Do gears make your car slower top end?

gargol139

New Member
Nov 23, 2005
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Mesa, Arizona
Before everyone gives me crap I did do a search about gears, I couldn't find a post about what I was looking for. I am new to the whole mustang thing and I am just trying to gain as much knowledge as possible. Anyway I just got an 01 with 35K on it. I already want to make it faster and its only been two weeks, its an auto so I was thinking about some 4.10's, I was just wondering will it make it slower up top from say like a 70 punch?
 
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Before everyone gives me crap I did do a search about gears, I couldn't find a post about what I was looking for. I am new to the whole mustang thing and I am just trying to gain as much knowledge as possible. Anyway I just got an 01 with 35K on it. I already want to make it faster and its only been two weeks, its an auto so I was thinking about some 4.10's, I was just wondering will it make it slower up top from say like a 70 punch?
 
I own a pair of 98's a GT and my wifes V6. both have been treated to 3.73 gears and have found if you like the fast rolling starts 50 and up stick with what you have or dont go past 3.55's, i prefer from a dig cause my wife and i are track junkies, but ive been pulled on the highway after 100 mph or so many times. if you like from stop go 3.73 or 4.10 but from a roll its not wise as most highway racers like speeds upwards of 130 over miles of road.
 
@ 140 mph you are turning 5989.649425111145
3.27 automatic
@ 111 mph you are turning 5954.323838724512
4.10 automatic

then we account for the fact that the effective gear ratio is
3.27 vs 2.87

therefore the stock gearing will pull harder from 111-140 mph
 
1st
@ 49 mph you are turning 5953.711528560477
@ 39 mph you are turning 5941.449625019161
effective gear ratio
9.2868vs5.0685
you will pull less hard from 39-49 mph

2nd
@ 90 mph 5968.257820021462
@ 72 mph 5986.509372987889
you are pulling less hard from 72-90 mph

3rd
@ 140 mph you are turning 5989.649425111145
3.27 automatic
@ 111 mph you are turning 5954.323838724512
4.10 automatic

you are pulling less hard from 111-140 mph

so you will pull harder from 0-39 mph, 49-72, 90-111, 140+ with 4.10s
 
Yeah I was cruising 90mph on the highway and some older vette pulls up beside me and starts revving. That's a no go with me 1) b/c I'm already going fast enough for me and 2) I don't have much left in 4th and then there's 5th and well, you know what 5th is like.
BTW I have 3:73's.
I would also agree with the others. Gears are worth it, IMHO. The fun is worth a loss of pull over 110mph.
Good info p.a.p.
 
[QUOTE='03GTinFLA]Yeah I was cruising 90mph on the highway and some older vette pulls up beside me and starts revving. That's a no go with me 1) b/c I'm already going fast enough for me and 2) I don't have much left in 4th and then there's 5th and well, you know what 5th is like.
BTW I have 3:73's.
I would also agree with the others. Gears are worth it, IMHO. The fun is worth a loss of pull over 110mph.[/QUOTE]

You should get pull until 122 mph with 3.73s a Cobra should have pull until 142 mph with 3.73s.
 
i've got 3.90's and a manual tranny. i've had mine up to 147 MPH and it was only turning around 4500(not too sure, going that fast i didnt wanna take my eyes off the road) but if you like to play on the interstate dont get low gears. i love mine out of the hole. but on top end they SUCK!!!
 
ocbaud said:
should make it quicker actually :)

you'll only loose top end speed, which you wont see much at all. i know with a 5 speed and stock gearing, the top speed is something like 200mph around there(which we would NEVER be able to get to)
200mph really??? thats a little too high the ford GT barely broke the 200 barier at Fords Arizona proving grounds, and you think a Basic mustang GT's top speed is 200 sry i don't buy it.
 
Engage47 said:
200mph really??? thats a little too high the ford GT barely broke the 200 barier at Fords Arizona proving grounds, and you think a Basic mustang GT's top speed is 200 sry i don't buy it.
Of course it can't do 200. A mustang will literally fly off the ground at those speeds because aerodynamically, the car isn't set up to do that.

What he's saying is, 200 is the theoretical top speed with 3.27s in a Mustang. It'll be able to go 200 on lets say, a dyno, where aero drag isn't a factor.
 
i have 3.90's with a 5-speed manual... i would have to say that it pulls harder up until 115 which is where 4th tops out with 3.90's... id say that from 115mph+, stock gears will pull harder

the problem is that... 5th gear is basically overdrive, its not designed to be a pulling gear... sooo... the end of 4th gear is where you are gonna be doing your final pull... and for me 4th ends at 115ish... with stock 3.27's i was able to hit 135mph at the end of 4th... but slower except from 115-135 where stock gearing came in handy