Hey, i currently have 4.10 gears in the back of my 95 Z28. Ive had them back there for over a year now and love them completely, but im of course worried about the stress and strain it gives my motor and Transmisson. Next to the car being almost completely stock, i have the pcm turned for 4.10 gears and stronger shifts, a simple cat back system, and a cold air kit. I did have the trans rebuilt to spec before the gear swap. Im getting a Trans cooler kit to help out my trans, but im wondering about stall convertors (cuz mine is still stock) and anything else that would insure the drivetrains survival. The car is my daily driver, but I would like to stay with the gears because i typically only drive about 6-12 miles a day, with maybe once a month doing a 120 mile highway trip. Lets just say you had this set up, what would you do? Thanks

 

I would do a quality 9.5" 3000 stall converter. With the 4.10 gears you won't notice it a lot until you step into it.

 

"worried about the stress and strain it gives my motor and transmisson."
Gears lessen the strain on motor and transmission as they now have a better mechanical advantage against the resistance of the vehicle.Anything forward of the gears has less strain and anything after the gears has more strain due to more torque of the additional torque multiplication.

 

I think the "concern" would be because the engine is always turning higher RPM's than it would be with a higher set of gears, but like was just stated, the actual LOAD on the engine and tranny is less. And think about the RPM's that the average 4-banger is spinning to cruise down the highway?! You're still below that with your car in OD even with the 4.10's .

I had 4.10's behind my A4 for a couple years and loved them. I never got to switching the converter out for a stall, although I had plans for it. But then I converted to a 6-speed! (long story).

Even with 4.10's, the car would bog down pretty hard off the line at the drag strip. I never suffered any worse traction than with the stock 2.73's, so the car would almost dead hook, and it took a couple seconds for the thing to really get rockin'! A stall would have helped big time!

As long as you get a lock-up converter, your highway mileage won't suffer at all .

 

With 4.10s and a high stall normal street radials will be worthless. Any speed under 60mph, any gear, every time that you mash the go pedal you'll blow the tires away.

 

Do you get traction on the street with A4/4.10s? I always spin from a stop with just 3.73s. I don't know how you 4.10s guys launch on the streets or do you...

 

My car launches fine at the track. I don't race on the street anymore.

 

When I ran the A4/4.10's, I never had much issue with traction .

Even on street tires, I was cutting 1.9 60' times pretty regularily, and found I was still going to need a stall to really get the car off the line (it bogged pretty good!! ).

Again, STREET tires!!!

 

In terms of traction, i never had too much of a problem with it yet because i dont mash it to WOT from a dead stop normally untill i hit second gear. I have done it a couple of times and it really lights up the tires, so to save some tire treads, i tend to just kill ricers from easing it to half throttle (to make them think they have a chance). Alot of more knowledgable people tell me that getting a higher locking stall converter will be a big difference. Regardless i like any idea that comes my way because with gas the way it is, im slowly going to turn this into a weekend warrior so it never hurts to do a stall.

 

If it's just gonna be a weekend warrior, bolt on a set of 315/35/17 Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials, throw a huge stall in, run the 4.10's, and go kick some a$$!!!