posted
You will see gains at the track, mostly the 60' time. No gains on the dyno since the rear gear has nothing to do with making HP. Your engine will just make whatever HP it does in a different power band. Posts: 5682 | From: Dearborn,Mi. | Registered: Feb 2002
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Whenever I see this question asked I always ask in return if the car is being used as a daily driver. It's an important question because for daily use, there are a couple of drawbacks to going with the shorter gears and it's all a matter of how important it is to you as to whether or not you'd be happy in the long term and not regret making the switch.
If the car is used primarily as a weekend toy, occasional use or just for car shows or a trip to the track,etc. the 3.73 is an excellent choice. I've even heard of some going as low as 4.10's and being happy. I did a gear swap on a previous f-body and went instead with a set of 3.42's from DTS and their Eaton Carbon Fiber Posi unit too. I was very happy with the result. In my case however, I was stepping up from the stock 2.73's, so if you made the switch to 3.42's, your performance gains would be a bit more modest.
For a daily driver, the trade-offs are few, but they do add up and can be a source of irritation after a while if these things bother you. 1) You will notice a drop in your fuel economy. My switch over to 3.42's cost me about 3-4 mpgs. That's not too bad, but with gas now over 2 bucks a gallon, it's more of an issue to think about. 2) Your highway cruise rpms will be higher. If you've got an aftermarket exhaust, especially something like a Borla or SLP's LM, the racket is going to get old in a hurry, especially if you're planning any long driving trips. I was good for about an hour or so before it was time to shut it off.
Like I said, the drawbacks are few, and if they sound reasonable and tolerable to you, I'd say go for it. You'll really like the difference in acceleration. Also, you'll need to consider getting your speedo recalibrated after the swap. I used the HPP3 for this and it worked very well. The car would shift at the stock rpm shift points and for daily driving or just putt-putt driving, you couldn't tell the difference from stock in the driveability. Stand on it however, and it was a different animal altogether. There are other choices out there to recal your speedo. The HPP3 is a little pricey if that's all you use it for. Other members could point you in the right direction if you're interested.
Good luck and that's a sweet looking car.
-------------------- Back Home Where She Belongs... 2001 SS #3122 M01-3122 Sunset Orange Metallic / Ebony Leather M6, All GM Options SLP Options:Bilstein, Dual-Dual, Chrome 10 Spokes, SS Grille, Mats, Key Fobs, Dash Plaque, Car Cover Posts: 214 | From: Pepperell MA USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
I drove a 01 SS with a 3.73 and there was a noticeable difference compared to my 3.23
-------------------- SLP OEM air-lid (painted) with Donaldson filter and CAI, GMMG Chambered exhaust,GMS 200 MPH white gauges,3.73 Rear Axle, SS grille with silver logo, 5-Spoke ZR-1 Chrome Plated Wheels, SS Front Floor Mats, Commemorative Portfolio, Custom FRC's, D Goetz signature series SFC's and STB, Gentex Mirror, Power antenna,T/A shifter handle,clear corners, 160 Therm., HPP3 and Silver SS emblems with 345 hp decals painted calipers with Camaro decal car # 10252 41U Onyx Black -1 of 174 A4 verts
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