Oh no, not another "gears" question..
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 797
Likes: 2
From: WV
Oh no, not another "gears" question..
OK I know this is a highly debated topic but my question isn't "which is better" etc.. I'm set on 4:10's PERIOD.. Here's what I want to know, will the car actually be faster ? Aside from feeling faster will it be faster 0-60, 1/4 mile, passing (50-70 or whatever) ? Thanks for any input. I did a search but there is way too much on gears to sift through..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,259
Likes: 16
From: Monroe Township New Jersey
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
St. Jude donor in memory of jpee '14
OK I know this is a highly debated topic but my question isn't "which is better" etc.. I'm set on 4:10's PERIOD.. Here's what I want to know, will the car actually be faster ? Aside from feeling faster will it be faster 0-60, 1/4 mile, passing (50-70 or whatever) ? Thanks for any input. I did a search but there is way too much on gears to sift through..
it to death and some of us have agreed to disagree 
enjoy your 4.10s
Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: Sugar Land TX
Enjoy!
You have made up your mind what to get so I am sure you know what you want so enjoy it! I am sure it will be fun.
It definitely will feel like you bumped the power by at least 10-20%; whether or not it is faster depends on how well you shift gears and how many times you have to shift. In any case it will be a blast!
It definitely will feel like you bumped the power by at least 10-20%; whether or not it is faster depends on how well you shift gears and how many times you have to shift. In any case it will be a blast!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
OK I know this is a highly debated topic but my question isn't "which is better" etc.. I'm set on 4:10's PERIOD.. Here's what I want to know, will the car actually be faster ? Aside from feeling faster will it be faster 0-60, 1/4 mile, passing (50-70 or whatever) ? Thanks for any input. I did a search but there is way too much on gears to sift through..
60's are 100% confirmed to drop.
Gears work by always having your car at a higher rpm for a given speed. One look at a dyno sheet will show that your car makes about 60HP more at 4800rpm than it does at 4000rpm hence why people say it feels like 60hp more. What this means is that your engine is always making more HP at any given speed than for the guy that has stock gears. This isnt about starting in the worng gear so save the argument about car A in the top of his gear and I'm in the bottom of mine. Flooring my car it winds all gears faster than if I had 3.42's. You will rule from a dig.
All cars use all gears for a run. So 0-40 or 40-200 you will be faster at any speed to any speed.
Gears and wheel spin: Gears arent a way to handicap wheel spin.....your tire is what you fix for that.
I have 4.10's on a Z51 with H/C, nitrous and 12psi from a Paxton ECS kit---704rwhp. I hook because I have the right tire, not by handicapping gears. I toss a beating to all wheel drive cars all the time not expecting 0-60 in 3 seconds.
MT ET streets are the way to go.
Last edited by SpinMonster; Mar 31, 2009 at 09:40 AM. Reason: because 3.90's make me sick and I stomp them cars
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 797
Likes: 2
From: WV
Is your car faster starting in second gear? Your first is like my second with 4.10's now.
60's are 100% confirmed to drop.
Gears work by always having your car at a higher rpm for a given speed. One look at a dyno sheet will show that your car makes about 60HP more at 4800rpm than it does at 4000rpm hence why people say it feels like 60hp more. What this means is that your engine is always making more HP at any given speed than for the guy that has stock gears. This isnt about starting in the worng gear so save the argument about car A in the top of his gear and I'm in the bottom of mine. Flooring my car it winds all gears faster than if I had 3.42's. You will rule from a dig.
All cars use all gears for a run. So 0-40 or 40-200 you will be faster at any speed to any speed.
Gears and wheel spin: Gears arent a way to handicap wheel spin.....your tire is what you fix for that.
I have 4.10's on a Z51 with H/C, nitrous and 12psi from a Paxton ECS kit---704rwhp. I hook because I have the right tire, not by handicapping gears. I toss a beating to all wheel drive cars all the time not expecting 0-60 in 3 seconds.
MT ET streets are the way to go.
60's are 100% confirmed to drop.
Gears work by always having your car at a higher rpm for a given speed. One look at a dyno sheet will show that your car makes about 60HP more at 4800rpm than it does at 4000rpm hence why people say it feels like 60hp more. What this means is that your engine is always making more HP at any given speed than for the guy that has stock gears. This isnt about starting in the worng gear so save the argument about car A in the top of his gear and I'm in the bottom of mine. Flooring my car it winds all gears faster than if I had 3.42's. You will rule from a dig.
All cars use all gears for a run. So 0-40 or 40-200 you will be faster at any speed to any speed.
Gears and wheel spin: Gears arent a way to handicap wheel spin.....your tire is what you fix for that.
I have 4.10's on a Z51 with H/C, nitrous and 12psi from a Paxton ECS kit---704rwhp. I hook because I have the right tire, not by handicapping gears. I toss a beating to all wheel drive cars all the time not expecting 0-60 in 3 seconds.
MT ET streets are the way to go.
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Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: Sugar Land TX
how many times you shift
If by lowering the differential ratio you need another shift before the end of the quarter mile, you could loose what you made up in gearing. Remember for any given speed, the engine is reving higher so you have to shift earlier. Physics never gives you anything for free but when you pick a sweet spot it can seem like it! 
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
If by lowering the differential ratio you need another shift before the end of the quarter mile, you could loose what you made up in gearing. Remember for any given speed, the engine is reving higher so you have to shift earlier. Physics never gives you anything for free but when you pick a sweet spot it can seem like it!
If you're telling me your car can run the 1/4 in 3 gears you are slow as all hell. A geared car will make up more than the time it takes to shift another shift. This has been demonstrated so many times..........
So dont take a mod to your car becuase it costs you a 1/4 sec to shift one more time. Give up the 0-60 and all other measured parameters bettered by the gears to cheat a 4th gear end to a 1/4 mile run. Basically you didnt answer my question. If the 1/4 is the only criteria you would have a point if a one armed man was driving with his left arm only but in the real world, the gears make you faster even in this scenario.
Last edited by SpinMonster; Mar 31, 2009 at 12:57 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
There will always be a new member to ask questions that are not part of your growth. You have to understand that to them, its new. I recall that night on the phone when you stated you werent doing mods past the simple bolt-ons. This guy's path and his decsions may change in the future and they may not share your positions. He may opt for the MT et street in the 305/45/18 and be able to trap 140 with 4.10's. To each his own.
Some people will share the info over and over again with what worked on thier car and others will opt out since its not doing anything for them and its all old hat.
Some people will share the info over and over again with what worked on thier car and others will opt out since its not doing anything for them and its all old hat.
Last edited by SpinMonster; Mar 31, 2009 at 12:55 PM.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 578
Likes: 1
From: Scottsdale Arizona
100% false unless it takes you a whopping .75 seconds to shift. The 60' drops from 2.0 to 1.8 and then its .2 seconds for each gear run out to redline gained from the higher average HP seen for the geared car.
If you're telling me your car can run the 1/4 in 3 gears you are slow as all hell. A geared car will make up more than the time it takes to shift another shift. This has been demonstrated so many times..........
So dont take a mod to your car becuase it costs you a 1/4 sec to shift one more time. Give up the 0-60 and all other measured parameters bettered by the gears to cheat a 4th gear end to a 1/4 mile run. Basically you didnt answer my question. If the 1/4 is the only criteria you would have a point if a one armed man was driving with his left arm only but in the real world, the gears make you faster even in this scenario.
If you're telling me your car can run the 1/4 in 3 gears you are slow as all hell. A geared car will make up more than the time it takes to shift another shift. This has been demonstrated so many times..........
So dont take a mod to your car becuase it costs you a 1/4 sec to shift one more time. Give up the 0-60 and all other measured parameters bettered by the gears to cheat a 4th gear end to a 1/4 mile run. Basically you didnt answer my question. If the 1/4 is the only criteria you would have a point if a one armed man was driving with his left arm only but in the real world, the gears make you faster even in this scenario.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 5,259
Likes: 16
From: Monroe Township New Jersey
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
St. Jude donor in memory of jpee '14
BTW Ed I still think you have one very quick car
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,404
From: Bethesda MD
I understand what he means. Normally mods that gave me .1 were marginal SOTP to me. The car felt faster, but I wasn't sure it was my expectation rather than fact until I went to the track and confirmed it. Bigger mods like a torque converter or cam that were .3 - .5 had obvious SOTP gain. Gears (3.23 to 3.73) made me faster by .1 and 1 mph on my 99 Z28. However, SOTP felt like I picked up as much as my cam swap. Yes, I was faster, but I wasn't as fast as it felt. I'm not sure why that is, yet I've talked to others with A4 and high stalls who reported the same thing.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,206
Likes: 6
From: Makena, Maui & NM
My car runs in 3 gears at 11.79@118 mph, you are telling me my car is slow as all hell with a CAI, Headers, DR's and Tune? 95%of LS2 and LS3 A6 owners would love to run a 11.79 with 3 simple bolt-ons! LS1LT1 just ran today a 11.3x with the stock 2.56 gear ratio with cai, tune, headers, dr's and PI 3200 stall. He is now #4 on the bolt-on list, running in 3 gears! TonyB4 ran a 11.13 with cam, 2.56 gears and stall and still stays in 3rd gear too....so he is slow as all hell too?
Last edited by siffert; Apr 1, 2009 at 11:57 AM.
walks."
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,206
Likes: 6
From: Makena, Maui & NM
As another member said, everyone keeps talking about 2.56 gears as if they are terrible, but remember with the 1.53 third gear, the A6 with 2.56 gears is equivalent to an A4 with 3.92 gears.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,097
Likes: 5
From: Brentwood World's first A6 in the 9's (including N/A, blower, turbo and nitrous cars) 9.950@139.267 CA
100% false unless it takes you a whopping .75 seconds to shift. The 60' drops from 2.0 to 1.8 and then its .2 seconds for each gear run out to redline gained from the higher average HP seen for the geared car.
If you're telling me your car can run the 1/4 in 3 gears you are slow as all hell. A geared car will make up more than the time it takes to shift another shift. This has been demonstrated so many times..........
So dont take a mod to your car becuase it costs you a 1/4 sec to shift one more time. Give up the 0-60 and all other measured parameters bettered by the gears to cheat a 4th gear end to a 1/4 mile run. Basically you didnt answer my question. If the 1/4 is the only criteria you would have a point if a one armed man was driving with his left arm only but in the real world, the gears make you faster even in this scenario.
If you're telling me your car can run the 1/4 in 3 gears you are slow as all hell. A geared car will make up more than the time it takes to shift another shift. This has been demonstrated so many times..........
So dont take a mod to your car becuase it costs you a 1/4 sec to shift one more time. Give up the 0-60 and all other measured parameters bettered by the gears to cheat a 4th gear end to a 1/4 mile run. Basically you didnt answer my question. If the 1/4 is the only criteria you would have a point if a one armed man was driving with his left arm only but in the real world, the gears make you faster even in this scenario.
