going from 2:73 to 3:73...worth it?
Tech Resident
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Philly
Originally Posted by monicaz28
Finally someone who knows what they're talking about. 
then, they get to the track and cut a worse time. what happened? all the gears did was sacrifice their traction!
the whole point of gears is to rpm faster so you get in your powerband faster. well, what does a stall do? it skips an entire part of your rpm band and jets you straight into your powerband. this completely negates the effects of gears! the stall skips the very part of the powerband the gears were supposed to accelerate you into.
gears and a stall is a waste of money. pick one. either do gears or a stall, not both. i recommend a stall as any $$$ put into a 10-bolt is a waste of time IMO. 2.73's will give you the best traction. paired with a stall, it's a winning combination at the strip and at the pump.
11 Second Club
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: tampa fla
So you are sayin i would still 60 ft a 1.520 with a set of 3.23 istead of my 4.10s??? 
Its all about optimizing your setup.I dropped 2-3 tenths and gained 2mph going from a 3.23 too a 3.73 when i had my 10 bolt after my cam swap.
Its all about optimizing your setup.I dropped 2-3 tenths and gained 2mph going from a 3.23 too a 3.73 when i had my 10 bolt after my cam swap. No but I bet those 4.10s kill your highway mileage. It's give and take, you can optimize the setup for the track but then you sacrifice street/highway driveability. It all comes down to what the owner wants. I'm looking for balance.
Banned
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: DETROIT,MI
Keep the 2.73's! I had 2.73's and my rear end was quiet and strong. Now with the 3.42s there is a slight noise coming from the rear! I only went just a little faster in the quarter! The only benefit is it tightened up the looseness from the stall! If I had it to do over I would have kept my 2.73's!
first of all if you were worried about 2 mpg you should prolly be drivind a honda hybrid(i am a car and hp enthusiest not a conservasionist hahaha)......in my mind even at a minimum of 2 tenths(prolly more) of a second gain is worth the 200 for the gears and 250-300 for install....tenths start getting expensive after the initial boltons, and gears are something that can be done in a few hours a4 should get 3.73's and m6 go with the 4.10's unless you do alot of highway driving then you may want to reconsider.... id say gears before stall since the size of the stall should reflect on the gears you have (and some other factors like dd or not), but if your looking for bigger gains w/ just one mod get a stall.... ohh and either way you will need some stickys and if you run both prolly a 9" or 12 bolt after a few dozen passes (if you hook up and have supporting mods) if i had the money i would deff get a new rear
Tech Resident
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Philly
Originally Posted by presto_z
first of all if you were worried about 2 mpg you should prolly be drivind a honda hybrid
Originally Posted by ChocoTaco369
this is the "desperate" argument for mods. it's what people say when they completely run out of ideas. i bought my car because it was a performance car that i could afford. i get 21-22mpg every time. if my car got 15mpg i never would have bought it. you have to put things in perspective. most of us on this site see the track maybe 2 or 3 times a year, some of us none, so WHY would we want to lose 3mpg ON OUR DAILY DRIVERS to run a tenth faster? it's pissing away your money. there are other things that money could be put to to make you go faster, like headers, a tune or 3 months of gas.
The ONLY reason why 2.73s are worth anything at all at the track is because of the big 3.06 1st gear you have in the 4L60E. In any other transmission, they would be worthless. If you can get the car to hook up entirely, there's nothing better than a nice set of 3.73s with a 3.06 1st gear 
As far as gas-mileage goes, I'm getting 26mpg highway with my car and 3.73s.
Don't be a *****. Get the 3.73s. 
As far as gas-mileage goes, I'm getting 26mpg highway with my car and 3.73s.
Don't be a *****. Get the 3.73s.
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Verdad Gallardo Tech Resident
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From: Philly
Originally Posted by monicaz28
You're obviously not someone who has a lot of experience with modding cars. A tenth or two is a big deal at the track sometimes. And as far as headers go, yes, headers are important, it's all part of the package... just like cam choice. And GEAR choice. I lost some traction on the 4.10's, but only on street tires. I know a lot of people personally who do or have had 3.73's who had very little traction issues. That's what they make drag radials for. I don't just throw parts on the car. Each and every choice I make is researched and thought about, and discussed before I ever actually do it.
wow...
Not going to get into the pissing contest. I have had 2.73's, 3.42's, and 3.73's. Like others have said once you get a converter the gears don't make as big of a difference. They will help though.
My suggestion is forget swapping gears in your 10 bolt. Get a used 3.42 rear from a M6 car. Unless you have a serious hookup on parts and labor you will be hard pressed to get gears installed for less. The other benefit is you now have a spare rear if you break it. If you race long enough it's a serious posibility.
The jump from 2.73's to 3.42 will feel great. I really don't think you would miss the tiny bit 3.73 will have on 3.42. Just my $.02
Little more info for ya.
MPG 2.73's=28 3.42=26 3.73=25
Best Et with 2.73's was 11.94. Best after adding LS6 intake and 3.73's was 11.76. This was stock internal for both.
My suggestion is forget swapping gears in your 10 bolt. Get a used 3.42 rear from a M6 car. Unless you have a serious hookup on parts and labor you will be hard pressed to get gears installed for less. The other benefit is you now have a spare rear if you break it. If you race long enough it's a serious posibility.
The jump from 2.73's to 3.42 will feel great. I really don't think you would miss the tiny bit 3.73 will have on 3.42. Just my $.02
Little more info for ya.
MPG 2.73's=28 3.42=26 3.73=25
Best Et with 2.73's was 11.94. Best after adding LS6 intake and 3.73's was 11.76. This was stock internal for both.
Last edited by jay_99z; Jul 7, 2006 at 11:22 AM.
Originally Posted by ChocoTaco369
lol i don't recall anything in his post about his car being a track car, meaning it never sees the streets. guess what, nearly everyone on this site streets their cars. getting gears is just not practical. the negatives FAR outshine that 1 or 2 tenths. i'm not someone who has a lot of experience modding cars? lol. i'm not someone who has a lot of experience making bonehead, worthless decisions and pissing my money away. apparently you are. you're gonna spend hundreds putting gears in a rear that's going to grenade oodles faster now, wear his engine far more, make his car an absolute bitch to launch and kill his mpg all for the sake of a damn tenth. great idea!
wow...
wow...
You put a k&n and flowcrapper on a v-6 car and I'm supposed to take you seriously??? 
I guess everyone's taste is different.I have experience with 3.23's, 3.42's, and 4.10's. I know a couple people who changed 3.42's to 3.73's and there really isn't much difference there. Going from 2.73's to 3.73's is definitely going to be a world of difference though. Until you go to 4.10's or 4.56's, traction really shouldn't be that big of a problem.
I picked up my car today from having the 3.73s fitted and still going through the break in period of course but I can already feel a SOTP difference and I cant wait till I can really give it some power to see what is it like.Go for it mate get the gears then a 3500 or more stall.
Tech Resident
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Philly
3.73's will feel like a difference because right now you are in partial powerband where the stall is not active to its full use. once you get to the track, you will see little if any difference because the stall at WOT negates the gear change. it's been said time and time again, a tenth is expected. also expect engine wear, a grenading rear and a severe mpg loss.
Tech Resident
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Philly
Originally Posted by monicaz28
You put a k&n and flowcrapper on a v-6 car and I'm supposed to take you seriously??? I guess everyone's taste is different.I have experience with 3.23's, 3.42's, and 4.10's. I know a couple people who changed 3.42's to 3.73's and there really isn't much difference there. Going from 2.73's to 3.73's is definitely going to be a world of difference though. Until you go to 4.10's or 4.56's, traction really shouldn't be that big of a problem.
and traction WILL be an issue. i take it you have an M6? my god i sure hope you don't.
I didn't go through everyone else's comments but here's my take:
The 2.73 is the thickest ring gear from all the 10 bolt gears, giving it the best shot at surviving at the strip especially with a diff cover. 3.73's will really wreck havoc on traction. I have 3.23's, 3800 stall, torque arm, lca's, et street radials and still have a very hard time hooking on the street at WOT. On a prepped track the 3.73's would shine.
So, i say try out your car with your stall first (street and track) and make the gear decision afterwards.
The 2.73 is the thickest ring gear from all the 10 bolt gears, giving it the best shot at surviving at the strip especially with a diff cover. 3.73's will really wreck havoc on traction. I have 3.23's, 3800 stall, torque arm, lca's, et street radials and still have a very hard time hooking on the street at WOT. On a prepped track the 3.73's would shine.
So, i say try out your car with your stall first (street and track) and make the gear decision afterwards.
Tech Resident
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Philly
Originally Posted by SSPEEDY
The 2.73 is the thickest ring gear from all the 10 bolt gears, giving it the best shot at surviving at the strip especially with a diff cover.
if a tenth is this important, by all means go for it. but once calculating the cost of gears, install, new fluid and increased fuel costs, i can find a better use of $1,000 for you that will net you a lot more than a tenth and not be a total waste of money when your rear grenades, because it sure as hell will with that setup.
Originally Posted by ChocoTaco369
please, go to the track with each and find out yourself. your *** dyno doesn't mean **** here. your "experience" doesn't mean ****. i don't care how many swaps you've had, go test them. numbers don't lie. $500+ for a tenth off your quarter mile, increased engine wear, ruined mpg. this is what you get. stop posting what you think it FEELS like and go ask people that have run the numbers. go look at the stickies. please. are 2.73's and 3.73's a world of difference. YES - WITH A STOCK STALL SPEED. with a stall, it's not worth the price of a bottle of gear oil let alone the gears and install, fuel mileage, tires and engine wear.
and traction WILL be an issue. i take it you have an M6? my god i sure hope you don't.
and traction WILL be an issue. i take it you have an M6? my god i sure hope you don't.
[QUOTE=ChocoTaco369]thanks, i forgot to mention that, too. 3.73's are a considerably thinner gear, making them weaker themselves. yet another con to the gear swap.QUOTE]
But not if he has a 2 Series carrier, if he goes from 2.73s to 3.73s they will be thicker than the 3 series carrier ones. they will still be thinner but not as thin as the 3 series carriers.
But not if he has a 2 Series carrier, if he goes from 2.73s to 3.73s they will be thicker than the 3 series carrier ones. they will still be thinner but not as thin as the 3 series carriers.
Originally Posted by ChocoTaco369
thanks, i forgot to mention that, too. 3.73's are a considerably thinner gear, making them weaker themselves. yet another con to the gear swap.
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 52
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From: waco, tx
I agree with finding a whole rear out of a 6 speed. That's what i'm currently looking for. Even a stocker with 3:23's would be worth it to me.
I don't really like choco's argument. There are plenty of people on here getting better mileage than he posted with lower gears.
He doesn't have a stall listed in mods so most likely he's goin by hearsay as to whether gears help with a stall.
The 2:73's just have a flat spot between gears that a stall will help but lower gears fix(less rpm drop between gears)
yes i have a 2:73 rear with a stall(although a small one) and yes these gears still suck.
I vote for lower gears by swapping rearends
I don't really like choco's argument. There are plenty of people on here getting better mileage than he posted with lower gears.
He doesn't have a stall listed in mods so most likely he's goin by hearsay as to whether gears help with a stall.
The 2:73's just have a flat spot between gears that a stall will help but lower gears fix(less rpm drop between gears)
yes i have a 2:73 rear with a stall(although a small one) and yes these gears still suck.
I vote for lower gears by swapping rearends
Last edited by old93ta; Jul 7, 2006 at 01:25 PM.