Well, now im at a point where im liking the idea of 3.73 gears, they seem to be a good all around ratio, the ONLY concern i really have with them is i like my top end, currently running the stock 3.23 gears, now with headers on the car, its slower on the launch, but awesome with top end pull and i dont want to lose that appeal, say if someone who thinks their car is hot rolls up to me at 60mph, i want to be able to hit it and still move decently, the only reason 3.73's concern me is my boy has a 2007 mustang gt (i know its not an LT1, but its just the concept) and it comes with 3.55 gears, well after his second gear is done, his 3rd doesnt pull much, and his 4th is basically dead, he may as well not have a 5th...so being that those gears are not quite as low as the 3.73's, that kind of performance worries me, im hoping that the performance in an LT1 camaro is much differemnt, since alot of you here run 3.73's, id like to get some input on how well they perform at speeds in excess of 50 mph, i want a better launch, but i want a fair ammount of my top end to stay around, so the main question is, do i go with 3.73's for now or keep my 3.23's and in the future make more power to give me a better launch and low end?
thanks for everyones time

 

good ?... i think a good TC takes care of it but dont quote me on that

 

I don't really understant what you mean - your description sounds backwards to me. Lower axle ratio (numerically higher) should make the car pull harder in any given gear, including 4th or 5th. That should be true for roll ons as well. You will not have an optimum gear/rpm available at the same mph for different ratios, but it will still occur at some mph for any gear. The speeds will just be lower with the lower axle ratio. Until you run out of gears, the numerically higher axle will always pull harder for a given gear & rpm. Even top gear will accelerate faster, you will just lose some top speed at redline.

I guess for an engine that revs very slowly, and a very low axle ratio, you could wind up with engine inertia holding you back a bit in first gear, but there wouldn't be enough traction to make it an issue with that kind of ratio.

 

so to basically answer my question, 3.73's would make it pull harder in all gears, making it faster on accelleration while sacraficing some top speed, well if thats the case, i dont run 150 mph anyways lol so i'd be fine giving some of that up. logically i thought 3.73's would make it pull harder in ALL given gears, but i wasnt 100% sure, so i didnt type anything up about it for fear i might have misunderstood how the gears worked and effected peformance, so rather than assume i knew what they would do, i just asked everyone.

 

Hell, if you have a m6 I would go with 4.10 and 3.73 with a a4 but that is me

 

I believe that in discussions it has been said that the only time they help you is in first gear, and that's IF you get traction. If you search around you can find it.

 

Go with the 3.73s, they will put a on your face

 

Also, before you switch, check what your normal driving speeds are on the highway, and check what your speed will be with the 3.73's. You may or may not like your engine rpm that high. And if you're not installing them yourself, check around for a shop with good recomendations. Might as well have all the bearings in the rear replaced while you're in there. Honestly for the price of gears plus install and consumable parts, I would vote for a nice Fuddle, Vigilante, or similar stall based on your current mods.

 

when I switched to 3.73s from 3.08s, my top speed went up 10mph.

 

I had a 92 convt with 2.73 I used to go to VA beach alot. It did excellent on the highway. The gas was good and I had plenty of fun while I was down there. Racing from newport news to the beach to norfolk. And not once did i consider gas a factor. When i got my 95 z28 (3.23) It's fast, it's sweet but I notice gas every corner I turn. What good is a Z if you can't drive it, have fun, pick up some women, drop they asses off and not spaz out over gas?keep the 3.23. 3.73 will be more agressive but your gas is gonna crash. You will notice an rpm difference. 70 mph and your car will rev higher than 3.23 thereby burning gas like a leaky baby diaper.

 

I still get 21 MPG with a 170,000 mile 3.73 A4 LT1. It doesn't effect gas mileage that much.

 

The car will pull harder/faster throughout the powerband... each gear will be "shorter" per say...

 

Here's a good post that should answer any questions you have and help you decide what you want to do to the car and what you will use it for. http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=376207

 

Put the 3.73's in and (if you are A4 then a Vig 3000 stall) would make your car a nighmare for your Sons stang to even think about.

Your Sons Stang could definitely use 4.10s right off the bat. You have to understand if your trying to compare ratios in his car vs yours that its Apples / Oranges and will not apply.

 

I believe my Z will do 80mph in 6th gear at 2000 rpm's. It is nice to have gears with the 6 speed.