4:10 gears

[-=Jeff=-]

Originally Posted by Vette73

Maybe I can take one for a spin before I make up my mind.....,

Yes this would be the best thing to do if you can.

[Paul Workman]

I've had a couple years driving one and the other; stock gears and 410s with motors approximately twinned. (Ami's has 410s and cams, mine has 3.45s and better porting.)

Snappy acceleration vs. rowing the gears...a LOT!

Driving Ami's car is reminiscent of driving a pushrod car - like the L98s: quick, peaky snap and its over...shift again...and again...etc, etc. IOW, it's noticeably more (and more) shifting.

For me, the 410s kinda takes away from the pleasure of a motor that has the legs to wind out; the very long hard pull that just never seems to run out of breath that (for me) defines the LT5. Yeah, when you hammer it, then the 410s show their stuff, but when your NOT hammering it, it's a lot of shifting.

However, the 3.45s will take 2nd gear all the way to 90 mph behind the LT5. Running the twisties (Mountain Runs) I can leave it in 2nd gear and let that fabulous torque curve do its thing. Pete put me onto the rice shaming 5-2 shift at 45-50 mph and hammering it to 7k. With the aluminum FW, it's all the Nitto drag radials can handle anyway!

Maybe if I still had the dual mass FW, I'd be more inclined to favor a 410. There was a significant seat of the pants improvement with the light (12#) FW - especially in the lower gears.

Yes, I like the snap of the 410s - especially when pulling ahead of traffic before the 2 lanes merge into one. But, on the other hand, the always shifting in normal driving...gets old too.

So! It's something one has to try for themselves. But, for me, I'm leaning toward Pete's new game...a nice healthy 391 cid LT5 in front of 3.45s so I can have it BOTH ways. SMOKE 'EM IF YA GOTUM!

[We Gone]

I agree with Paul, I went for the 3:73 think its the best of both worlds.

[Hog]

Do any of you guys with 3.73 or lower(4.10's, 4.56's) with the stock tire heights ever do any 1-3-5 shifting when just driving her easy?

The last C5 I had some decent seat time is was a 1999 6 speed with the standard 345hp@5600/350lb/ft@4400rpm LS1. It had 3.42:1 gearing and its 2.66:1 1st gear ratio (autos were 2.73 or 3.15-but have the 3.06 1st gear of the 4l60e to aid with spirited acceleration-at least until that massive rpm drop into 2nd is encountered)
with stock tire height 275/40zr18 rears of 26.6" (315/35zr17 is 25.6") and I found city driving unenjoyable.
I always said that if I got into a C5, a rear gear change would be a must, or go for the lower ratioed Tremec M12 2.97:1 1st gear trans and LS6 engine, though you are still stuck with OEM 3.42 rear cogs.

I didn't think that the 97-00 LS1 had the best off idle part throttle grunt, esp. compared to a GEN-2 LT1. Would an intact LT5 be better or worse than an LS1 in the part throttle off idle torque department?

[WARP TEN]

Just as aside to this rear gear discussion, when I was a teenager in the early sixties working at a local marine hardware store, the guy who ran the lumber yard--Vinnie from the Bronx--was building a '56 chevy based drag car with a big block (probably a 396). He said he was running 5.13 rear gears! What a stump puller.Probably shooting for wheelstands, and probably got up to about 20 mph before he had to shift to second. I don't know how well he ran in the quarter mile. That pearl is lost to history.--Bob

[dredgeguy]

John,
Come on down to Wazooland and try it out. I have 410 gears with stock engine with headers, Corsa and Marc's chip. First and second gear are short but 6th is outstanding for the highway. Turning 1850-1900 RPM at 70mph and can pass without down shifting

[RichS]

Was the first mod I did to the Z was the 4:10's. I think it really woke the car up. Now with the engine mods I really like the acceleration! Rolling into it the tires grip and it pulls hard.

[Vette73]

Originally Posted by dredgeguy

John,
Come on down to Wazooland and try it out. I have 410 gears with stock engine with headers, Corsa and Marc's chip. First and second gear are short but 6th is outstanding for the highway. Turning 1850-1900 RPM at 70mph and can pass without down shifting

Hey Charlie....
Maybe the next maintenance day Jim has I will make a whole day of it......Hell, maybe I will even get a motel room for the night and rip around the roads there for the day...

Look forward to meeting the rest of Wazoo....

[dredgeguy]

Originally Posted by Vette73

Hey Charlie....
Maybe the next maintenance day Jim has I will make a whole day of it......Hell, maybe I will even get a motel room for the night and rip around the roads there for the day...

Look forward to meeting the rest of Wazoo....

No need for motel, we have room!

[FU]

Going by Captree on Sundays ? I'm close , you can check out my blue 94 with 4:10s.