3.55's Gear Choice Help
12-10-2009, 02:52 PM
#21
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 287
i dont know you trans but as far as you driving goes
i have 3.73s and on the freeway do 65 at a odd 2100rpm now 1st is ahort but also has no traction so if your gona throw a sticky tire on it and you have no problem with the 65 at 2100+rpm 3.73s are great
if i did not care for topend so much i would go even lower but my car isn't for the drag strip either
shifting smifting it depends on how hard you driving to make it annoying IMO ..if Your cruising its easy to go through the gears and not be annoyed is actually cool to me because the gears are low enough that if you don't want to shift to much just stretch 2nd a little its almost like a 4speed because you can get out of 1st so fast
Last edited by newpony; 12-10-2009 at 02:59 PM.
12-10-2009, 03:14 PM
#23
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,772
i dont know you trans but as far as you driving goes
i have 3.73s and on the freeway do 65 at a odd 2100rpm now 1st is ahort but also has no traction so if your gona throw a sticky tire on it and you have no problem with the 65 at 2100+rpm 3.73s are great
if i did not care for topend so much i would go even lower but my car isn't for the drag strip either
i think i get pretty good milage i had a 91 regal and i think they do around the same as long as i stick to the speed limit(i have no problem with growling around at 2100 rpm )
shifting smifting it depends on how hard you driving to make it annoying IMO ..if Your cruising its easy to go through the gears and not be annoyed is actually cool to me because the gears are low enough that if you don't want to shift to much just stretch 2nd a little its almost like a 4speed because you can get out of 1st so fast
i have 3.73s and on the freeway do 65 at a odd 2100rpm now 1st is ahort but also has no traction so if your gona throw a sticky tire on it and you have no problem with the 65 at 2100+rpm 3.73s are great
if i did not care for topend so much i would go even lower but my car isn't for the drag strip either
i think i get pretty good milage i had a 91 regal and i think they do around the same as long as i stick to the speed limit(i have no problem with growling around at 2100 rpm )
shifting smifting it depends on how hard you driving to make it annoying IMO ..if Your cruising its easy to go through the gears and not be annoyed is actually cool to me because the gears are low enough that if you don't want to shift to much just stretch 2nd a little its almost like a 4speed because you can get out of 1st so fast
12-10-2009, 04:33 PM
#24
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Posts: 1,326
Wrong. 5-speed cars were 2.73 with 3.08 optional. AOD cars were 3.08 with 3.27 optional.
3.55's are fine with a T-5. I have run them for about 18 years. I would buy new. Used gears should be set up the same as they were in the donor vehicle due to the existing wear pattern.
97-03 F150's used the 8.8 in 4.2L V6 and 4.6L V8 trucks. the 5.4L trucks had a 9.75 rearend.
Most V6 Rangers use a 8.8 as well.
3.55's are fine with a T-5. I have run them for about 18 years. I would buy new. Used gears should be set up the same as they were in the donor vehicle due to the existing wear pattern.
97-03 F150's used the 8.8 in 4.2L V6 and 4.6L V8 trucks. the 5.4L trucks had a 9.75 rearend.
Most V6 Rangers use a 8.8 as well.
12-10-2009, 06:54 PM
#26
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts, New Bedford
Posts: 3,035
well gas mileage all depends on ur right foot.
honestly the difference between 3.73s and 3.55s is really nothing at all. for every rotation of you wheel the drive shaft only spins 0.18rev which is 64.8 degrees of rotation more
i have 3.73s and i DD the **** out of my car. it works out just fine. @65mph in 5th its only at 2100-2200rpm. on a long haul traveling 68mph i netted 20mpg. that was before the hci.
now i average about 16mpg but thats city and hwy and i beat it up. so if i could ever keep off the throttle id get about 18
honestly the difference between 3.73s and 3.55s is really nothing at all. for every rotation of you wheel the drive shaft only spins 0.18rev which is 64.8 degrees of rotation more
i have 3.73s and i DD the **** out of my car. it works out just fine. @65mph in 5th its only at 2100-2200rpm. on a long haul traveling 68mph i netted 20mpg. that was before the hci.
now i average about 16mpg but thats city and hwy and i beat it up. so if i could ever keep off the throttle id get about 18
