4.10 gear Question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: McHenry Illinois
4.10 gear Question
First and second gears are useless. almost feels like my car is slower. Should i go back down to a 3.42 gear? My SC and larger cam plus 4.10 gear does not seem like the right set up.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 818
Likes: 444
From: Maumelle, AR
I started with 4.10 @ 550 rw. Now I'm 3.73 with 730 and am looking to go 3.23-3.42. Unless it's primarily a strip car I'd get rid of the 4.10. Most of these SC cars are freeway toys. With 4.10's you're more than likely going to be a gear higher than your opponent during freeway pulls so they won't have to make as much power to hang with you.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 783
Likes: 2
From: Houston Tx
To have gears, you must have a good tire. Street tires are marginal on a bolt on car, with a SC, you must run tires. And, as stated above. Gears, make your trans, clutch, and gears happier as they see much less stress.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,046
Likes: 31
From: Cary IL
My C5 has a built DTE 4.10 and an A&A Vortech kit on it. It made 535 rwhp and is a blast. Its a stock cam and stock bottom end. The car seems to just love it when I get on it.
Originally I did the gear because I never thought I would be able to get a SC. Well....I was wrong. I was nervous and talked to Andy at A&A for a while about it. He said that these Centri blower like a good gear in the back. Something about the blowers needing RPMs to make power and the gear helping to build RPM faster....not sure exactly.
Overall, he seems to be right. I run a Nitto drag radial and the car does make first gear slightly useless but it overall is very manageable. In fact it seems to be right in the power band when I shift.
I come from the 03-04 Cobra world where I had a twin screw Kenne Bell and putting a gear in that would have been pretty stupid. No need for torque help with that beast.
Maybe I will see ya around when spring hits.....i'm basically down Rt 31 in Cary
Originally I did the gear because I never thought I would be able to get a SC. Well....I was wrong. I was nervous and talked to Andy at A&A for a while about it. He said that these Centri blower like a good gear in the back. Something about the blowers needing RPMs to make power and the gear helping to build RPM faster....not sure exactly.
Overall, he seems to be right. I run a Nitto drag radial and the car does make first gear slightly useless but it overall is very manageable. In fact it seems to be right in the power band when I shift.
I come from the 03-04 Cobra world where I had a twin screw Kenne Bell and putting a gear in that would have been pretty stupid. No need for torque help with that beast.
Maybe I will see ya around when spring hits.....i'm basically down Rt 31 in Cary
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 768
Likes: 25
From: Cape Cod
aside that, driving sucks when your car always feels like its on the edge.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 29,063
Likes: 1,839
From: cookeville tennessee
ttt
I started with 4.10 @ 550 rw. Now I'm 3.73 with 730 and am looking to go 3.23-3.42. Unless it's primarily a strip car I'd get rid of the 4.10. Most of these SC cars are freeway toys. With 4.10's you're more than likely going to be a gear higher than your opponent during freeway pulls so they won't have to make as much power to hang with you.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 747
Hey let's keep it going! I love my 4.10s with the blower. I don't find first gear useless at all. The secret is not treating the throttle like an on/off switch and running a tire with some actual grip
I couldn't stand the 3.42s before the blower.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 15
From: Loxahatchee Florida
What's 9 years anyways! 
Best thing I did on an STS (a hair laggy I guess) was Unitronix 4:10's! 6lbs, 500 to the wheels, stock engine. Adding the Nitto's made it a fun package otherwise 1st, 2nd, and after 4,000+ RPM when all the boost hit was problematic to say the least unless you wanted a drift car. Now it's quick and a great workout for your right bicep!
Best thing I did on an STS (a hair laggy I guess) was Unitronix 4:10's! 6lbs, 500 to the wheels, stock engine. Adding the Nitto's made it a fun package otherwise 1st, 2nd, and after 4,000+ RPM when all the boost hit was problematic to say the least unless you wanted a drift car. Now it's quick and a great workout for your right bicep!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 747
What's 9 years anyways!
Best thing I did on an STS (a hair laggy I guess) was Unitronix 4:10's! 6lbs, 500 to the wheels, stock engine. Adding the Nitto's made it a fun package otherwise 1st, 2nd, and after 4,000+ RPM when all the boost hit was problematic to say the least unless you wanted a drift car. Now it's quick and a great workout for your right bicep!
Best thing I did on an STS (a hair laggy I guess) was Unitronix 4:10's! 6lbs, 500 to the wheels, stock engine. Adding the Nitto's made it a fun package otherwise 1st, 2nd, and after 4,000+ RPM when all the boost hit was problematic to say the least unless you wanted a drift car. Now it's quick and a great workout for your right bicep!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 10,230
Likes: 885
From: Alexandria, Virginia, USA VA
the more torq the taller gears help hold in the powerband and plant the power better
in my case, the car is making 800 rwhp and 790 torq ttix turbo car
going from a 3.90 gear with z06 6 spd to an auto with a 3.43 gear took the car from 10.50s to 9.84 best
a bit lower in hp and torq with the auto, but with the revised gearing, torq conv, and taller gears the car ran much better
staying with a stick, and the big gears, mellow them a bit with a taller tire with some sidewall and they will do as designed and get things moving
in my case, the car is making 800 rwhp and 790 torq ttix turbo car
going from a 3.90 gear with z06 6 spd to an auto with a 3.43 gear took the car from 10.50s to 9.84 best
a bit lower in hp and torq with the auto, but with the revised gearing, torq conv, and taller gears the car ran much better
staying with a stick, and the big gears, mellow them a bit with a taller tire with some sidewall and they will do as designed and get things moving
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,668
I disagree. The 4L60E has a 3.06:1 1st gear. Running a 4.10 gear with the 4L60Es is like running a 5.06 gear (yes, I know they never made a 5.06, this was just for comparison) on a 350/400 Turbo!!! Also, the lower the gear in the rear housing on a C5 also reduces the overall strength of the "pumpkin", and has resulted in blown cases. I believe a 3.42 gear would be perfect for what you're doing. In any case (no pun intended), I wouldn't go any larger than a 3.73 rear gear, just sayin'......
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 15
From: Loxahatchee Florida
Bought it used off of this forum in parts. The seller sent pictures etc and said if not good ship it back. I checked it when I got it and in excellent shape. I installed it myself since I grenaded the original stock diff and installed trans brace, and other heavy duty items. So far it's taken everything I've thrown at it. Good rear!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 7,373
Likes: 1,128
From: cold & windy
3.42s can already blow through 1st, 2nd, & 3rd in my > 650h/630t TVS car on 27" 200TW summer tires. i almost contemplated a 3.15 swap but didn't want to stress the rear end too much... that & to my knowledge, i'm the only one running this 6.2 cam in anything smaller than a 6.0, so i kinda need the 3.42s to keep my clutch alive.
i couldn't imagine my tire bills with 4.10s
N/A would be a different story
dangit, Robert. we expected better from you! 9 yrs 
i couldn't imagine my tire bills with 4.10s
N/A would be a different story
