Do 4.10s ever get annoying?

I don't understand the fact that 4.10s or 4.30s are slower than stockers above 100 mph... I mean, don't higher gears allow to stay in your powerband all the way to 140-150 mph? How could a 99-100 mph GT get beat by a 96-97 mph Maxima just because of gears?

My '01 GT has 4.30s and I didn't have the chance of testing the performances above 100 mph on highway yet... I'm pretty scared of your comments. ;)
 
  • Sponsors (?)


Xcessiv said:
I don't understand the fact that 4.10s or 4.30s are slower than stockers above 100 mph... I mean, don't higher gears allow to stay in your powerband all the way to 140-150 mph? How could a 99-100 mph GT get beat by a 96-97 mph Maxima just because of gears?

My '01 GT has 4.30s and I didn't have the chance of testing the performances above 100 mph on highway yet... I'm pretty scared of your comments. ;)

They're not slower than stockers above 100mph...they're way quicker, for the reasons you stated. But you do have to shift out of 4th gear to get to top speed.

I've had my speedo buried easily with 4:10s...drove her right there...wouldn't stop pulling. The same cannot be said for the stock 3:27s.

With the stock gears...4th will pull you into the 120mph range...and when you shift into 5th...it's a bit of a dog. You can still get her up there...but it takes a while.

With the 4:10s...you could be going 80mph in 5th...and just mash it....and she will not stop pulling...right to redline...and the speedo needle will be pointing at the floor.

Bolt on a lung with the 4:10s...and the experience is insane...same behavior...but you're accelerating much faster.

I don't do top speed runs often...but I have when she was stock...and when she was NA with the 4:10s.

Haven't done one with the KB...the car is just insane now...it accelerates so damn fast from 100mph...that I let off when she hits about 135mph...not sure why...but with the blower whine, the exhaust screaming, and the wind noise...it's pretty freakin intense. Not too mention you can be doing like 80mph in 5th...downshift...get on her in 4th for a few seconds...back into 5th...and a few more seconds go by and you're getting that video game feeling...the speedo seems to be climbing as fast as the tach...and when the needle is blowing through the 130ish mark you're like "WTF"...and the right foot comes off the pedal. :shrug:

Not sure how the 3:73s or 4:30s will behave up there. But I would assume the behavior is similar.
 
so basically what I'm hearing is that even with 4.10's freeway driving isn't harmed at all? just a little higher rpm's? what's a safe cruising RPM for the 4.6 to hold it at for a long drive?
 
Bill9000 said:
so basically what I'm hearing is that even with 4.10's freeway driving isn't harmed at all? just a little higher rpm's? what's a safe cruising RPM for the 4.6 to hold it at for a long drive?

rpms will range from like 2100-2200 at 60mph...to about 2900-3000 at 80mph

so if you don't need to fly...you'll be crusing under 3000.

With a redline around 6000...can't see any harm cruising long distance under 3000
 
Bill9000 said:
I'd KILL for that video too, cause I am THISCLOSE to gettin 4.10's

What I am interested in, is how big a difference would it be for taking off from say a red light in town for like the first several hundred feet. as opposed to stock.

Thanks!!!!!!!!

It's a big difference. Your rpms climb faster so you get into the power band faster. You'll feel it, it feels like you got a ton more torque. In first gear the car jumps forward and actually pulls hard. If you like to cruise the interstates at 80 or over frequently I wouldn't recommend them because of the higher rpms. I love my 4.10's and will never go back. If you want them for stop light to stop light you can't go wrong, they rock.
 
cronin49 said:
Yes it is, do the math, numbnuts.

Well it's not the 4:10s that are annoying.

Have a read crusty...this is from an article on Stangnet's front page.

"Most stock mustangs have 3.27 gears from the factory. I have no idea why Ford put these gears in our cars because they’re awful. Despite what some “experts” might tell you, gears will not decrease your top speed in a mustang; in fact, they’ll probably increase it. If you were to top out your car with 3.27 gears, you’ll notice that the power just stops when you shift to 5th gear. This is because you are not in the car’s power band to pull the car up to higher speeds. Not only will steeper gears allow you to pull quicker, but they’ll also keep you in your power band which will, in turn, enable you to pull stronger in 5th gear; something you could NOT do before. Other experts claim that you will lose gas mileage due to the higher RPMs that your car will now be traveling at on the highway. In reality, you’ll lose maybe 1 MPG at best.

By far, the biggest misconception out there, is that 4.10s are “too much gear” for a car. These people that tell you this are mistaken. Those people are stuck in the pushrod days where the cars can’t rev past 5500 RPMs. Our cars rev to 6000 RPMs for a SOHC and 7000 RPMs for a DOHC. Our torque comes on later than the pushrods, hence the need for the steeper gears. Sure, there are instances where you might want to get a different gear ratio if you have a power adder or are a drag only car, but be it Auto-crosser, Open Tracker, or Drag Racer, do NOT get less than 4.10 gears for a daily driven N/A Mustang."

So cronin...feel free to offer up this "math" you're referring too.
 
Spreadman said:
Technically 5th is still an overdrive gear, but I am able to floor it in 5th, at 80mph, and it will pull hard all the way to 145.

So, what you are saying here is htat even in 5th, it's got the power it doesnt have stock, say your on the freeway going 65, and you want to pass someone, who's kinda being a jerk and speeding up a bit... youre gonna be able to pass him anyway right? (getting from 65- to say 90 a bit quicker than normal) :nice:

hate to be a pest about that video.... but we're all wantin to see!
Have a Good One!

B
 
Bill9000 said:
So, what you are saying here is htat even in 5th, it's got the power it doesnt have stock, say your on the freeway going 65, and you want to pass someone, who's kinda being a jerk and speeding up a bit... youre gonna be able to pass him anyway right? (getting from 65- to say 90 a bit quicker than normal) :nice:

hate to be a pest about that video.... but we're all wantin to see!
Have a Good One!

B
Well, at 65, I would downshift, and 4th pulls hard up to 110ish, then off to 5th and it keeps pulling.

Couldn't get to the vid this weekend, I had friends come in from out of town. I can't only get tight shots since it's a small digicam. Gimme a couple of days. I'll try to tape them on the way to work tomorrow.