My SSR: "Kate" a Haughty Redhead, '05 #19215 built 12/13/2004 Kate II '06 Redline FPR 6 spd. #23333 2/16/06
4.10's or 4.56's?
One of my winter down time projects is going to be a gear change. I am going to put my fancy new 6 speed on my fancy new CarLift. For those who have done this (or not) have you an opinion as to the mating of gears to stock motors and standard or automatic transmissions and possibly supercharged motors? Maybe some input on fuel economy re:3.73, 4.10, and 4.56. City and highway driving differences? Performance?
__________________
"Such are the Vagaries of Life"
Last edited by Cash : 09-21-2008 at 12:09 AM.
Reason: typo
My SSR: Silver on Black Final Prod 6 speed #23387, Signature #23, Signature #12
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cash
One of my winter down time projects is going to be a gear change. I am going to put my fancy new 6 speed on my fancy new CarLift. For those who have done this (or not) have you an opinion as to the mating of gears to stock motors and standard or automatic transmissions and possibly supercharged motors? Maybe some input on fuel economy re:3.73, 4.10, and 4.56. City and highway driving differences? Performance?
4:56 gears are great with the automatic.
Unfortunately, American Axle can't supply the 4:56 gearset for the 6 speed, so you'd have to go aftermarket for a 4:56 gearset. Biggest complaint I've been reading about is gear noise. The Americal Axle is original equipment. I had the local Chevy dealer install mine - no problems, no gear noise, just a whole lot more fun.
I'm really happy with the 4:10s. Based on how it's performing, I'd have to think a 4:56 gear set would make for a very quick and almost useless first gear.
The other comment that has come up is that if you intend to supercharge your truck, the 4:56 gearset would really make first gear hard to use.
If you do a search for 4:56 or 4:10 gears, it should pull up some older threads with discussions about gearsets.
You might want to send Doug Allen a PM and ask his opinion.
__________________
Ray
No longer One of the "Blues Brothers"
Final Production Silver on Black/chrome/6-speed #23387
Signature #23
Signature #12 - The Gibson Guitar truck
I guess it's time for me to come clean... 05 6 speed.
I've run the 4.10s for about 10,000 miles or so. It's a great upgrade which may have made my mileage slightly better, on the order of 0.5 mpg. The driveability of the SSR is very much improved. The best way to look at it is to say, this is the gear ratio the SSR should have come with from the factory.
I happened into a set of 4.56s awhile ago and finally bit the bullet and had them put in. Now there are a ton of fun!! As far as first gear being useless - that's. You will feel like you are shifting gears more with the 4.56, especially changing from the 3.73 but you'll get used to it soon enough.
One other consideration is if you have any intention of going supercharged, the 4.56 geaars will likely make the SSR a tire smoking machine since you'll be exceeding the traction capabilities of the SSR - Doug can fill you in on this.
My SSR: 05 6 sp. with 4.56 gears, Magnaflow cat back, Crane cam and Rockers, lowered, Intro wheels, K&N.
I have an 05 6 sp. with 4.56 gears and couldn't be more pleased. I'm of the opinion that some of the clutch problems the R's have can be related to the poor factory choice of rear gear ratio. For the weight of the vehicle and the diameter of the drive tire the 3.73 is just flat wrong. The 4.10 should have been standard with the 4.56 as a towing option. I remember my 3/4 ton Suburban, in '79, came with 4.10s from the factory. Anyway the 4.56 makes the R way easier to drive, both from a start and also at freeway speed. Stock I remember downshifting from 6th to 5th a lot around 70 mph, if I encountered any kind of grade. I was always afraid the lugging in 6th would trip the knock sensors and kick the timing back.
The gear set I used is a street set made by Motive Gear and sold through Summit. This is the 3rd summer on the gears and they're still perfectly quiet. The part# is MGR-GM9-456 or -410 for the 4.10s. $199.95 ea. Kind of cool, I picked up the nearest Summit book to see if the gears were still in there. On the cover was a nice orange '48 Chev. pickup, so I opened to the photo spread, and it's parked next to a yellow SSR for comparison.
Looks like I've echoed some of hdflstf's points, I was writing while he was posting. He's right on about first gear, it's perfect now. Especially if you need to start on a grade. I still get just over 20 mpg cruising at highway speeds.
My SSR: Silver on Black Final Prod 6 speed #23387, Signature #23, Signature #12
Quote:
Originally Posted by hdflstf
One other consideration is if you have any intention of going supercharged, the 4.56 geaars will likely make the SSR a tire smoking machine since you'll be exceeding the traction capabilities of the SSR - Doug can fill you in on this.
So.....a supercharged R with a 4:56 gearset is not ideal in wet conditions?
__________________
Ray
No longer One of the "Blues Brothers"
Final Production Silver on Black/chrome/6-speed #23387
Signature #23
Signature #12 - The Gibson Guitar truck
My SSR: 2006 FPR 6 speed Silver w/ Blue Flames by www.airkolors.com
4.56 w/ a six speed is the way to go... I've said it over and over but these "guys" don't listen to a girl. Scaredy cats or too old to shift quick... don't know which.
Really though... go for it Cash. Sometimes more is more.
__________________
Life is not measured by the breaths that we take,
but by the moments that leave us breathless.........
So.....a supercharged R with a 4:56 gearset is not ideal in wet conditions?
Sort of depends on what you are trying to accomplish
Quote:
Originally Posted by LTs SSR
Finally... HE'S CLEAN!!!
Somehow, I doubt it
Quote:
Originally Posted by waysouth6speed
4.56 w/ a six speed is the way to go... I've said it over and over but these "guys" don't listen to a girl. Scaredy cats or too old to shift quick... don't know which.
Really though... go for it Cash. Sometimes more is more.
No Superchargere = 456 Gears
Supercharged = 410 Gears
Be careful with all SSR's on wet roads. I'm always respectful of this vehicle getting out of control! There have many SSR accidents because of losing control at low speeds / not being able to recover.
I'm running 456 gears and the vette servo. It's one hellava lot of fun, but I always keep a serious side as well.
My SSR: '03 Smokin' Asphalt, Vin 1656 B-day 11/13/03, Slightly modified via bad influence hdflstf & TommyB
Quote:
Originally Posted by bgetz
No Superchargere = 456 Gears
Supercharged = 410 Gears
Be careful with all SSR's on wet roads. I'm always respectful of this vehicle getting out of control! There have many SSR accidents because of losing control at low speeds / not being able to recover.
I'm running 456 gears and the vette servo. It's one hellava lot of fun, but I always keep a serious side as well.
Have you lowered your truck & installed a sway bar??... IT HELPS A LOT!!! The tail end got away from me a couple of time... since I lowered & put the sway bar on.. not once!!!
__________________ SSR Permigrin 4 Years and still going!
My SSR: 2006 FPR 6 speed Silver w/ Blue Flames by www.airkolors.com
Quote:
Originally Posted by ssr71
OK.... for those 05/06 owners with greater than 4.10 ratios....
How did you resolve the computer programming issues?
2 Days
$250.00
Bryan Herter - programmer extraordinaire! pcm4less.com
Best bang for the buck and corrects the gear,tire, speedo calibration issue. He can kick up some xtra horsepower for ya while he's at it.
I have an extra pcm if anybody I know can't wait two days and needs to borrow it... but if you have an automatic you have to send both the pcm and tcm I think.
__________________
Life is not measured by the breaths that we take,
but by the moments that leave us breathless.........
My SSR: "Kate" a Haughty Redhead, '05 #19215 built 12/13/2004 Kate II '06 Redline FPR 6 spd. #23333 2/16/06
I listen to you Annie. With a beautiful eye like that! Do you have 2 of them? Glad to see your avatar return.
Ray, I think those 4.56's are winning out. You probably just want me to do the 4.10's so I don't kick a$$ on you!!
It's a learning thing. So I have to send my computer out to PCMFORLESS.com. I've been going to invest in that 3000 page shop manual but this is going to do it for sure. I wouldn't have the foggiest notion how to deal with the computer removal stuff.
Then lower it and add a sway bar. These bottomless pits actually are sinkholes but what a fun way to spend money!!
Since the computer is involved and I should have known this, (as long gone are the days when you swapped gears and just knew you were going 70 when it read 50), does this have any effect on warranty, like the installation of performance chips? I believe I read that on a thread.
My SSR: U.V. with "flame" rally stripes, loaded incl. spare tire, CORSA Sport, MPD boards, Wester's tune
hard to tell by your avatar, but is that a '70 Vette w/ an LT1 you've got there?
You can also send your computer for tuning to Lyndon Westers in Alberta, he's a master. Or you can drive over and see him in person like I and some others have done.
My SSR: "Kate" a Haughty Redhead, '05 #19215 built 12/13/2004 Kate II '06 Redline FPR 6 spd. #23333 2/16/06
Thanks Sandy. This cross border shopping (shipping) is rather dear. You are quite correct. She is a '70, but she is a 454 - 390 hp 4speed. Proud to say I built her mesef! She's a bit of a bear to drive but easy on the eyes!!
SSR Permigrin 4 Years and still going!
. You will feel like you are shifting gears more with the 4.56, especially changing from the 3.73 but you'll get used to it soon enough.
SANDY