I rode in a New Edge with 4.30's tonight

[Torch10th]

Says who? I had a v10 F-450 with a 4.30 gear...from the factory. This engine turns significantly less RPM than our high strung 32v modular yet for some reason the Ford engineers decided to put a lower gear in anyway...maybe because it was the best gear for towing they could throw at it.

You always use the "ford engineer" BS. Why don't you also look at the fact that ford has to play by EPA rules, government regs. etc.

The 99/01 Cobra should have com ewith nothing less than a 3.73 out of the factory. However, the lower gear ratio would result in decreased gas mileage. Since it's a passenger vehicle and not a duty truck that MPG counts against Ford's CAFE points.

Besides, it's personal preference. What do you think you're god any have every right answer? If somebody want's lower gears in their car, they are going to expect a bit less mileage and higher rpm operation.

With that said, there was absolutely no basis for your post. Period. If you want to keep the stock gearing, by all means, that's your choice. Don't look down on those that don't mind a few extra RPM in their life.

 

[scho1186]

Ok, even if your calculations were right, 3k is still way too much cruising RPM for a long freeway drive.oke:

Do everyone a favor on these boards, sell your cobra, buy a geo and stop posting bs.

 

[cobraracer46]

Says who? I had a v10 F-450 with a 4.30 gear...from the factory. This engine turns significantly less RPM than our high strung 32v modular yet for some reason the Ford engineers decided to put a lower gear in anyway...maybe because it was the best gear for towing they could throw at it.

You always use the "ford engineer" BS. Why don't you also look at the fact that ford has to play by EPA rules, government regs. etc.

The 99/01 Cobra should have com ewith nothing less than a 3.73 out of the factory. However, the lower gear ratio would result in decreased gas mileage. Since it's a passenger vehicle and not a duty truck that MPG counts against Ford's CAFE points.

Besides, it's personal preference. What do you think you're god any have every right answer? If somebody want's lower gears in their car, they are going to expect a bit less mileage and higher rpm operation.

With that said, there was absolutely no basis for your post. Period. If you want to keep the stock gearing, by all means, that's your choice. Don't look down on those that don't mind a few extra RPM in their life.

I believe that some one was asking a question and wanted to know if 4 10 gears would be too much for an 8 hour freeway drive and based on the fact that a 5 speed cobra with such a rear end gear would turn in the neighborhood of 3000+ RPMS while cruising in fifth, It is easy to see that such a gear would make a Cobra drink gas on long freeway drive. Whats more, if the same car is sporting an aftermarket exhaust like I have on my cobra, then that 8 hour drive is going to be loud at 3000 RPM. Just last month, I drove my Cobra from San Francisco to Las Vegas and back and at 80MPH, the rpms were at 2200 and I burned less than 2 tanks of gas each way. If my car had 410's, 4'30's I would have had to stop for gas quite a few times. I personally would not even think about getting lower rear gears unless I had a T56, otherwise, the car would become too unpleasant on the freeway. Some people do not mind the extra RPM's, but I do.
You talk about having a F450 with 430 gears turning lower rpms than a cobra, but you are comparing apples to oranges and besides, the f450 has a 4R100 auto trans that is geard differently and its a work truck designed for towing and lower gears help increase towing capacity.
No, I'm not basing my gear choice on what some Ford engineer says, I'm basing it on keeping the car livable on long drives. By the way, I don't look down on people who decide to go with 410 or lower gears on a 5 speed cobra, but I do look down on people who say " don't fear the gear", because make no mistake, there is a price to pay for having really low rear end gears on a freeway driven 5 speed Cobra and if you are willing to pay it then that's your choice.

 

[svTx01]

sorry guys did mean to start a fight. I want more gear but at the same time I want a dependable car (lots of long trips). for some reason I feel like 4.10 will blow up after a few hours of highway driving. but of course I wouldn't know for sure.

 

[cobraracer46]

sorry guys did mean to start a fight. I want more gear but at the same time I want a dependable car (lots of long trips). for some reason I feel like 4.10 will blow up after a few hours of highway driving. but of course I wouldn't know for sure.

There is an easy way for you find out if you can live with 410's on your long trips, just do the following: next time you take your Cobra on a long freeway drive, see how long you can leave the transmission in 4th instead of 5th with out going nuts and that will simulate what a 410 gear will feel like on a long freeway trip because cruising in 4th with a 327 gear is real close to cruising in 5th with a 410 gear.

 

[slo-ryd]

but I do look down on people who say " don't fear the gear", because make no mistake, there is a price to pay for having really low rear end gears on a freeway driven 5 speed Cobra and if you are willing to pay it then that's your choice.

Don't fear the gear.

When your looking down on me, don't overlook my finger.

 

[cobraracer46]

Do everyone a favor on these boards, sell your cobra, buy a geo and stop posting bs.

Well, that is not nice of you to say that I post bull shit just because I don't post up a bunch of nonsense like: " don't fear the gear", "Get a JXZ sewer drain Pipe cold air kit" " what wheels should I get", " what will it take to beat my buddies fill in the blank car", " nice kill!", "what hood should I get?", "my check engine light is on, any ideas?", " I just raced an xmobile last night and.." "what spark plug is best?" ......

 

[Rotzs99]

I side with cobraracer on this one (some of the stuff). I love the sound of my bassani catback, but i dont think i could stand it at 3000RPMS for very long. If i did do gears i would get 4.30s, the drive to the track (2 hours) would be excruciating, but the time at the track would pay off, then the drive back...ahhhhhhh. But i want a turbo anyway, so no gear for me.

 

[99riocobra]

I side with cobraracer on this one (some of the stuff).....

no offense to you at all man, but you're probably the only one! im my eyes, cobraracer46 should not be giving advice like this. he is posting conclusions that he has come to based on a stereotypical information. for example, he says that 1st gear with 4.10's is useless. let me tell you, i still have 4.10's with my blower and 1st is still VERY useable. granite, it's less useable than before while i was NA. but while NA 1st was just as useable with 4.10's, only a million times more fun. cobraracer46 has a car with almost no mods. a giant radiator that he dosn't need, a roll bar/cage, wheels, and exhaust. yet, he still gives advice on what power adders are the best, what bolt ons work best, what gears to go with, and most importantly, how much oil to run in your cobra that keeps 75% of the oil in the heads under high loads. that's all.


edit: i forgot to add that i didn't make a dyno appointment to check my AF when i first had my gears installed. do you think i hurt anything?

 

[slo-ryd]

The sky won't fall if you put steep gears in your 4-valve car. I drive mine on road trips, and have for 2 years. If you want to keep the 3.27's thats great, just don't tell someone thats going to the trouble of a gear swap what ratio is best if you have no experience with the ratio your saying is rediculous.

With 4.30's and a 5 speed transmission, I've mathmatically lowered my top speed from 237 to 180mph. Since it's an aerodynamic brick and I've never had the car faster than about 150, this is obviously not an issue. If you do mostly highway driving, 3.73's might be a good all around ratio. I have a set of 3.73's in my car right now (until spring) and I'm not happy with them. With 4.30's, the car feels totally different,pulls like a bull and still gets 18mpg.

I speak from experience, not speculation.

 

[Rotzs99]

no offense to you at all man, but you're probably the only one! im my eyes, cobraracer46 should not be giving advice like this. he is posting conclusions that he has come to based on a stereotypical information. for example, he says that 1st gear with 4.10's is useless. let me tell you, i still have 4.10's with my blower and 1st is still VERY useable. granite, it's less useable than before while i was NA. but while NA 1st was just as useable with 4.10's, only a million times more fun. cobraracer46 has a car with almost no mods. a giant radiator that he dosn't need, a roll bar/cage, wheels, and exhaust. yet, he still gives advice on what power adders are the best, what bolt ons work best, what gears to go with, and most importantly, how much oil to run in your cobra that keeps 75% of the oil in the heads under high loads. that's all.


edit: i forgot to add that i didn't make a dyno appointment to check my AF when i first had my gears installed. do you think i hurt anything?

None taken, im just siding with him on the fact that i couldnt stand 3000k rpms, not for gas mileage, just noise, especially on a vert. I got minor headaches when i changed the catback. I make suggestions on stuff i dont have either. Im very stingy with my money, but i research like hell. JMO

 

[99riocobra]

None taken, im just siding with him on the fact that i couldnt stand 3000k rpms, not for gas mileage, just noise, especially on a vert. I got minor headaches when i changed the catback. I make suggestions on stuff i dont have either. Im very stingy with my money, but i research like hell. JMO

that's cool man. that's interesting about the headache thing. + infinity on research!!! :thumbsup:

 

[Rotzs99]

that's cool man. that's interesting about the headache thing. + infinity on research!!! :thumbsup:

doesnt mean i wont make dumb threads tho. hmmm, wonder what it would take to put a termy eaton on my car?

 

[99riocobra]

i have no clue. you're asking the wrong guy here!

 

[Hmbre97]

I believe that some one was asking a question and wanted to know if 4 10 gears would be too much for an 8 hour freeway drive and based on the fact that a 5 speed cobra with such a rear end gear would turn in the neighborhood of 3000+ RPMS while cruising in fifth, It is easy to see that such a gear would make a Cobra drink gas on long freeway drive. Whats more, if the same car is sporting an aftermarket exhaust like I have on my cobra, then that 8 hour drive is going to be loud at 3000 RPM. Just last month, I drove my Cobra from San Francisco to Las Vegas and back and at 80MPH, the rpms were at 2200 and I burned less than 2 tanks of gas each way. If my car had 410's, 4'30's I would have had to stop for gas quite a few times. I personally would not even think about getting lower rear gears unless I had a T56, otherwise, the car would become too unpleasant on the freeway. Some people do not mind the extra RPM's, but I do.
You talk about having a F450 with 430 gears turning lower rpms than a cobra, but you are comparing apples to oranges and besides, the f450 has a 4R100 auto trans that is geard differently and its a work truck designed for towing and lower gears help increase towing capacity.
No, I'm not basing my gear choice on what some Ford engineer says, I'm basing it on keeping the car livable on long drives. By the way, I don't look down on people who decide to go with 410 or lower gears on a 5 speed cobra, but I do look down on people who say " don't fear the gear", because make no mistake, there is a price to pay for having really low rear end gears on a freeway driven 5 speed Cobra and if you are willing to pay it then that's your choice.

How do you know what gas mileage a geared Cobra gets? Have you ever owned one?

I can tell you from personal experience that gas mileage does not suffer. Not only does it not suffer, I actually saw an increase of 1-3 mpg on extended freeway trips. I went from the factory 3.27 to 4.30 ratio. The only reason I haven't swapped gears in my Mach is the fact I'm putting an 03-04 Eaton on the car which makes plenty of torque down low to get the car out of the hole. I still find myself leaving the car in 4th on the highway as I am accustomed to running at 3k rpms.

The only thing you need to check on your car is if you can handle 3k rpms for an extended amount of time. With my offroad H and Borla catback, I actually had less drone at 3k rpms than at 2200-2300 so it was a win-win situation in my case.

 

[CobraG]

I'm still going to go with gears, I e-mailed Mustangtuning to see if I could switch from 4.10's to 4.30's on their package deal but I didn't even see 4.30's on their site so we'll see.
And I want the package deal, I want the SCT handheld.

 

[Hmbre97]

I'm still going to go with gears, I e-mailed Mustangtuning to see if I could switch from 4.10's to 4.30's on their package deal but I didn't even see 4.30's on their site so we'll see.
And I want the package deal, I want the SCT handheld.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/mopepl4ge1.html

They're only $5 more than the 4.10 gears so maybe they'll sub them out.

 

[CobraG]

http://www.americanmuscle.com/mopepl4ge1.html

They're only $5 more than the 4.10 gears so maybe they'll sub them out.

Cool, thanks man, don't I look blind, I looked for 4.30's but couldn't find them. I was in a hurry when I looked.
I do perfer FRPP's though

 

[kezell]

I have 4.30's as well. I love them. I havent lost gas milage on the hwy. Also with my 4.30's first is very usuable.

 

[Nazman]

4.30s are good but 4.56s are lthe $hit!

Talk about being able to pull from any gear!