whats the best gear for a 6 speed?

**Leeroyws6** · 03-04-2010, 04:27 PM

i have a 1998 ws6 6 speed.ive been wanting to mod it ever since i got it about a month ago.i finally have some money so im gonna get an air lid,ported TB,ls6 intake,pace setter LTs and texas speed ypipe.i also am gonna get some rear end gears,but do not know which ones to get.should i get the 3.73 gears or 4.10?its my DD so i dont want to go too wild.just want to get into the mid-high 12s.thanks.

**basballny2** · 03-04-2010, 04:55 PM

how about you go in the middle and go with some 3.90's

**bobodog** · 03-04-2010, 04:57 PM

with what you just listed with your stock rearend will get you there now. you just need stickies.
but be careful. these 10 bolt rearends with a 6speed dont like stickies.

**9T8W66** · 03-04-2010, 05:06 PM

Stock 10bolt + Stock power + Sticky tires = lots of noise/Boom

**Leeroyws6** · 03-04-2010, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by basballny2

how about you go in the middle and go with some 3.90's

so 3.90's sound great.just dont want to go too tall for my 6 speed.what else can i do to the rear end to beef it up?will a diff cover help?and can anyone tell me what me stock rear end gears are?thanks

i just like that one!

**67CamaroRSSS** · 03-04-2010, 05:17 PM

Stock rearend gears are 3.42. It's on the door sticker as code GU6.

**bobodog** · 03-05-2010, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by Leeroyws6

so 3.90's sound great.just dont want to go too tall for my 6 speed.what else can i do to the rear end to beef it up?will a diff cover help?and can anyone tell me what me stock rear end gears are?thanks

i just like that one!

these rearends arnt something you can "beef" up. theyre just weak all around.
the only thing you can do that helps a little is get a TA girdle or a MAC girdle.

**LSCyaL8R** · 03-05-2010, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by Leeroyws6

so 3.90's sound great.just dont want to go too tall for my 6 speed.what else can i do to the rear end to beef it up?will a diff cover help?and can anyone tell me what me stock rear end gears are?thanks

i just like that one!

Hi and welcome to the neighborhood. To save you some cash and some heartache I'll bring you up to speed.

The 10 bolt your car came with is notoriously weak. A lot of people here have busted them on street tires with stock power. They really aren't right for these cars if you intend on "using" your car.

Many members have tried beefing them up with strong gear sets and braces and covers and stronger axles etc.... only to have them fail anyway because the 10 bolt is simply too small and an inferior design to other rears.

Rather than dump money into your 10 bolt to "make it last" you should put that money aside and save for a Moser or Strange rear.

Your options are either a 12 bolt or a Ford 9 inch.

The consensus is that the 9 inch is stronger but slightly more parasitic on power. Although I read an article that showed no real appreciable difference in power.

I hope this helps. Just ask around and you will find a TON of opinions on rears but one thing will ring true among all members.... The 10 bolt isn't worth the metal it's made from.

**karpetcm** · 03-05-2010, 10:36 AM

In my opinion 4.10's are not bad at all for DD, it actually helps me to drive better because i go from 1st to 3rd and 3rd to 5th gear city driving when im shifting. On the highway last time i checked at 70mph i was about 1600rpms. There are some that might say you will shift too much and its too short but all my cars have had 4.10's and im use to it. Getting 4.10's or 3.73's wont really help you get into 12's meaning you should already be there with the other mods you plan on doing, also remember suspension and driver mod has alot to do with how well your times are. If anything without a good set of sticky tires atleast it did for me it made my E.T's worse because i had no traction. As said above if you go with 4.10's you will run a higher risk of breaking your rear end and especially running sticky tires. Granted there are several people who havent had any issues, id still becarefull.

**rc74racer** · 03-05-2010, 10:46 AM

I have 410s in mine and like them a lot they are fine for DD driving. I've driven mine over 500 miles in a day and got over 25mpg.

All that being said if I had it to do all over again I wouldn't sink a dime into my 10 bolt. I haven't had any issues even have a few runs down the track with them but I know it's weak and will be replaced with a 12bolt or 9in one day I would have been better off just saving the money to use on another rear.

**Leeroyws6** · 03-05-2010, 01:08 PM

thanks for all the input.sounds like i will be researching some 12bolts.how much does an used one cost on average? and what cars did they come in stock?

**Jays00ss** · 03-05-2010, 06:58 PM

4.30's in My 9". I wouldn't hesitate at all to put them in yours if you upgrade your rearend. Don't waste the $ putting gears in your POS stock rear. I put 3.90's in mine and was TOTALY Disappointed. Thats when I said F it and went to the 4.30's in the 9" and glad I did. Daily drive it in the summer no issues.

**Knight** · 03-05-2010, 07:07 PM

I run 4.11s in my modded 10 bolt. Will be upgrading to a 9 inch soon and will run the same gears in it. Don't bother to sink the money into the stock rear - I've learned the hard way. The last thing I broke after repalcing and building everything in the rear end was the gears - not much farther you can go to beef it up from there if your breaking gears. If someone gives you a set of 4.10s or you find some cheap I'd say throw them in, other than that save the $$ and pick up a new rear when you can.

**67CamaroRSSS** · 03-10-2010, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by Leeroyws6

thanks for all the input.sounds like i will be researching some 12bolts.how much does an used one cost on average? and what cars did they come in stock?

As far as a used 12 bolt price IDK. As far as availability is concerned the 12 bolt has not been made for sale in passenger cars (trucks are a different matter and IIRC the pieces don't interchange) since 1972. The 7.5" 10 bolt has been standard in F-bodies since the 3rd gens came out. Basicly it's the same rear end as the 70's Monza's and S10 trucks.

OTOH, the aftermarket has stepped up to the plate. Several maunfacturers make 12 bolts for our cars that are a bolt in affair. They also offer Ford 9" and Dana (either 44 or 60) style rear ends that are also bolt in.