Racing Performance Gears

What Are Muscle Car Gears?

Every combustion engine on the road has a transmission that houses a gearbox. Whether you’re driving a manual or an automatic, gears work by adjusting the power delivered by the car engine to the wheels. Most muscle cars have at least five or six gears but some of these new sequential transmissions allow for even more gears, on automatic transmissions, at least. Lower gears are better for things like hauling and climbing steep hills, whereas higher gears are better for cruising at highway speeds. Most OEM gears are solid but that doesn't mean they last forever. Plus, it's beneficial to swap out your OEM gears for aftermarket gears that suit your specific needs. For example, you don't want to be hitting the dragstrip with 3.55s.

Types of Muscle Car Gears

Your muscle car’s gear ratio is important for performance, and you'll find that there are many types of gears you add to your transmission. Some of the most common options include 3.73, 3.55, and 4.10 gear ratios. Typically, OEM gears tend to be closer to the 3.55 side of things but that doesn't mean you can't upgrade to taller aftermarket gears. In fact, doing so offers a lot of unique benefits depending on the specific type of muscle car gears you choose. When it comes to how these gears compare, the main difference is how they compare at different RPM ranges. Using 3.73 and 4.10 aftermarket gears as an example, you'll find that the 4.10s offer better acceleration on the low end, while the 3.73s are more balanced for track and street use. Due to the increase in low-end power, 4.10 racing gears are some of the most common upgrades for muscle cars that want to shoot off the line like a missile. Some muscle car gears can also improve your gas mileage. As you make your way down to different ratios like 3.55s, fuel efficiency improves and highway driving becomes smoother. For these reasons, it's important to consider what you’re looking to get out of your muscle car before you start changing the gear ratio. If you need help choosing between high-performance gears and more OEM-style gear options, don't panic, because our sales techs are ready and waiting to help.