What gear should I run
02-13-2012, 08:00 PM
#21
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,443
Well here is my take on the issue.
3.00 gears are probably damn close to what ford used behind that engine/tranny combo in 1989.
AODs will have a low 1st gear which will be all but worthless with 4.10 gears, and of limited value even with 3.55s.
I have made the mistake of buying 4.10 gears for use behind a TKO not once but TWICE, and frankly it bugs the **** out of me every time I use my "granny low" 1st gear, I get the best launch out of 2nd gear... what a freaking waste!
IMO,,,,,, you 3.00s will be PERFECT for your daily commute. depending on your engine build, they might let you get 20+ mpg.
If we are talking about a car without overdrive, (and the low 1st gear that comes with an od), and if the car is a weekend warrior, lower gearing might be in order....
3.00 gears are probably damn close to what ford used behind that engine/tranny combo in 1989.
AODs will have a low 1st gear which will be all but worthless with 4.10 gears, and of limited value even with 3.55s.
I have made the mistake of buying 4.10 gears for use behind a TKO not once but TWICE, and frankly it bugs the **** out of me every time I use my "granny low" 1st gear, I get the best launch out of 2nd gear... what a freaking waste!
IMO,,,,,, you 3.00s will be PERFECT for your daily commute. depending on your engine build, they might let you get 20+ mpg.
If we are talking about a car without overdrive, (and the low 1st gear that comes with an od), and if the car is a weekend warrior, lower gearing might be in order....
Actually... Manual came with 3:08, Auto with 2:93? with the option of 3:55 Manual and 3:27 Auto from the factory as an upgrade.
02-13-2012, 10:22 PM
#22
I thought about JMDs wisdom while speeding to work this morning on interstate H3 (interstate in Hawaii....?) in fifth gear. He talked about 1st gear being worthless as the higher you go up in rear-end gears making you only drive on 2nd - 5th gears. I see the wisdom in this and I think it was a good post on this topic.
James
James
02-15-2012, 04:45 PM
#23
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: AR
Posts: 5,469
LOL,,, it was just an educated guess, but the average of the base 3.08 and 2.93 is 3.005....
I thought about JMDs wisdom while speeding to work this morning on interstate H3 (interstate in Hawaii....?) in fifth gear. He talked about 1st gear being worthless as the higher you go up in rear-end gears making you only drive on 2nd - 5th gears. I see the wisdom in this and I think it was a good post on this topic.
maybe, but it came at a high price, screwing up not once, but twice when specing out rear ratios..... I have a hard head sometimes, because after all, everyone knows real hot rods have 4.10 gears right?
Sometimes I neglect to do all the math, imo, 4.10s are great for close ratio direct drive 3 and 4 speed transmissions, but not so great with 4 and 5 speed overdrive transmissions that already have an incredibly low 1st gear....
02-15-2012, 08:16 PM
#24
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,443
LOL,,, it was just an educated guess, but the average of the base 3.08 and 2.93 is 3.005....
Wisdom...... maybe, but it came at a high price, screwing up not once, but twice when specing out rear ratios.....
I have a hard head sometimes, because after all, everyone knows real hot rods have 4.10 gears right?
Wisdom......
maybe, but it came at a high price, screwing up not once, but twice when specing out rear ratios..... I have a hard head sometimes, because after all, everyone knows real hot rods have 4.10 gears right?
I'm no different. Had to do it for my self before I would listen to others. For a 5 speed, highway car, 3:55 is a nice, rounded gear.
02-21-2012, 11:30 AM
#25
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Ramona, CA
Posts: 2,682
I had a 2.75 behind my FMX originally, and then changed the FMX to a 93 AOD. The old FMX was chuggy off the line but great on the highway with the 2.75's. I learned that the AOD had the same gear ratios as the FMX with the added 4th .64.
So I put in the AOD, then and changed the rear to a 3.0 (after blowing up the 4.11's i tried to install myself
.. just because I wanted my car running again. The AOD with the 3.0 was a little peppier off the line than the 2.75's but barely. Once the car dropped into 4th it was almost too low. It was great on the highway, I could barely hear the engine, but I was probably around 1700 rpm. I put in the 3.70's with a trac-lock differential and it came to life. I keep the car in 2 when just running around town under 45mph, and put it in D when Im going faster than that. At 65 I get right at 2000rpm.
The AOD is funny though, maybe its just mine, but if you are in 4th gear doing more than 45 and need to pass someone, or just get on it, you have to drop it back to 2 on the gear selector, which kicks it up to 3rd gear and you can peg it. I have read on it a few times about how to ratchet shift the trans and hold gears, but Im afraid to kill it.
Sorry if I went off on a rant. But the moral of the story is, if you are putting in the limited slip, go with something above 3.50 up to 4.10. I would say 3.70 or 3.80 something. I like mine and I took a ride in Musnicki's car this weekend, and his 302 with the 3.89's is a bad ***! Yet seemed totally streetable.
So I put in the AOD, then and changed the rear to a 3.0 (after blowing up the 4.11's i tried to install myself
.. just because I wanted my car running again. The AOD with the 3.0 was a little peppier off the line than the 2.75's but barely. Once the car dropped into 4th it was almost too low. It was great on the highway, I could barely hear the engine, but I was probably around 1700 rpm. I put in the 3.70's with a trac-lock differential and it came to life. I keep the car in 2 when just running around town under 45mph, and put it in D when Im going faster than that. At 65 I get right at 2000rpm.The AOD is funny though, maybe its just mine, but if you are in 4th gear doing more than 45 and need to pass someone, or just get on it, you have to drop it back to 2 on the gear selector, which kicks it up to 3rd gear and you can peg it. I have read on it a few times about how to ratchet shift the trans and hold gears, but Im afraid to kill it.
Sorry if I went off on a rant. But the moral of the story is, if you are putting in the limited slip, go with something above 3.50 up to 4.10. I would say 3.70 or 3.80 something. I like mine and I took a ride in Musnicki's car this weekend, and his 302 with the 3.89's is a bad ***! Yet seemed totally streetable.
02-21-2012, 12:33 PM
#26
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 85
I had a 2.75 behind my FMX originally, and then changed the FMX to a 93 AOD. The old FMX was chuggy off the line but great on the highway with the 2.75's. I learned that the AOD had the same gear ratios as the FMX with the added 4th .64.
So I put in the AOD, then and changed the rear to a 3.0 (after blowing up the 4.11's i tried to install myself.. just because I wanted my car running again. The AOD with the 3.0 was a little peppier off the line than the 2.75's but barely. Once the car dropped into 4th it was almost too low. It was great on the highway, I could barely hear the engine, but I was probably around 1700 rpm. I put in the 3.70's with a trac-lock differential and it came to life. I keep the car in 2 when just running around town under 45mph, and put it in D when Im going faster than that. At 65 I get right at 2000rpm.
The AOD is funny though, maybe its just mine, but if you are in 4th gear doing more than 45 and need to pass someone, or just get on it, you have to drop it back to 2 on the gear selector, which kicks it up to 3rd gear and you can peg it. I have read on it a few times about how to ratchet shift the trans and hold gears, but Im afraid to kill it.
Sorry if I went off on a rant. But the moral of the story is, if you are putting in the limited slip, go with something above 3.50 up to 4.10. I would say 3.70 or 3.80 something. I like mine and I took a ride in Musnicki's car this weekend, and his 302 with the 3.89's is a bad ***! Yet seemed totally streetable.
So I put in the AOD, then and changed the rear to a 3.0 (after blowing up the 4.11's i tried to install myself
.. just because I wanted my car running again. The AOD with the 3.0 was a little peppier off the line than the 2.75's but barely. Once the car dropped into 4th it was almost too low. It was great on the highway, I could barely hear the engine, but I was probably around 1700 rpm. I put in the 3.70's with a trac-lock differential and it came to life. I keep the car in 2 when just running around town under 45mph, and put it in D when Im going faster than that. At 65 I get right at 2000rpm.The AOD is funny though, maybe its just mine, but if you are in 4th gear doing more than 45 and need to pass someone, or just get on it, you have to drop it back to 2 on the gear selector, which kicks it up to 3rd gear and you can peg it. I have read on it a few times about how to ratchet shift the trans and hold gears, but Im afraid to kill it.
Sorry if I went off on a rant. But the moral of the story is, if you are putting in the limited slip, go with something above 3.50 up to 4.10. I would say 3.70 or 3.80 something. I like mine and I took a ride in Musnicki's car this weekend, and his 302 with the 3.89's is a bad ***! Yet seemed totally streetable.
Thanks! I have followed your posts and comments on here closely. After listening to others I have decided to run 3.73 gear and traction loc.
02-21-2012, 12:47 PM
#27
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NJ
Posts: 1,110
I have a limited slip 4.10 rear with a T-5 tranny , In any case 1st gear is a bit different from the norm at 2.95:1. I am only in 1st for a nano second so I would agree with everyone about 1st's usefulness with 4.10's. I really wanted 3.73's but I got a deal on the 4.10's so in they went.
Highway isn't to bad, but I wouldn't want to take a long road trip. I think you made the right choice with 3.73's.
Highway isn't to bad, but I wouldn't want to take a long road trip. I think you made the right choice with 3.73's.
02-21-2012, 01:58 PM
#28
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Ramona, CA
Posts: 2,682
Good choice what do you have done to the motor? Is it pretty much stock or built to run at higher rpms? That would sway my decision to go 3.8 something.
Also, who do you plan to have put the 3rd member together? Make sure its a reputable shop. Its going to cost a pretty penny. Get good bearings and seals too, and from what Ive read, ford racing gears are the ones you will want.
Also, who do you plan to have put the 3rd member together? Make sure its a reputable shop. Its going to cost a pretty penny. Get good bearings and seals too, and from what Ive read, ford racing gears are the ones you will want.
02-21-2012, 02:12 PM
#29
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 85
It is pretty much a stock 5.0 HO EFI that I converted back to carb. I am not sure exactly who I am going to have do the work if not myself and my neighbor. I am a big believer in Ford Racing Products and plan on going that route for the gears and Tru Trac. The motor and AOD are on schedule to go in the end of March (once its warmer) I plan on getting the car running and will use the 2.78 and no trak-lock till I get all the kinks worked out.
02-21-2012, 06:50 PM
#30
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Ramona, CA
Posts: 2,682
Start looking for the carb adapters for your TV cable. You wont go far without that. I would leave the rear to a professional. The install of the motor and tranny is all fun. Also, if you can, try modifying your tranny mount instead if buying the aftermarket one. Or at least stay away from the ron francis morris one. It sits right in the way of your exhaust with long tube headers.
