Which gears should I go with? Need help!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 10
From: Boise Idaho
St. Jude Donor '07
Which gears should I go with? Need help!
My last run at the track left me stranded just past the 330' mark. I wasn't sure what was broken at the time, but after pulling my differential I found that my right side output shaft was broken clean off. Now I'm in the process of building the diff back up. I just bought a DTE stage II with 4:10s, and I'm having a right side hardened output shaft installed also, thus making it a stage III I guess.
My question is this, 4:10's are a lot more gear than I want. I have a set of 3:42's and a set of 3:90's also. Just wondering which ones I should have put in the new diff. They will be behind a Lingenfelter 383 with a 6spd. I can't stand to spend this much money, and not have the car be a little quicker, but I also liked the 3:42's. The car will see the strip every once in a while, and the road course also, but mostly it's my daily cruising car.
Which gears should I go with, the 3:42's or the 3:90's?
Pro's and con's for each? For those of you with 3:90's, what speeds does each gear max out at? Thanks for helping me with this dilemma.
My question is this, 4:10's are a lot more gear than I want. I have a set of 3:42's and a set of 3:90's also. Just wondering which ones I should have put in the new diff. They will be behind a Lingenfelter 383 with a 6spd. I can't stand to spend this much money, and not have the car be a little quicker, but I also liked the 3:42's. The car will see the strip every once in a while, and the road course also, but mostly it's my daily cruising car.
Which gears should I go with, the 3:42's or the 3:90's?
Pro's and con's for each? For those of you with 3:90's, what speeds does each gear max out at? Thanks for helping me with this dilemma.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 24,652
Likes: 298
From: NJ
St. Jude Donor '05-'08
3.90s would be good. I ran 4.10s fro some time, but once I got into road racing the 4.10s just required way too much shifting.
I now run 3.73s which I would recommend to everyone because they are a nice middle of the road gear, but since your choices are 3.42 or 3.90s then I would go with 3.90s
I now run 3.73s which I would recommend to everyone because they are a nice middle of the road gear, but since your choices are 3.42 or 3.90s then I would go with 3.90s
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 10
From: Boise Idaho
St. Jude Donor '07
If I get enough recommendations for 3:73s I might have to consider getting a set of those. Will try to keep it between the 3:42s and the 3:90s for now. Anyone have any suggestions? Guys with 3:90s?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 479
Likes: 1
From: Cape Coral FL
i would go with 3:90's being that it sees track/drag time it will have enough 'pull' to make you happy on eithor of those and 3:90's are good for around down, and wont hurt gas as much as 4:10s.. but ultimately its up to u dude!
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
For a 6 speed car like yours, that will see 1/4 mile, and roadcourse, but on the street the most....I would go with no more than 390's. 373 would be fine too, but probably not to much difference from the 342.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 10
From: Boise Idaho
St. Jude Donor '07
I think I might just have my 3.42 rear rebuit and have left and right hardened output shafts added for piece of mind. I liked the daily driver feel of the 3.42's, and if I'm racing autocross, or on the street (theoretically of course) I can always just drop a gear.
I've only taken the car to the drag strip once, my first and only time ever going, and it ran a 12.8 @ 113 with no help from my 2.2 60' times. Not bad considering the elevation here I guess.
As of now my plan is to keep the 3.42's and just add some n2o if I'm not happy with the 1/4 times. Of course I'm open to suggestions until the rear end is finished and reinstalled.
I've only taken the car to the drag strip once, my first and only time ever going, and it ran a 12.8 @ 113 with no help from my 2.2 60' times. Not bad considering the elevation here I guess.
As of now my plan is to keep the 3.42's and just add some n2o if I'm not happy with the 1/4 times. Of course I'm open to suggestions until the rear end is finished and reinstalled.
