some forget to mention the cons of it which are buying a matching mid-pipe (more money and aren't able to use the stock mid-pipe) along with ground clearance issues (especially on a lower car) and also the difficulty of install is "stepped up" quite a bit when trying to get longtubes in. It also can cause heat-soak issues and steering column clearance/rubbing issues. The potential purchaser has to ask themself is the extra midrange worth it? Then you get your answer... So I ask...are the 410's (a tenth or two quicker at track to a matched combo over 373's) worth it? (more engine/drivetrain wear/worse gas mileage/and a couple other "cons" listed above in my post)...again the potential driver/purchaser has got to ask themselves what they want willys1 (member on this site) actually was slower at the track in his bolt-on car with 410's than he was with 373's but that was in a 5.0L... To often people go "drive" a friend's car with gears and go have fun in the car and don't drive it normally or thing of longterm effects with normal driving. They often just use their SOTP meter to determine what gear they want but when a final gear ratio effects all different parts of you and your car...I think it is best to not try a gear ratio "drag strip style" but "daily driver style"... I have rode and drove in every car except one with 4:56’s and I see easily how the 4:10’s and especially 4:30’s are overkill for a daily driver. One trip on the interstate will let you know… Also on the 200rpm difference (I actually think it is a bit more) but to put that into perspective since I ride at 2400rpm at 70mph I run 2600rpm at 80mph but that is a "big" difference in the feel of the car. Just as well you will be even more limited with the 410's pushing nearly 3000rpm just at cruise Every time I drive on the interstate with the 373's I just can't imagine having 4:10's… Again good luck with your choice
It's all about opinion. I have 4.10's and love them around town ect.. but I do not really like them for 70MPH ish HWY driving as they cause the RPM +2600 to be a little high for my personal liking. Only effected MPG by 1 or 2 on HWY drives. But I will most likely change them for 3.73 when I go SC'd. Just try one set and if you don't like them save up the cash and change them out.
I agree..around town they are great for a daily driver that is only on the highway occasionally. If you commute, it will be a little louder. If you are having troouble with traction and 4.10s, then you need to re-learn how to drive with the new gears. The guys having traction issues need more practice. My first gear is very useable with stock bfgs. Btw, I have no evidence, but I think I am prob. about a half sec quicker in the 1/4.
Where did the 302 come from? I thought the 4.6L was a 281. Why on earth do you only have three gears to work with down the track When ever I go down there with my 4.10's I alway use gears 1-4 if you know how to launch your car properly! I trap around 100 mph and I only have basic mods. The problem is that some people don't know how or when to shift their car to get the most out of it! The speed limit in the of State of Washington is 70 mph last time I checked, and some states it's 80 mph so your either cruising at 2400-2600= 3.73's or 2600-2800=4.10's I verified my speedo reading with my GPS system so I know it's spot on. If I had stock exhaust then maybe the 4.10's would nicer to drive on the HWY, IMO... But anyways fun pulling up next to a ricer and barking the tires on the HWY at 70 mph with 4.10's
it all boils down to what you use your car for, me I have a auto so 4.30 with a 3500rpm stall converter. I race on saturdays and use my car daily in the summer. yes I'm 3K at 70mph but I don't race on the highway. One thing to remember our 281 motor do not make a lot of torque down low, so steeper gears help get the car moving quicker and gets you in the powerband quicker. My gears will be installed this weekend, but I can tell you if you have a auto 3.73 is not enough gear! Kurt
Thanks very much. All of your replied are very helpful. To continue, I race only a couple times a year so I am leaning more towards the 3.73 as my car is mainly a daily driver with a little bit of punch. A friend and neighbour of mine, who I respect greatly, has told me that the 4.10's aren't right for my car. I just don't have the revs or the power to make the most of a 4.10 gear. My car's HP PEAKS at 5000-5200 RPM.
Your friend is soooo mistaken, these cars should have come stock with 4.10s IMHO. There is a great write up about 4.10s here on stangnet that will explain it a lot more technically than I could. gears
My understanding is that in the 4.6L, your HP is in the upper band, thus a 4.10 will keep you in that band at ready to go, or get you into that band quickly. A 5.0L would probably be better suited with a 3.55, or 3.73 with an automatic, but its grunt is down low. Off the subject, does anyone know a good shop around Indy or central Indiana to have my gears installed, and have it dyno-tuned, because I have no idea where to dyno tune this bieatch
in an NA bolt on car I havent seen to many 3.73 cars pull 1.7 60' times like i have with the bigger gear and crappy mac control arms. also if you are going to beat on the car, the steeper the gear, the less stress it is on the engine and driveline in front of the gear to get you moving (where breakage usually happends)
I guess this all depends on your setup as the different gears will have different benefits. What size wheels/tyres will you be running, what state of tune is your car, ie is it tuned for high end high rpms power or low end grunt. If you car is grunty and breathless up top then 4.10's would be over kill as they may over rev the engine forcing you to be out of your peak power band. Or simple just to low a gear, if you run a twin screw blower then you may find you have too much grunt of the line to hook up well. Or alternatively if your going for an n/a screamer with an 8000rpm red line the 4.10's will work wonders as they will keep you right in the power band and due to the increase in engine rpms wil keep the in gear speeds up as well. Pick the gears for the nature of the car, else choose you gears and tune around them.
Your friend is greatly mistaken. A 4.6 mustang makes it's power up top. I think some people are giving bad info on the 4.10's. If you have chassis and suspension modifications including tires then the 4.10's will rule. I don't really drive around 80 on the interstate much so it's not a concern to me. If all you do is interstate driving then maybe. I noticed you have stage II cams, and regardless of your peak, you are making good power after that rpm. 4.10's on a 5.0 is different compared to 99+ 4.6's. My car is a daily summer driver and I have 52,000 miles(roughly 15,000 w/4.10's) and never a problem. A dyno chart of your combo would help a ton. You don't need to drive 80 all the time....drive 70 ish and when someone steps up that's when you drop the hammer. Good luck with your decision, just make sure it's 4.10's!!! Do yourself a favor, how often do you get the chance to do the RIGHT thing??.
