Why don't people do gears in Cobras?
- Thread starter 00GT
- Start date
The stock 3.55s are a great gear along with the 6 speed trans. Most people are running exhaust, pulley and a tune= 450+RWHP; and several are over 600rwhp. We need more tire rather than gear!
I remember in my 00 GT (auto) I got the 4.10s just so I could spin the tires! :burnout:
I remember in my 00 GT (auto) I got the 4.10s just so I could spin the tires! :burnout:
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Because gears multiply torque.....torque it what gets you moving and spins the tires.....these cars have a PD blower which makes a lot of torque down low. These cars have a hard enough time w/ traction stock to lightly modded.....gears would only make the traction problem worse!!!
People do. Its not as common because these cars have considerably more torque.
I'd like to have 3:73's or 3:90's, but I don't think its worth it if I'm already blowing the tires.
I'd like to have 3:73's or 3:90's, but I don't think its worth it if I'm already blowing the tires.
Stock gearing is already pretty good; 3.55 like someone already pointed out. Most earlier mustangs had much taller gears and insufficient power in stock form. We already have traction problems as is so adding shorter gears will only complicate the problem.
I would go with 3.73's maybe 3.90's if i switch to a solid or level 5 irs.
I did. Love the 4.10s. :rockon:
Yeah, rephrase:
2.73's with around 300lb ft. is a long way from 3.55's with 400lb.ft.
Remember, there are a lot of 5.0's running around with 3.55's in the rear.
2.73's with around 300lb ft. is a long way from 3.55's with 400lb.ft.
Remember, there are a lot of 5.0's running around with 3.55's in the rear.
dont want to spin my tires.
Putting 4:10 in a Cobra pretty much relegates it to Dragster status. I prefer more of a road race type ride which for street driving is more useful. Yea, traction is already a problem. For me all 4:10's are gunna do us reduce the gas mileage (which with the 3:55 is pretty good), wear your engine out quicker and make a lot more noise. On the highway 4:10's must be pretty annoying.
00GT said:
I've wondered this as well. I know traction is a huge issue, and I can't imagine what it would take to get a pullied car to hook at all with gears.
That said, I really feel like the stock gearing on the car is too tall, and hampers the fun factor of the car. Sure we have the 3.55 rear, but the transmission gearing of the T-56 is much taller than the 5-speeds in earlier stangs. For me, I don't drag race and live in a cop infested area. By the time I get the car up in the revs in second gear, I'm doing 20 over the limit. To me, the most impressive thing about these cars is how hard they pull in 3rd and 4th gear. But I feel like I can't enjoy that without putting myself at risk of getting a ticket.
Before I had my '03 vert, I had a '95 M3. That car only had 240hp, but was light and had very short gearing. It had a great seat of the pants feel, even though it was nowhere near as fast as the snake. With that car, I could run it through 3 gears in town and not be at risk of going to jail.
With that in mind, I'm tempted to do a set of 4.10s in it if I can't get it sold and decide to keep it. I think it would completely change the personality of the car by improving the response down low and making the gearing more usable for street situations. I don't take long trips in it, and my gas mileage can't get much worse, so I can't see any drawbacks other than traction and the risks of an improper install.
I'd be interested to hear more opinions on those that have gone this route, and if anyone has a reccomendation for the best shop to do the work in the NC/SC/VA area.
I have 4.10 and they make a huge difference, now i changed to a procharger, but my friend has 410s on his cobra too with the eaton. He has a solid rear axle and its intense. that car hooks and goes! Dont fear the gear...as far as gas milage, i actually get better gas milage now with this set up than with the roots blower.
SlowSVT said:
Not really. We have 6 gears. What the 4.10 does is move me up a gear. Instead of cruising city streets in 3rd or 4th gear, I now cruise in 4th or 5th. 80mph in 6th gear is around 2,700-2,800 rpms. Admittedly, first will spin the tires easily.
Now for the upside, off the line acceleration is greatly improved. 1st does spin, especially on cold tires. 2nd and 3rd gears are like rockets. 4th gear accelerates much better than with the 3.55s. 5th pulls hard. 6th pulls. A little more spinning in first is still a good tradeoff to me.
flyn high again said:
Yes really. At 80 the 3:55 are turning the engine over at 2300 RPM. Perfect for highway driving.
If your into drag racing and don't mind the decrease in gas mileage then 4:10 are the way to go. If that's the case I would ditch the IRS as well.
flyn high again said:
You've reminded me of a GREAT post I read on this very subject. I can't remember who it was, but the guy asked "How many of you that critisize 4.10's have actually ridden in a Cobra with 4.10's?" -The answer is just about no one.
I *WILL* be doing gears on my car and I'm seriously considering 4.10's. And I'll gladly sacrifice top end power (that never gets used as I can count on my hand how many times I've driven over 120mph), for bottom end acceleration. And regarding traction issues in first gear.. what is everyone worried about when you don't have traction there stock anyway at WOT? ...Oh no, maybe you'll spin the tires a little faster :burnout:
Just feather it out and watch your ride take off :-D
I got 4.10's and love them so far. I am not that much of a drag racer but from a roll my car is pretty tough.
I think one of the reasons a lot of the fellas stick with the 3.55's is that it's relatively easy to run high 11's with some mild bolt-ons and the factory gears, while keeping the car totally streetable. While moving up to 4.10's would be a blast if you're into torque multiplication, it does make the car a little less streetable, especially at high speed cruising.......IMO. But, like one of the above said, once you ride in a Terminator with gears, you're hooked.
SlowSVT said:
Since I don't do a tremendous amount of long highway cruises with my Cobra and since I didn't buy it for fuel efficiency, the 4.10s work for me. My engine lives at 3,000 rpms. 2,300 is too low for me. I feel like I'm lugging the engine when the rpms are that low.
I think the 4.10s are as much a great street gear as a great track gear. If I'm in 2nd or 3rd, there are few cars on the road that can hang with my car in a roll. Also remember that my pulley is stock and my blower isn't ported which should add some longevity to the engine. That's another plus for using the 4.10s. They give you a pullied car feel without the pulley and they make a pullied car... insane.
Selecting a gear requires thought on hp/tq, suspension, traction, driving style, and deciding where you will be driving the car and what you want it to do. I can't make that decision for anyone but myself. If I could go back in time to the day I bought the gears.... I would buy them again. ;-)
I had to get my diff rebuilt last week, so I went ahead and did a gear change. I was a little worried about going with too much gear, so I went with the 3.73. I absolutely love it. The car pulls crazy now. I dont do drag racing, so from a DD/highway racing perspective, the 3.73 was a great choice IMHO. The car actually seems more pleasurable to drive, even when cruising. I also didnt notice any difference in gas mileage. 3.73 is a safe choice if you are worried about alot of the factors most people mention. Its just a little bit of a change without being too much.
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