3:90 VS 4.10's
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 583
Likes: 40
From: Sacramento
3:90 VS 4.10's
I am having a supercharger installed in a couple of weeks and I am trying to decide about new gears. Mainly a street driver see other mods & planned stuff in sig. How much of a difference is there between the 3:90 & the 4:10's. Looking for opinions on which to go with. :confused:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 0
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (The DBK)
If I were just heads and cam etc I would use 410s with the blower I ran 390s and had no traction until some in 4th--I kept the 390s with the stroker--with forced induction I would go with the 390s your traction issues are going to be severe and with all the torque you don't need to go as low--
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 583
Likes: 40
From: Sacramento
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (eamador11)
you might want to do a search, as this topic has been beaten to death :smash:
Besides what topic hasn't been beaten to death?
NeptuneBill, your feed back is exactly the type of info I am looking for. :cheers:
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 564
Likes: 0
From: Cary NC
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (Bigben)
I just finished with the same question. Installed a SC, dual disk clutch and 4.10's. My car is primarily street car and not driven very much (weekends if I'm lucky) and it will see the strip a little bit. I'm happy with the setup, but I also have new Nitto-555 Drag Radials which are very soft and hook-up pretty good. The run flats would not keep my stock C5 from spinning in the first 2 gears, so presently I have better traction now than before I did all the mods. I'm sure that will change as I wear down the drag radials, but my original plans were to replace them every year.
For normal daily driving (non-boost), 4.10's are fine. I run about 2200RPM at 80Mph in 6th gear, but the amount of pull and torque in 4th & 5th for rolling street runs are amazing. Really makes the car that much more fun to cruz around in. Just my 2 cents.
:cheers:
For normal daily driving (non-boost), 4.10's are fine. I run about 2200RPM at 80Mph in 6th gear, but the amount of pull and torque in 4th & 5th for rolling street runs are amazing. Really makes the car that much more fun to cruz around in. Just my 2 cents.
:cheers:
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,369
Likes: 51
From: New Milford CT
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (2k1vert)
I also have new Nitto-555 Drag Radials
----------------------------------------------------
2K1, I have the Nitto DR's coming to! Tell me, how are they on the street for handling at the 80/90% level, are they fine? I mean for regular spirited street driving, not road race!
----------------------------------------------------
2K1, I have the Nitto DR's coming to! Tell me, how are they on the street for handling at the 80/90% level, are they fine? I mean for regular spirited street driving, not road race!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 8
From: Indianapolis Indiana
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (Bigben)
I put 4.10s on my wife's A4. Basically stock other than a K&N filter and Longtube headers. Under heavy acceleration the stock runflats are hard to keep from spinning in 1st and when it shifts to 2nd there's so much wheel spin it wants to kick out. With a supercharger and low gears you will be making a lot of smoke but not much speed. I would guess the advice of 3.42s with a supercharger might be right. A friend has a newly installed supercharger in an A4 and kept the stock gears (3.15s I think) and when he punches it at 30mph he can't keep it from breaking loose.
I would not have done the 4.10s if I was planning a supercharger down the road.
I would not have done the 4.10s if I was planning a supercharger down the road.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 564
Likes: 0
From: Cary NC
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (CJS)
I also have new Nitto-555 Drag Radials
----------------------------------------------------
2K1, I have the Nitto DR's coming to! Tell me, how are they on the street for handling at the 80/90% level, are they fine? I mean for regular spirited street driving, not road race!
----------------------------------------------------
2K1, I have the Nitto DR's coming to! Tell me, how are they on the street for handling at the 80/90% level, are they fine? I mean for regular spirited street driving, not road race!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 0
From: Ypsilanti MI
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (Bigben)
I've been told by some of the tuners on here that you want to go with the 3:90 if you go with a supercharger and the 4:10 with a head and or cam package. I'm still trying to figure out which way I want to go. Supercharger or Head and Cam?
Racer
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 294
Likes: 15
From: South Orange Co. CA
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (Bigben)
The new Ford GT (supercharged, 500 lb-ft torque) has a 1st gear of 2.61 and rear end of 3.36. This is incredibly tall gearing for 1st.
2.61*3.36=8.77
500 lb-ft torque
4385 lb-ft at rear wheels.
I think Ford realizes that any more torque at the rear wheels at low speeds is pretty much unusable.
The stock MN6 1st is 2.73 with 3.42 rear end = 9.37. This should be plenty of torque multiplication for a blown C5.
2.61*3.36=8.77
500 lb-ft torque
4385 lb-ft at rear wheels.
I think Ford realizes that any more torque at the rear wheels at low speeds is pretty much unusable.
The stock MN6 1st is 2.73 with 3.42 rear end = 9.37. This should be plenty of torque multiplication for a blown C5.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,289
Likes: 1
From: the West is the best
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (2k1vert)
I think that a realistic appraisal of where you are making power (ie RPM) is needed before you decide on a gear. If you are running a big cam, obviously, you have room to play in the lower RPM. If it's a stocker, then you are playing with a completely different animal. With a stocker , you do not have the room in the lower RPM (and less high RPM hp potential) for a 3.90 or 4.10 than you would have if let alone for the school bus 3.42.
Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
From: SAN FRANCISCO CA
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (2ndVette)
It really depends on what you want to do.
For a supercharged or turbocharged vette putting more than 550 RWTQ anything above 3.90 would be not streetable. You would smoke the tires in the low gears unless you run on slicks on the street. 3.42, 3.73 or 3.90's for the FI vettes.
If you are going down the N/A road, then going with 4.10's would be streetable.
Another important thing is that there are 3.90's in the market right now and they won't be available until June or July . :sad: :sad:
Just to let you know.
:cheers: :cheers:
For a supercharged or turbocharged vette putting more than 550 RWTQ anything above 3.90 would be not streetable. You would smoke the tires in the low gears unless you run on slicks on the street. 3.42, 3.73 or 3.90's for the FI vettes.
If you are going down the N/A road, then going with 4.10's would be streetable.
Another important thing is that there are 3.90's in the market right now and they won't be available until June or July . :sad: :sad:
Just to let you know.
:cheers: :cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,407
Likes: 1
From: HONOLULU HAWAII
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (Bigben)
Why not install the SC and see how the car feels with your 3:42"s. You should have a better idea then how much gear the car will be able to handle. I would also call Phil at DTE, he has always been very cool about giving advise on what gears to use with all kinds of different set ups. Good luck.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (Bigben)
in one week i'll be done with a M12 and 4.10 install and i'll let you know how that goes if you're interested. my motor is basically stock except for a blackwing and coupler, and Z06Ti exhaust. i just ordered a set of pilots from my local tire dealer for the increased need for traction. sometimes i get nervous....about the traction issue's in 1st and 2nd, especially with the addition of the M12. if it doesn't hook up well enough, i may step down to 3.90's or 3.73's. plus that'll leave me more room to do my engine work in the future. what i was going to suggest was to get another set like i did, and keep your 3.42's...just in case. maybe look into an M12 for some better low ends. i heard it's like having 3.73's....but i'll let you know after next week if anyone's interested. :auto:
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,073
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From: Loveland CO
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (kardashim)
I went with 4:10's because I have a 6 speed. I did not want to try anything less then that because I always want more. Might as well just spend the money once. Kaley
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 583
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From: Sacramento
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (2C5only21)
My motivation for considering the gears was for a bit more excelleration before the boost kicks in, but it sounds like the gears may effect traction more then I am wanting, because head & cam & maybe a stroker are in my future.
From the sound of several of the other posts I am going to have to budget some money for upgrading the drivtrain in the not to distant future.
From the sound of several of the other posts I am going to have to budget some money for upgrading the drivtrain in the not to distant future.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 26,794
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From: Elmhurst, IL (West Suburb of Chicago) & Home of MEGA Horsepower
St. Jude Donor '06
Re: 3:90 VS 4.10's (Bigben)
Get the 4.10s and be done with it, especially since you are going to have sig. traction problems on the street with either gear and the 4.10s will give you a bit more accleration once the car is up and running on highway rolls, etc.! :cheers: :steering: