View Poll Results: Which gears propel you?
3.55
33
24.63%
3.73
101
75.37%
Voters: 134. You may not vote on this poll
2011 GT w/ 3.55 or 3.73 gears?
04-02-2010, 12:32 PM
#31
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 632
Hawkeye it doesnt quite work like that. 3.31 to 3.55 gears in the 2005-2009 were worth 1/10 second.
In a test of tuner cars (Roush, Steeda, etc) with CAI/Tune and 3.73 Gears a standard car with 3.55 ran essentially the same times. The CAI/Tune and 3.73 were not enough to offset the weight gain.
I think you missed a few essential variables:
1. Both gears will be capable of spinning anywhere in low gear so no advantage.
2. The 3.73 car will lose more ET during the shifts (The sooner the shift the more ET you lose for a given amount of time because the car is covering less distance).
3.. While the 3.73 may give extra multiplication the 3.55 will be lower in the rpm range were the engine is normally making more torque so offset part of the difference.
4. After each gear change the 3.73 car makes the 3.55 car will continue in the lower gear for a little longer thus have the multiplication advantage for a short but significant period of time.
4. The 3.73 will force you to "ride the limiter" in 4th or shift and go through in the bottom of fifth.
On my 2007 4.10's were no quicker with the same 60' than the 3.55. Their isnt enough traction on street tires to cut any better 60' and anything you gain in 2nd and 3rd you gave up when you were forced to shift to 4th with the 4.10.
In my opinion the quickest combos:
Stock Trim - 3.55 - 7000 rpm @ 115 mph trap
Stock Trim plus 17" Bullets and 245/45R17 Nitto 555R's - 3.31 - 6900 rpm @ 115 mph Trap
CAI/Tune (with raised limiter) and 17" ET Streets (26.5" + Tire Growth) - 3.73 - 7500 rpm @ 118 mph
Those are for mineshaft air. If you dont run when its 1000' Below you will need to rework those numbers.
JMHO. That and a buck will buy you a cheap cup of coffee.
In a test of tuner cars (Roush, Steeda, etc) with CAI/Tune and 3.73 Gears a standard car with 3.55 ran essentially the same times. The CAI/Tune and 3.73 were not enough to offset the weight gain.
I think you missed a few essential variables:
1. Both gears will be capable of spinning anywhere in low gear so no advantage.
2. The 3.73 car will lose more ET during the shifts (The sooner the shift the more ET you lose for a given amount of time because the car is covering less distance).
3.. While the 3.73 may give extra multiplication the 3.55 will be lower in the rpm range were the engine is normally making more torque so offset part of the difference.
4. After each gear change the 3.73 car makes the 3.55 car will continue in the lower gear for a little longer thus have the multiplication advantage for a short but significant period of time.
4. The 3.73 will force you to "ride the limiter" in 4th or shift and go through in the bottom of fifth.
On my 2007 4.10's were no quicker with the same 60' than the 3.55. Their isnt enough traction on street tires to cut any better 60' and anything you gain in 2nd and 3rd you gave up when you were forced to shift to 4th with the 4.10.
In my opinion the quickest combos:
Stock Trim - 3.55 - 7000 rpm @ 115 mph trap
Stock Trim plus 17" Bullets and 245/45R17 Nitto 555R's - 3.31 - 6900 rpm @ 115 mph Trap
CAI/Tune (with raised limiter) and 17" ET Streets (26.5" + Tire Growth) - 3.73 - 7500 rpm @ 118 mph
Those are for mineshaft air. If you dont run when its 1000' Below you will need to rework those numbers.
JMHO. That and a buck will buy you a cheap cup of coffee.
You basically said what I said in my first post on page 2.
So many people always think the lower the gears the faster the 1/4 times and that just isn't always true.
04-02-2010, 02:01 PM
#32
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: California
Posts: 500
you guys confused the hell out of me when you brought up gear ratios and all that. good to know, but i doon't understand that stuff.
i was thinking of 3.73's but from what i read i think i'm between 3.55's and 3.31. i don't go to the track, i do a lot of highway driving but i like to get going from red lights.
i was thinking of 3.73's but from what i read i think i'm between 3.55's and 3.31. i don't go to the track, i do a lot of highway driving but i like to get going from red lights.
04-02-2010, 02:47 PM
#33
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Decatur AL USA
Posts: 2,176
you guys confused the hell out of me when you brought up gear ratios and all that. good to know, but i doon't understand that stuff.
i was thinking of 3.73's but from what i read i think i'm between 3.55's and 3.31. i don't go to the track, i do a lot of highway driving but i like to get going from red lights.
i was thinking of 3.73's but from what i read i think i'm between 3.55's and 3.31. i don't go to the track, i do a lot of highway driving but i like to get going from red lights.
Sorry if we confused you. I am going to have to use a few gear ratios here but will try tio keep it simple.
I hate to say but to a certain extent the reason we have three different gears is for advertising and goverment regulations.
3.31 - Likely capable of spinning the tires in both 1st and 2nd (at least with a tune) on the street. As the 4.6L 3V will spin in 2nd (2.00) with 4.10. The 5.0 in 2nd (2.43) with 3.31 will have almost the same overall ratio with 20% more torque. Due to the new 6th gear ratio it will turn even fewer rpm on the highway than last year. The primary reason this gear is standard is to help with CAFE standards,
3.55 - I think the 3.55 will be a very nice combo. This is the standard gear pretty much everywhere but the USA. With the gearing of the new 6-Speed Manual its like having the 3.73 when launching and the 3.31 on the interstate. It will reach the 155 mph speed limiter in 5th gear. Of course if your a cynic you would say its standard (outside the USA) just because its the quickest gear 0-100 kmh (0-62 mph) in those countries which just happen to use the metric system. It allows them to advertise 0-100 kmh (0-62 mph) in 4.5 seconds.
3.73 is better for instrumented 0-60 runs in the mags because it slams the limiter a nanosecond after 60 mph. Essentially it allows them to advertise that 4.3 0-60 mph. Of course its worthless for 0-100 kmh (0-62 mph) because it would force an extra shift. It will also be better for most road race courses were you will never go fast enough to run out of 5th gear. It will hit the rpm limiter in 5th before the speed limiter.
04-03-2010, 12:25 AM
#35
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 632
btw, where did you guys find the individual gear ratios of the Mustang 5.0?
And to the op, yes if I were you based on what you are looking for, stick with the 3.55 gears.
Oh and guys, the 3.31 gears will easily smoke the tires in first and 2nd gears
And to the op, yes if I were you based on what you are looking for, stick with the 3.55 gears.
Oh and guys, the 3.31 gears will easily smoke the tires in first and 2nd gears
04-03-2010, 12:53 AM
#36
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Nevada
Posts: 336
04-03-2010, 02:38 AM
#37
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 632
thanks
Of note, I thought the 6 speed auto had a 3.3x final drive, not a 3.15
that would be impressive since Ford has said they got the best 1/4 mile times in an auto GT
Of note, I thought the 6 speed auto had a 3.3x final drive, not a 3.15
that would be impressive since Ford has said they got the best 1/4 mile times in an auto GT
Last edited by Driver72; 04-03-2010 at 02:41 AM.
04-03-2010, 10:18 AM
#38
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Decatur AL USA
Posts: 2,176
04-03-2010, 11:00 PM
#39
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 632
Could be, but that's not THAT much lower than the 3.66 1st in the manual.
Plus the manual has lower 2nd, 3rd, and 4th during the run.
And 3.73 is significantly lower than 3.15 final too.
My guess is most of it has to do with shift speed and possibly torque converter too.
I think manuals take about .2-.25 seconds to shift. Autos (even true autos not Dual Clutches) these days shift gears in like .1-.125 seconds.
So over the 1/4 mile (with 3 shifts) you'd shave .2-3 seconds off your time if gear ratios were similiar.
Not sure how good the torque converters are in the 11 MGT, but that can make a difference too, in launching and putting power down.
Though I'd bet the manual would reel the auto in as speed climb.
I'd love to see a auto vs manual 11 MGT showdown for kicks too.
Plus the manual has lower 2nd, 3rd, and 4th during the run.
And 3.73 is significantly lower than 3.15 final too.
My guess is most of it has to do with shift speed and possibly torque converter too.
I think manuals take about .2-.25 seconds to shift. Autos (even true autos not Dual Clutches) these days shift gears in like .1-.125 seconds.
So over the 1/4 mile (with 3 shifts) you'd shave .2-3 seconds off your time if gear ratios were similiar.
Not sure how good the torque converters are in the 11 MGT, but that can make a difference too, in launching and putting power down.
Though I'd bet the manual would reel the auto in as speed climb.
I'd love to see a auto vs manual 11 MGT showdown for kicks too.
Last edited by Driver72; 05-30-2010 at 07:21 PM.
