4.10s Better traction?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 5
From: Longmont Colorado
4.10s Better traction?
Ive heard both ways about 4.10 gears. Ive heard some people say that the wheels are actually spinning slower so off the line you should get better traction. Then ive heard some people say thats totally bogus and that the wheels are spinning way faster than stock so traction will be horrible. Which is it? I would really like to know and i know people on here can help.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 25
From: Tacoma WA
Ive heard both ways about 4.10 gears. Ive heard some people say that the wheels are actually spinning slower so off the line you should get better traction. Then ive heard some people say thats totally bogus and that the wheels are spinning way faster than stock so traction will be horrible. Which is it? I would really like to know and i know people on here can help.
The thing is, 4.10s increase your mechanical advantage. Which will make it easier for you to break the tires free, since the engine has better 'leverage' however, once they're spinning, they are definately spinning slower, and it should be slightly easier to recover.
I'm so tired of the "You've got no Traction" arguement with 4.10s...
If i said I'm putting in a Torquer V2 cam, and Ported heads for ~410-420WHP nobody would say... well, there goes your traction... Why do people jump straight to traction concerns with 4.10s?
There's other things to consider with 4.10s, and yes traction is important, it isn't the deciding factor for whether or not you should get 4.10s...
Also - If you're launching a Car with 4.10s you have to Realize that and Mitigate THrottle accordingly... NO DIFFERENT than launching ANY other M6. You can't just get in and gun it.. you have to find the sweet spot, and hold it. Don't treat it like a M6 w/ 3.42s... I guarantee the M6 w/ 4.10s will Launch Faster and Run a quicker 1/4 mile time..
-Dan
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
although the higher ratio does indeed reduce the speed the rear wheel turns... you need to get to a 5:1 or greater ratio before the wheel speed is reduced enough to make it help with the launch.
Too many people are book smart on this, but lack experience as to how it relates to the real world. There are no 5:1 or greater gear sets for the C5; so that benefit can't happen on the C5.
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 7
From: Valencia CA
Unless you really care about the extra two hundtreths the 410 will give you in a quarter mile slip go with 3.90's.
I've had both and prefer the car quieter (not as much RPM on the freeway) and not as "busy" to drive (constantly rowing gears with the 4.10's).
Its not like its a night and day difference with the 3.90's but for me the 4.10's were just a little too much without enough benefit to offset the compromises.
Plus, the more engine you build, the less gear you want and need. In the relatively near future I will drop my gear to a 3.73 with the installation of a pretty stout 447 stroker. Even with that drop in ratio the first few gears will be a smoke show on anything less then a well prepped track with sticky tires.
And thats another consideration you need to think about....while some argue a lower gear helps traction, you can throw that out the window on the street with radial tires and any type of decent power under the hood (400+ RWHP)....as you get closer to 500 RWHP even drag radials become useless with too much gear in the lower two gears so if you primarily street drive, you can create traction issues with too much gear multiplication.
Good luck...
Tony
I've had both and prefer the car quieter (not as much RPM on the freeway) and not as "busy" to drive (constantly rowing gears with the 4.10's).
Its not like its a night and day difference with the 3.90's but for me the 4.10's were just a little too much without enough benefit to offset the compromises.
Plus, the more engine you build, the less gear you want and need. In the relatively near future I will drop my gear to a 3.73 with the installation of a pretty stout 447 stroker. Even with that drop in ratio the first few gears will be a smoke show on anything less then a well prepped track with sticky tires.
And thats another consideration you need to think about....while some argue a lower gear helps traction, you can throw that out the window on the street with radial tires and any type of decent power under the hood (400+ RWHP)....as you get closer to 500 RWHP even drag radials become useless with too much gear in the lower two gears so if you primarily street drive, you can create traction issues with too much gear multiplication.
Good luck...
Tony
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Winter Park FL
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,405
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From: Whippany NJ
CI 6-7-8-9 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
NCM Sinkhole Donor
dude, 4.10s are sick! as long as you knowhow to launch the car, it is a much quicker animal. It gives the car a "jump" into the power band.
of course if you mash the gas like a fool, then even a honda will smoke you. just lean on the gas easy and let the gears work for you.
of course if you mash the gas like a fool, then even a honda will smoke you. just lean on the gas easy and let the gears work for you.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 22,185
Likes: 65
From: NJ
Changing gears wont give you more or less "traction" only suspension and tire changes give you more "traction". 4.10's will enable your car to apply power to the ground in a much different fashion. It is much easier to overcome the tire/suspensions "traction" and spin the tires with 4.10's due to increased mechanical advantage. This is true throughout the RPM range.
A friend has 4.10's in his 02 and says that "traction" is a thing of the past. The simple answer to your question is no, it wont give more traction, especially considering driving style and skill.
A friend has 4.10's in his 02 and says that "traction" is a thing of the past. The simple answer to your question is no, it wont give more traction, especially considering driving style and skill.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
If one wasn't born with the natural talents needed to work a clutch and throttle together at the same time to their maximized advantage... then modding the car (in attempts to overcome this shortness) won't gain anything.
For those without the talents... get an automatic (I did)
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 384
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From: Suffolk Virginia
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,955
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From: PNW
Hummm ... seems to me with lower gears you'll need more traction since there will be more torque at the rear wheels due to the lower diff gears. If you plotted rear wheel torque vs mph/rpm in each gear you would see there is more torque throughout the range. More torque means the tires want to break loose easier.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
Hummm ... seems to me with lower gears you'll need more traction since there will be more torque at the rear wheels due to the lower diff gears. If you plotted rear wheel torque vs mph/rpm in each gear you would see there is more torque throughout the range. More torque means the tires want to break loose easier.
The pros go with extreme rear axle ratios 5:1 ... 6:1 to create control of wheel spin in first gear. The tires aren't trying to accelerate to high MPH values with first gear; this gives you more control.
But again - the problem with the C5 is that these extreme rear ratios are not available... hence a moot point.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,707
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From: Los Angeles
Hummm ... seems to me with lower gears you'll need more traction since there will be more torque at the rear wheels due to the lower diff gears. If you plotted rear wheel torque vs mph/rpm in each gear you would see there is more torque throughout the range. More torque means the tires want to break loose easier.
