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Got an appointment to install 3.73s and .....

2K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  Cusp 
#1 ·
I called Coast Driveline & Gear in Ventura and scheduled the install of 3.73s from my current 3.31s for next Friday. Perfect was the comment from their man on the phone. But he also asked me some other questions about if I wanted to install their one piece Aluminum drive shaft at that time and also if I wanted to do any thing with the tracloc unit. He will charge no additional labor for the replacement drive shaft if installed with the Gears. I was concerned about vibration to which he said he would be sure to set it up so that there would be none and that they had customers running their shafts in Mustangs over 150Mph without any vibration so long as they don't mess with the suspension after the install. That the advantage of the lighter rotating mass would be faster acceleration and the elimination of much of the drive line backlash.

So I am wondering if any one else went through the expense of replacing their two part steel shaft with one of the after market ones or one of Coast's and how did it work out for you.

Then we got into if I wanted to do anything with the tracloc or replace it with something else. I don't race my GT. I just enjoy spirited jumps on the freeway and an occausional stick it to them for the pass. Don't do burn outs more than a little squeek off the line. Maybe.

I am interested in the carbon disks for the tracloc. My GT 08 has 8000 miles on it. I think my clutch disks are fine. But seeing that its open for the gear exchange, I am considering putting in the carbon discs because I expect longer clutch life because of them.

But before I spring for the discs and the additional labor of rebuilding the carrier, I want to know if there is a down side to using the carbon disks.

Thanks.
 
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#2 ·
There are a few people here who have the powerhouse one piece shaft and are happy with it. Stlwagon is one of them. It should free up about 25 lbs of weight.
As far as the traction loc, why mess with it? :headscratch:
 
G
#3 ·
Your Tracloc will be fine for your driving habits. Down the road if you really build up the car and want it to stick from a dig then I would recommend something even better than just carbon discs. Take him up on the one piece offer. It is a very noticeable difference over the heavy two piece OEM driveshaft. Some of us have had harmonics issues as a result of changing out stock suspension and driveshaft. I happen to be one of them. I have spent plenty of hours pulling out my driveshaft, working pinion angles and talking with my driveshaft manufacturer to try and chase down the source. It is simply bad harmonics coming out of the rear differential. I managed to reduce the vibrations and I refuse to go back to the stock piece. It is a huge difference!
 
#5 ·
i have the coast and I love it! almost a year now, had it up to 140, 0 vibrations! great shaft, highly recommend it! get it along with your gear install!
 
#7 ·
I agree, go for it. I have had the spydershaft for over a year and just got my 3.73s installed a month ago. Both yielded noticible improvement on the street and at the track. I was one of the lucky ones that didn't have any harmonics issues with my shaft. (Stock springs, solid J&M UCA and LCAs) I've got gear whine on decel from 60-55mph, but i'd never go back to stock
 
#8 ·
Did the gear Change!

Had the gear swap done today. Went for the Coast Ultralight shaft. As others have said, I felt the 3.73s pulling out of the lot. The car is eaiser on the clutch to get rolling now. Haven't gotten on it just yet because Mark at Coast Driveline & gear advised me to just do normal driving for the first 300 miles. First impressions are that this GT should have had those gears all along. Its not a huge change. But enough to enhance the driving experience for the better. Now I know why Ford put them in the bullitt. Since I had the gears and shaft installed together, I don't have a performance comparison to share. But that loud back lash clunk is gone from the drive train. So far I have had the car up to 80. No vibration and the engine is not as loud as I had feared. The shaft ran as smooth as stock.
 
#10 ·
I asked about that. I was told they did the initial break in and saw the wheels turning it while still on the lift. Went back to playing a game on my PDA. A while later he said it was ready and to just drive it normally for 300. Put my old shaft in the new shafts box and my old gears in the new gears box and helped me load them into the trunk. The shaft fit with one of the back seats folded down. :bigthumbsup

I plan to write more about it once I get past my first impressions and things settle in. I have another 150 to go for the break in.
 
#13 ·
After I break them in and run a few tanks through and try different strategies. City Driving hasn't changed. Not enough Highway yet. First impressions are it lost 4MPG but there may be something else going on as for some reason over the month previous to the gear change the MPG was suffering. Like I got some crap gas or something which was costing 3MPG Highway. Poured in a bottle of Techron injector cleaner. See what happens.
 
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