3.73 or 4.10?

[01SsRacing]

My 01 SS is getting a full T56 swap, its going to be a street driven car with around 450 motor? What Gears are you guys running, and what gears do you think I should run?

[JayTA98]

I think if you are going to be doing a lot of highway driving I will say the 3.73. If is going to be a street driven car only and not a daily driver then the 4.10. If you do a google search most cars that have upgraded to 4.10 with t56 are doing 2k rpm at 70 mph. i'm sure other members with more experience will chime in

[Firebirdjones]

If it's still sporting the stock rearend, I'd leave it alone. Gear upgrades only weaken the little 7.5's with less tooth contact and would be creating more headache for you later down the road.

If you're going with a 12 bolt or 9 inch, then I agree with Jay. It depends on the intended use of the car. I've run both 4.10's and 3.73's in the 12 bolt of my wifes 6 speed SS. In the end we preferred the 3.73's. At that time she was driving 200 miles a day and the 4.10's dropped mileage to 24 mpg at best. The 3.73's brought that back up to 27ish mpg.
Now the car is 99% city driving, her drive is 7 miles in stop and go, still no regrets with 3.73's. The car drives nicely and I feel the gear spread is better suited to the 3.73's. With the 4.10's the around town driving was kind of a pain (I thought) because the 2.66 first gear is a bit too short. Barely let the clutch out and I'm grabbing second before the car moves 10 feet. Was fun to hot rod around, but our 4th gen isn't about that, it's a daily driver, so ultimately the 4.10's came out for 3.73's. They are still a nice improvement over the stock 3.42's.

[naperws6]

I have 3.73 and I wish my car had a 4.10 gear. I've driven one with that gear and it wakes the car up U won't be disappointed. I have around 470hp and will be switching to 4.10 in the future.

[SMWS6TA]

If it's still sporting the stock rearend, I'd leave it alone. Gear upgrades only weaken the little 7.5's with less tooth contact and would be creating more headache for you later down the road.

If you're going with a 12 bolt or 9 inch, then I agree with Jay. It depends on the intended use of the car. I've run both 4.10's and 3.73's in the 12 bolt of my wifes 6 speed SS. In the end we preferred the 3.73's. At that time she was driving 200 miles a day and the 4.10's dropped mileage to 24 mpg at best. The 3.73's brought that back up to 27ish mpg.
Now the car is 99% city driving, her drive is 7 miles in stop and go, still no regrets with 3.73's. The car drives nicely and I feel the gear spread is better suited to the 3.73's. With the 4.10's the around town driving was kind of a pain (I thought) because the 2.66 first gear is a bit too short. Barely let the clutch out and I'm grabbing second before the car moves 10 feet. Was fun to hot rod around, but our 4th gen isn't about that, it's a daily driver, so ultimately the 4.10's came out for 3.73's. They are still a nice improvement over the stock 3.42's.

^^^^this right here.

[kingls1]

I also agree with those above on the type of driving you intend should influence your choice. I have in my garage a brand new Strange S60 with 4:10's as my car is only a play toy that will see very little highway driving and after this past fall a few more track days. All my research led me to 4:10's for my driving, the install won't happen for a few weeks.

[raynor139]

I have the same setup as king and I went with 3.73s but I don't plan doing 1/4 miles like he does. Mine is purely a fun cruiser that I drive to work once a week maybe if not every 2 weeks. Mostly highway miles. Otherwise I use on weekends when the gf and I go out.

[35th-ANV-SS]

Have had 4.11 gears in my 9" for about 6 years now. No issues driving on the highway. As FBJ states, you learn to shift fast coming out of the hole.

[Firebirdjones]

Have had 4.11 gears in my 9" for about 6 years now. No issues driving on the highway. As FBJ states, you learn to shift fast coming out of the hole.

Yeah, it's not that it's bad, I like the short gears, but what makes it seem worse to me is that I'm used to driving cars with at least a 28" tire on the rear, and these 4th gen stock tires are 26", so it makes that 4.10 and 2.66 first gear feel just that much shorter to me. With a 28" rear tire, I'd love it.

I drive 2.52 muncies often, with stiff rear gears. I guess it's that combination of slightly less aggressive 1st gear and 28" rear tires that I am used to.

I've driven little fox mustangs with 3.35 first gear T-5's, and 4.10 rear gears. Talk about rippen through first gear It's a ball to play with, but not what I'd want in a daily driver.

[01SsRacing]

The race is going to see it all, seeing I still have a A4 ws6 Depending on where I am going ill be able to choose what to drive. The SS with 4.10 im Just worried that 1st will be a wasted gear... 4gen cars pull out of the whole I dont want to give that up. But pros and cons with 4.10 and the 6speed are the rest of the gears made better? while the 3.73 is avg through all 6. I dont care about highway with the car.

[RONS98TA]

I have an auto with a 3200 stall and 373 gears. I love it for both the track and highway. It's a nice compromise for both uses. If I had a 6 speed, I would go with the 410 gear. I also wouldn't care about highway milage. I didn't buy the car for great gas milage. (That's what 4 cylinder cars are for. LOL) I have been in cars with both rears and the 6 speed. As others have said, 1st gears will be quick with the 410, so be ready to shift, BUT thats what I like to do anyway.

[Firebirdjones]

The race is going to see it all, seeing I still have a A4 ws6 Depending on where I am going ill be able to choose what to drive. The SS with 4.10 im Just worried that 1st will be a wasted gear... 4gen cars pull out of the whole I dont want to give that up. But pros and cons with 4.10 and the 6speed are the rest of the gears made better? while the 3.73 is avg through all 6. I dont care about highway with the car.

With the 4.10's, 1st won't be a wasted gear, it's quick, but for best 1/4 mile times it's needed. With the .50 overdrive the 4.10 is hardly noticable. Our main reason for pulling it was the 3 mpg drop in gas mileage. At that time driving the car 1,000 miles a week, 3 mpg adds up quickly. As it was I had to fill the car with gas every night (stupid little tanks) I actually liked the 4.10 gear most of the time, but it did get a little old around town, most times I took off in second gear. The 3.73 to me was perfect for doing all things well. But like I said, when I want to go fast and horse around, I have other cars for that. If I were dead serious about going fast and racing the 4th gen, it wouldn't have a 6 speed, it would have a 400 turbo with a brake, toss in a 4.10-4.56 gear and have some fun
Yeah one reason we own these cars is because they are economical. I already have a stable of classics that guzzle gas, I don't need a daily driver doing that too. If it wasn't for the 4th gens efficiency and it's ability to do ALL THINGS well, I wouldn't own one. I have enough hotrods already. What I won't do as long as I am breathing is own a dinky 4 banger car to get me around town. The fact that I can drive a V8 that is capable of 30 mpg and have more power than most cars on the road is what keeps us in a 4th gen.

[SMWS6TA]

Since we've gotten our 06' Durango, it's the first time my wife has driven a V8, she loves it. Everything I've been telling her over the yrs about how V8's are better than V6's that she now gets it. She still won't drive my bird because she's very uncomfortable driving cars that sit that low. She did drive my 96' FB and did not like it then either.

[Firebirdjones]

Since we've gotten our 06' Durango, it's the first time my wife has driven a V8, she loves it. Everything I've been telling her over the yrs about how V8's are better than V6's that she now gets it. She still won't drive my bird because she's very uncomfortable driving cars that sit that low. She did drive my 96' FB and did not like it then either.

The only V6 cars we've owned all had turbos on them Otherwise we are strictly a V8 family because we like having the passing and hill climbing power when needed (lots of mountains around here), which means at least one car in the stable needs to be an economical V8 (with power ) for a daily driver. The 4th gen is good at that.
Nothing bugs me much more than driving a car that won't get out of it's own way unless it fell out of a tree.

[ASh302]

I'm auto and have 3.73s and drive a lot on the street and highway, would not be fun having 4.10s

ASh

[Naaman]

To OP,

I think the most important piece of advice in this thread was mentioned above about NOT putting a shorter gear in the stock rear end, especially with 450 horsepower. I'm still running the 3.42 and my car makes probably about 420-430 horsepower (around 360 at the wheels). So far it's fine, but I don't do hard launches and only go WOT if I'm already moving and engine is above 2000 rpm. Eventually when I upgrade to a 12-bolt or 9-inch, I may go for 3.73s, but that's going to depend on whether I can hook well. If not, 3.42s will stay.

[01SsRacing]

OKay so what about roll racing, would the 4.10 with the shorter throws still be better or would the 3.73 being a little taller be better? Keep in mind not running to really high speeds.

[RONS98TA]

In reply to Firebirdjones, I'm not actual a big fan of 4 cylinders cars either, until I drove my 2009 Cobalt SS. It's a turbo 4 cyl with some minor factory upgrades that put down almost 300 h/p to the wheels. It will def get out of its own way and then some. Again, not really a huge fan due to the 4 cyl exhaust sound, but overall, pretty impressive. And when I keep my foot off the GO pedal, or driving "normally" so to speak, I get 40+ mpg's. Not bad for 300 "front" whp. LOL

[35th-ANV-SS]

Roll racing is cute.