yea i got an 1990 5.0 mustang and im going to put an gear ratio but im not sure if to put 3.73 or 4.11 info.?

Answer 1

All three of the answers given before mine are correct, but let's "really" explain why.

Let's assume you could get a 10.44 final ratio. You would run through first gear and all the other gears INCREDIBLY FAST. At the end of first gear you might only be going 8 miles an hour, maybe even slower. Let's continue with this discourse and say you still had a 10.44 final ratio with a five speed transmission. Your top speed would probably be well below 80 miles an hour and that is with you absolutely winding your beloved V8 to within an inch of its life.

Okay now let's go the opposite way. Let's say you had a 2.33 final ratio. You would NEVER when a drag race but if you had a fast enough lead car that you could draft at Bonneville you could probably maintain 180 miles an hour in fifth gear and rev about 4250 or some ridiculous mess like that.

Let me include that you will never see ratios like that (10.44 or 2.33) because they are just STUPID and IMPRACTICAL.

So, if you want to race you should use the 4.11:1 final drive ratio. It would be "quicker" than an "identical twin" of your car in a quarter mile that has a 3.73:1 final drive ratio.

There are dialectics (pluses and minuses) associated with all this stuff

Pluses
4.11 = quicker in the quarter mile (yeah!!!)
3.73 = better gas mileage (in theory)
Minuses
4.11 = Lower top speed (Do you really want to go that
fast anyway?)
3.73 = Slower take offs

I have 2 Taurus SHO's. The V8 SHO has an optional "Overdrive Off" button which allows me to kind of switch from 3.73 (Overdrive) to 4.11(Overdrive Off). I KNOW I get better gas mileage in Overdrive mode but I just love hanging out in the 4000 r/pm plus range and run through the gears.

My guess? You would prefer to put off going to the gas station as much as possible. Go with the 3.73.

If you have any of the Gran Turismo video games, particularly Gran Turismo 1 you can give yourself a practical demonstration on gear ratios with the "Drag Racing" mode.

Answer 2

If you are looking for getting decent mileage go 3.73 and you will have a decent top end too but if you want to accelerate fast and maybe burn a little rubber you should do the 4.11 and maybe get some bigger tires too and you could get a musclecar stance and have the effect of a 3.73 but with a 4.11 gear or go around 3.90 would probrobally be pretty quick for a fairly stock car(assuming you car is)

Answer 3

It's hard to tell. The standard tranmissons have different gear ratios ( I don't know about automatics). The 373 will be faster, the 411 quicker. I had a 67 390 Mustang with 300 gears and turned 15 second quarter miles at 117 mph at 5000 rpm in third gear. I installed 411s and turned 18 second quarters at 80 mph. I was tacked out at 5000 in 4th gear,so you need to know all your gear ratios. needless to say I went back to 300s.

Answer 4

I echo the others - only go to 4.11 if you are going to be drag racing the car on the track. Any other application will be hindered by that set of gears.

Answer 5

if your going to drive it on the street most of the time,,a 373 would be a good gear to have in it,,,its also a quick gear to,,as far as good take offs and good shifts,it or the 411 both are good gears,,but with the 411 you not going to be able to travel far its kind of gear or that car,,id go with the 373,,that's plenty of gear for the car,,good luck with it,,i hope this help,s.

Answer 6

4:11 is for the 1/4 mile drags only keep it stock UN less you have an application your going to do this for don't do it just to do it, be smart, stay alive keep it stock that where its at, alter it and value is going down

Answer 7

3.73 if you are going to drive the car on the highway regularly

4.11 if you are just going to take it to the track!