Detroit808

I currently have 2.73's and go to the strip only on occasion and I'm keeping my street tires. My best time is 14.481@98 with a 2.320 60'. I'd like to drop my time by 5 tenths, to get into the 13's. I want to change the gears for both a SOTP feel and decent ET drop, but I'm afraid of losing traction with 3.73's....like I'm not having problems already! I read a few posts saying 3.42's are good for if you're planning for huge power adders, otherwise 3.73's are ideal. However, what if I'm only doing light mods, but traction is a major issue? Would 3.42's be a better compromise since I'm keeping my street tires? Please, I'd like to hear from only those that went from 2.73's!

JDBlaze85

first off
junk the 2.73s! throw em in the dumpster and dont look back!


Since your car has 2.73s Im figuring that it is an automatic 4 speed tranny so................

3.73s are perfect, drop your ET real nice, will work great with power adders or not, doesnt take too much gas since you have an overdrive. You will definately need some tires like Nitto Radials since traction is half the race.

If you dont want to get tires then go with 3.42s. save more gas than 3.73, you can put MAJOR power adders on, but as your car sits, 3.42s will be slower than 3.73. I still think you will need tires. My 99 Z has 3.23s and breaks the tires loose on motor(303rwhp).

Get some 3.73s and Nitto tires and you'll be a satisfied customer.

97WS6SCharged

I think you will be happier with 3.42 gears. That ratio is about perfect for a street f car whether it's an automatic or a stick. But definately get rid of the 2.73s.

ABA383

3.42's are great with the 4L60E...That 3.06 first gear combined with the 3.42 gear works out to a first gear total drive ratio of 10.47...That's killer...For comparison that is more than my old Chevelle with a TH350 (2.52 first gear) and 4.10 gears..(10.33 final drive ratio) That's wicked off the line. I use 3.42 gears in my A4..On BFG DRs my 60's are always in the 1.60s-1.69s. As a bonus my 420rwhp 383 gets 25 mpg on the highway, as long as I'm not driving it like I stole it...

2cub49

3.42's are a perfect gear for an A4. I was going to go back to them from my 3.73's. If I didn't have my GV OD which makes my 3.73's into 2.91's, thats what I'd be running. 373's are definately more fun but 3000 rpm at 80 mph can be hard to live with if you do much highway driving.
Expect to lose 2 mpg or more depending on leadfoot.

CamaroGuy22

I am getting gears swapped in aswell, I have a 3.42 ring and pinion, but some guys told me to forget 3.42 and go with 3.73, and i want to be able to have some traction, a little less highway noise, and a little better gas mileage, i think those are the pluses with the 3.42's. If two equal cars gained equal traction one with 3.42's and one with 3.73's...what would be the difference in quater mile et?

2cub49

Well the numbers don't tell the whole story. 3.73's make the car feel like it wants to accelerate all the time, whereas the 3.42's seem a little more labored in 2nd and up at WOT in comparison.

CamaroGuy22

Is it just the feel? Or even from a roll would a 3.73 geared car beat an equal 3.42 geared car?

lt1hatesme

i went 342 from 273 and i love it. although if you do alot of highway driving, you will loose alot of gas mileage. just today i took a trip and at times i had to drive at 3k rpms just to stay with normal trafic flow, thats way too high and 373s would be even higher. for a daily driver 342s is perfect. my friend has a 2001 lightening and at the time just headers and exhaust, and with my 273s be beat me by a car and a half usually... when i swapped the 342s in i beat him by a car.

Antz97ZNJ

373's, if you can get the 342's for cheaper get those, there fine also

hotrod18_69

3:73's and some drag radials, you'll be set!

zoso1959

I had 2.73's in my car and did the sawp to 3.42's after reading all the pro's & con's.
they are to me the best performance gear for an a4.

and you have to ask yourself is the car for fun or track.

if its for fun and a daily drive get the 3.42's, they are great

if you plan on going to the track to achive the best track time, then go to the 3.73's or higher.


zoso

Derrick Redd

I have 3.42's in my Z28. They are a great all around gear. Plus good low mileage sets can be had cheap from the M6 guys going to 4.10's.