Got 3.73's and HATE THEM
Stick with 3.73, get them installed correctly or upgrade to a 12 bolt/9" to save the agony of destroying them after abuse and most of all - GET A STALL CONVERTER!!
I had 3.42 stock = 13.2 got a 3200 stall and 3.73 = 12.88
Driveability and shift ponts will be your best friend with a good converter. I hated my stok converter bogging the rpms down and making the car shift too soo.
I just went to a PT4400 and love it!! Still 3.73 but I lost my pinion and carrier side bearings after 5000 miles.
I had 3.42 stock = 13.2 got a 3200 stall and 3.73 = 12.88
Driveability and shift ponts will be your best friend with a good converter. I hated my stok converter bogging the rpms down and making the car shift too soo.
I just went to a PT4400 and love it!! Still 3.73 but I lost my pinion and carrier side bearings after 5000 miles.
I also vote for the install as the problem, the shop I manage installed the 4.10's in my 10 bolt 15K ago, I have over 60 passes on them and they are very quiet. If the installer knows his **** he will not only get pinion depth, preload etc. correct he will also be able to tell the unexpected thing like a warped housing or other problems that could cause a bad gear whine. Good luck.
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: SE Michigan
Originally Posted by nikon1999
Well just got 3.73's installed in my car, they whine worse than a baby. The drone is deafening. The car shifts through the gears super fast, no way to feather the gears at all, to actually pull up through the rpm band. If you hitt the gas to actually get it to go up the tires just spin. The speedo was adjusted, but should the shiftpoint also be adjusted? I didnt think so... But the car is in like OD at 40. No matter how much i try. I want my 2.73's back 
Everyone said gears were going to be great, NOT FOR ME! Sorry just got the car home and needed to vent... 
3.73's
Everyone said gears were going to be great, NOT FOR ME! Sorry just got the car home and needed to vent... 3.73's
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 14
From: Wellesley, MA
well i had another LS1 owner drive it that knows more about the cars, and he says the mine is very minimal. I dont have any experience with gear whine so i didnt know how to gauge it. After him looking at it i've really learned to tune it out. I just need to get use to driving it around town and having it shift so quick and down low in the rpms. The exhaust is so loud 
i might have to cap up the borla a bit now. I do love mashing the gas at 20mph and the tires squealing and getting pinned into the seat. Or hitting it in first goin sideways and chirping second hard 
. 2.73's NEVER chirped the tires. I think a stall is definitely needed though, vig3200? loosen the rpms up again. Then its off to the track! 
Add in some ET Streets and pray.
i might have to cap up the borla a bit now. I do love mashing the gas at 20mph and the tires squealing and getting pinned into the seat. Or hitting it in first goin sideways and chirping second hard . 2.73's NEVER chirped the tires. I think a stall is definitely needed though, vig3200? loosen the rpms up again. Then its off to the track! Add in some ET Streets and pray. Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: SE Michigan
Originally Posted by nikon1999
well i had another LS1 owner drive it that knows more about the cars, and he says the mine is very minimal. I dont have any experience with gear whine so i didnt know how to gauge it. After him looking at it i've really learned to tune it out. I just need to get use to driving it around town and having it shift so quick and down low in the rpms. The exhaust is so loud i might have to cap up the borla a bit now. I do love mashing the gas at 20mph and the tires squealing and getting pinned into the seat. Or hitting it in first goin sideways and chirping second hard . 2.73's NEVER chirped the tires. I think a stall is definitely needed though, vig3200? loosen the rpms up again. Then its off to the track! Add in some ET Streets and pray.
i might have to cap up the borla a bit now. I do love mashing the gas at 20mph and the tires squealing and getting pinned into the seat. Or hitting it in first goin sideways and chirping second hard . 2.73's NEVER chirped the tires. I think a stall is definitely needed though, vig3200? loosen the rpms up again. Then its off to the track! Add in some ET Streets and pray.
Originally Posted by nikon1999
well i had another LS1 owner drive it that knows more about the cars, and he says the mine is very minimal. I dont have any experience with gear whine so i didnt know how to gauge it. After him looking at it i've really learned to tune it out. I just need to get use to driving it around town and having it shift so quick and down low in the rpms. The exhaust is so loud i might have to cap up the borla a bit now. I do love mashing the gas at 20mph and the tires squealing and getting pinned into the seat. Or hitting it in first goin sideways and chirping second hard . 2.73's NEVER chirped the tires. I think a stall is definitely needed though, vig3200? loosen the rpms up again. Then its off to the track! Add in some ET Streets and pray.
i might have to cap up the borla a bit now. I do love mashing the gas at 20mph and the tires squealing and getting pinned into the seat. Or hitting it in first goin sideways and chirping second hard . 2.73's NEVER chirped the tires. I think a stall is definitely needed though, vig3200? loosen the rpms up again. Then its off to the track! Add in some ET Streets and pray.Nice around town - not too loose, not too tight.
60' was 1.79 with 15lb air in them. Best launch for me was floor it from idle. Holding the brake stalling up o 2400 it was slower out of the hole. That's just me.
After my EXCELLENT installer put my 3.73 they whined too. I only had a cat back at the time. After I listened to the different rpm/whine sounds for a week I realized that was how it was going to be and just drove!
After the head/cam I hardly heard the rear at all
Enjoy forward progress.
Originally Posted by nikon1999
I just need to get use to driving it around town and having it shift so quick and down low in the rpms.
Some of these guys with 6 install tries???Dang those gear shops should be out of business.
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 14
From: Wellesley, MA
well the only reason i dont like them is because of the driving around town ,and the rpms screaming on the highway. The ride home from the shop was about 100miles, they said anytime after that it was ok to get on the gears? So i mean i've gotten on them a handful of times, about 300-400 miles on them now? Maybe im hurting them... I called the installer about pinion depth and he said it was perfect, there was a mark on the rear end to line it up or something, and he checked it and it was right on... They say higher ratio gears whine... what can i do but deal. Shift points definitely need to get adjusted though i think.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 596
Likes: 0
From: Downers Grove,IL
A few years back I installed richmond thick cut 3.73's going from the factory 2.73's.
At that point I had done probably 15 gear swaps in my time on various rearend makes and 3 of them on 7.5" f-bodys, and not a single install of mine ever made any noise.
Well until my richmond 3.73 install on my 98 TA that is. These were the loudest damn gears I had ever heard! Tooth pattern checked right on. I reset them about 5 times. The only way I could get them to be semi quiet was with a .014 backlash which was a bit to loose for my liking.
I eventually removed them, took my Mig and cranked up the amps and proceeded to make a molten mess out of them before I tossed them into the garbage.
Sometimes you just get a lousy set of gears and nothing can be done about it, but it's rare.
Steve
At that point I had done probably 15 gear swaps in my time on various rearend makes and 3 of them on 7.5" f-bodys, and not a single install of mine ever made any noise.
Well until my richmond 3.73 install on my 98 TA that is. These were the loudest damn gears I had ever heard! Tooth pattern checked right on. I reset them about 5 times. The only way I could get them to be semi quiet was with a .014 backlash which was a bit to loose for my liking.
I eventually removed them, took my Mig and cranked up the amps and proceeded to make a molten mess out of them before I tossed them into the garbage.
Sometimes you just get a lousy set of gears and nothing can be done about it, but it's rare.
Steve
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: SE Michigan
Originally Posted by nikon1999
well the only reason i dont like them is because of the driving around town ,and the rpms screaming on the highway. The ride home from the shop was about 100miles, they said anytime after that it was ok to get on the gears? So i mean i've gotten on them a handful of times, about 300-400 miles on them now? Maybe im hurting them... I called the installer about pinion depth and he said it was perfect, there was a mark on the rear end to line it up or something, and he checked it and it was right on... They say higher ratio gears whine... what can i do but deal. Shift points definitely need to get adjusted though i think.
I have a 4.10 rear, 26" tires and a TH400 w/o OD and it's at ~3200rpms at 55mph. Needless-to-say, I avoid the highway.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 14
From: Wellesley, MA
well at 65mph im at about 2000-2200 rpms? i usually cruise more around 80 which is 2800, with my exhaust setup right now its pretty loud, go under a bridge and it sounds like nascar... which in a way is nice
8 second mod
iTrader: (37)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 17,879
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From: East Side Performance! mASShole
I must say, This post was made a little to soon.
The loud whine was somthing i didnt here untill i put the window up, shut the tunes off and still could barly hear it, it was like a little whimper. nothing wrong with the install. they all make a tad bit of noise. i never heard a gear swap that made no noise, and again you had to be dead quit and realy listen to be able to hear it and i bet if you did it with the stock gears they are just as loud.
Another thing, short shifting, Tim is the only person i have ever met that can hit the gas so soft. I drove the car like a normal f-body should be driven and it shifted fine. OD did come in a tad early, but the rest was normal. This short shift thing coming from a kid ive known for well over a year and i think he has floored his car 5 times since i met him. and even with his ***** foot it shifts at 1,500-2,000 rpm and that is very light on the peddle.
Again, i drove the car and at 30 the thing grabbed 1st and procceded to bake the tires, then a NICE cherp going into 2nd!
lst it doesnt seem as fast or faster off the line becuase befor it was punch it and go, now its like punch it and burn tires. the problem is to feel the power, now you need tires to get the just of power.
They are done right and work right, it is driver error and im working on Getting tim out of his caddilac T/A and make it a racer T/A! And yes a converter would be GREAT!!!
The loud whine was somthing i didnt here untill i put the window up, shut the tunes off and still could barly hear it, it was like a little whimper. nothing wrong with the install. they all make a tad bit of noise. i never heard a gear swap that made no noise, and again you had to be dead quit and realy listen to be able to hear it and i bet if you did it with the stock gears they are just as loud.
Another thing, short shifting, Tim is the only person i have ever met that can hit the gas so soft. I drove the car like a normal f-body should be driven and it shifted fine. OD did come in a tad early, but the rest was normal. This short shift thing coming from a kid ive known for well over a year and i think he has floored his car 5 times since i met him. and even with his ***** foot it shifts at 1,500-2,000 rpm and that is very light on the peddle.
Again, i drove the car and at 30 the thing grabbed 1st and procceded to bake the tires, then a NICE cherp going into 2nd!
lst it doesnt seem as fast or faster off the line becuase befor it was punch it and go, now its like punch it and burn tires. the problem is to feel the power, now you need tires to get the just of power.
They are done right and work right, it is driver error and im working on Getting tim out of his caddilac T/A and make it a racer T/A! And yes a converter would be GREAT!!!
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport TN
Just put in a set of 3.55's yesterday, no noise at all. The setup is very important. As far as it shifting out of low so quick, I had one do this when I did a gear swap. When you turned the corner, by the time you got straight, it was in second. This was on an old 84 Chev Pk, but on these newer models, I do think you can do something to hold it in gear a bit longer. My truck turned into a dog, when it shift in second so soon, as the sec. gear in that style trans, was very high.
Just my opinion, on the tires, drag radials would help on the spin, I have 28 inch Nittos on my car, and the nice tall sidewalls really help it hook up.
Skip W
Just my opinion, on the tires, drag radials would help on the spin, I have 28 inch Nittos on my car, and the nice tall sidewalls really help it hook up.
Skip W
8 second mod
iTrader: (37)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 17,879
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From: East Side Performance! mASShole
The noise is so minimal that if you had the window cracked you couldnt hear it. so i dont think it is install issue..
as for tires, i told him that he would need them, so he is awaare of it.
so, tim, get movin, maybe butta's will lend you his et streets!
as for tires, i told him that he would need them, so he is awaare of it.
so, tim, get movin, maybe butta's will lend you his et streets!
I too have deafening whine with my Strange 3.73s around 65 MPH - will getting them reinstalled fix the problem? (please no I told you so's from the guys that said skip the gears...)
Originally Posted by mako22
I too have deafening whine with my Strange 3.73s around 65 MPH - will getting them reinstalled fix the problem? (please no I told you so's from the guys that said skip the gears...)
8 second mod
iTrader: (37)
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: East Side Performance! mASShole
Stu, believe me when i tell you, these gears are so quet, like i said their is nothing wrong with the gears or install.
and Mako, i had a moser with 3.73 in my car and it lasted about 30,000 miles, then it blew up with the 550+rwhp and 5,500rmp cluch drops. but befor it blew, it was loud as a bastard. I honasly think it is fine, i wouldnt worry about a little tiny whine. you should hear my spool!!!!!!
and Mako, i had a moser with 3.73 in my car and it lasted about 30,000 miles, then it blew up with the 550+rwhp and 5,500rmp cluch drops. but befor it blew, it was loud as a bastard. I honasly think it is fine, i wouldnt worry about a little tiny whine. you should hear my spool!!!!!!
