hey i went to the junkyard today and pulled out a 96 explorer 8.8 with 3:73s and a posi for $100 bux im going to use the gears and carryer for my mustang and going to use the rear disks for a swap to 5lug down the road! ill tell you what kind of a differance it makes
Now you need to pick up some 31 spline axles to go with it!
(FYI...Explorers have 31 spline)
Gears and a carrier for $100 is a GREAT deal, and I thought about doing the same thing you did, but Jeep guys grab them up FAST and have drove up the prices ..at least around here, but there older now, so there are more of them showing up, so maybe I did screw myself.....LOL
that year is fairly light and if u plan on goin to a higher hp
you will thank yourself the day u have to make a longer trip then normal and ur car is siting at a decent rpm on the freeway vs. 3k plus
With 4.10's and an AOD I'm right at or just under 3000 rpm. at 70 mph. Depending on your exhaust its not too bad. Mine is loud as hell but it sounds good and I have a good radio to listen to...its all on what is important to you.
I have read through every post on this subject and right when I think I have it figured out, someone else makes a point that totally changes perspective. It really sounds like guys running 3.73 are the guys going to the race track and racing between lights than highway cruisin?
I recently acquired a minty 95' GT 5-gear. Bone stock. I was considering swapping gears to 3.55/3.73 and was having trouble deciding which. My car has 2.73 and I run a 245/45/17 tire. The car is driven as a daily driver and highway. I would like to squeeze every ounce of performance I can out of it, but still NEED to get decent fuel mileage. I can't have it suffer 3-5 MPG. According to my tach with the current gears I have it run the following RPM in 5th gear:
60 MPH - 1600 70 MPH – 1850 ish 75 MPH – 1900 ish 80 MPH – 2100 ish 85 MPH – 2200 ish
If I was to put in 3.55's:
60 MPH - 2000ish 70 MPH - 2350ish 75 MPH - 2500 ish 80 MPH - 2650 ish 85 MPH - 2800 ish
3.73's:
60 - 2100 ish 70 - 2450 ish 75 - 2600 ish 80 - 2800 ish 85 - 2950 ish
Most of the time on the highway, I"m cruising 70-75 MPH. My main concern comes from the posts that states with 3.73 gears, 1st gear is very short with the 3.35 ratio in my tranny. I’d hate to be in the city and starting out in 2nd gear most of the time? I don’t go to the race track or race between lights very often, so I could maybe sacrifice some performance of the 3.73’s if I’m not going to use it?.....but at the same time, I”d hate to spend money/time on a 3.55 gear set and be disappointed.
Can someone tell me how much their fuel mileage changed when going from 2.73à3.73 as a daily driver?? From 3.55 à 3.73??
I don't see that there is much difference between the two gears. If you look at it from the boneheads point of view the 3.73's only turn your tires .18 more for one revolution of the driveshaft and I think that at the end of the day it's all what you feel like. We might as well discuss the difference betwewen an edelbrock rpm intake and a professional products typhoon.
I want to change gears as well but not sure.I plan on 3.55 or 3.73, I don't drive on the interstate,just around town.I have mostly stock 5.0 with a cold air,ignition upgrades,I plan to put headers on as well.It's a 5spd with 2.73's now.Just taking it easy no thrashing....too many miles,so which set?
for those of you that are stuck on getting 3.55's or 3.73's but are worried about fuel consumption, then go with the 3.55's. although there is hardly any difference between the two, the 3.55's will help to rest easy on your mind that it won't use as much gas as the 3.73's. although there is hardly any difference
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94' vert with polished bomz cai, magnaflow high flow catted x-pipe, flowmaster series 40's, msd blaster coil, 3:73's, 5 speed manual, yellow top optima battery juicing up the stereo system and more hp coming soon!
I just finished installing 3.73 gears in a 5spd 1985 gt. After running 3.08 gears for a year I needed to bring up my RPMs to get into the power rage quicker. On my fist trip out I did not notice much of a difference in acceleration then before. What I did notice was in 3rd gear at 60MPH (GPS) I went from 3250 RPMs to 3900 RPMs and there was more power available at high speeds. What this all means is as long as you have the extra HP to pull and your not a highway driver go with 4.11. 3.55 gears are a wast of time.
How many of you guys running 3.73's are using your cars for daily drivers?....or are they just weekend warriors or cars that head out to the track on occassion???
YOu would think that 2.73-->3.55's is a large jump and should work well for a daily driver.
Is anyone that chose 3.55's happy with their choice?
I just can't seem to make up my mind. Right when I think I"ve decided, someone changes my mind! 3 mechanics and a couple of performance shops recommended 3.55's for a daily driver with mixed street/highway miles.....but you guys are adamant on the 3.73 selection.
Don't get me wrong, I"m not questioning wisdom and experience, just trying to make the best possible decision for my application.
So, for a 95' GT - 5spd daily driver with future mods to include:
shorty headers into Flowmaster 40 catback
GT40 upper and lower intake
65mm Ford Throttle body
Ported e7s with stainless GT 40 valves
E303 cam
would be better suited to a 3.73 rear gear instead of 3.55's with a 50/50 split on miles?
I have 3.73's in my 88 GT and here's now my speedo goes: 3rd-80mph; 4th-110mph; 5th-140mph. And being I have a speed density car, there's nothing done to the engine other than cold air intake, BBK headers, 2.5 inch exhaust, flowmasters, and BBK underdrive pullies. But a mass air conversion is in the works though, and then it's on lol
Thanks all. I am about to make the 3.73 or 3.55 decision so I read all your thoughts completely. You hit all the thoughts I have been wrestling with. Track, (I will road race with my 94 GT stick) and still
drive on the street/freeway. My 2.73s are way too tall so I am leaning towards the 3.55 for a couple of reasons, vice the 3.73s. Firstly, I gotta go lower but since we're running a 92 Fox body with lots more horses/torque and we keep flirting with 5th just before the corner so think 3.55s will assure 4th only without winding out without accelerating. Secondly, mileage is a factor but secondarily. So, again, thanks for the great inputs. Cheers, Eric
I just got 3.55 in mine, and I know a few people whose street cars are running 12s with 3.55. they are a good ratio.
Im in the break in period though, and im busy trying not to spin tires in the snow since it decided to start snowing when I got the car back...
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1990 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
FMS Ceramic Shorties, pacesetter off road h, force mufflers, 3 row radiator, smog eliminator pulley, underdrive pullies, Yukon 3.55 gears, posi diff... Waiting in garage: rebuilt block, Crane 1.7 rr, bare GT40 cast heads, Summit billit distributor, 9mm plug wires, MSD blaster coil, GT40 upper and lower intake, E303 cam 70% of drivers say "oh Sh** when they hit ice, the other 30% are from Michigan and say "Hold my beer and watch this sh**!"
new gears for 88' GT 
373s! 
