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Long tubes or gear?


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I have time for one more mod before I take the car to the tuner at the end of the month. I'm debating between Mac long tubes and a Ford Racing 4.10 gear. Both will be done eventually, but I only have time (and money) for one this month. I just put in the FRPP intake and throttle body. For the moment, which would give me the best bang for the buck in terms of power?

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Gear! There's not enough gain per dollar value of long tube headers and they aren't necessary until you're making a significant amount of power. I wouldn't bother with long tubes until I just had money lying around and didn't know what to do with it.

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I have time for one more mod before I take the car to the tuner at the end of the month. I'm debating between Mac long tubes and a Ford Racing 4.10 gear. Both will be done eventually, but I only have time (and money) for one this month. I just put in the FRPP intake and throttle body. For the moment, which would give me the best bang for the buck in terms of power?

 

 

I did shorty tune headers but the 4.10's make the ride much more fun and crisp so gears

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I asked my tuner the same question earlier and he said go with the long tube headers. I'm completely torn, for those that did the gear did you see an HP gain on the dyno? My tuner said that he usually sees a decrease in HP with the 4.10 gear unless there is more power in the engine. I value all opinions (I read a lot of the threads on here before I make decisions) and I've yet to have a clear cut reasons to go with one over the other, so please keep the opinions coming.

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I asked my tuner the same question earlier and he said go with the long tube headers. I'm completely torn, for those that did the gear did you see an HP gain on the dyno? My tuner said that he usually sees a decrease in HP with the 4.10 gear unless there is more power in the engine. I value all opinions (I read a lot of the threads on here before I make decisions) and I've yet to have a clear cut reasons to go with one over the other, so please keep the opinions coming.

 

 

Sounds like you are after HP , I can`t see gears doing that, might get you down the quarter faster.

Long tube headers will increase HP but you may have to increase exhaust size from the headers back.

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With what you've done so far, headers would help get the most out of the intake upgrades, but there are a few things you should consider, if you haven't already.

 

The Macs are more of a mid-length, requiring the extension tubes that come with them. Then you need something like the Pro Chamber. If your area requires cats, then you're adding those into the extension tubes, and unless you want clamps out the wazoo, you'll want to have the cats welded in place, so there is some cutting/fitting/fabrication to piece it all together. Of course, if you haven't yet done a cat-back upgrade, you'll want to do that to gain the increased flow benefits up front.

 

I just did the Mac headers, cats & Pro Chamber for a customer who brought me all the parts, and though it sounds good, I like the true long tube setups with catted X or H pipe systems a bit better, instead of piece-mealing all those other parts together. We had to do some cutting of the Pro Chamber pipes to get it to fit with his new cat-back system (his 1.5 year old Pypes system was falling apart) because the cats pushed everything back a little. In the end, it came out looking good, but it was a bit of a pain to put the whole thing together. Plus, the true long tube setups with catted (or non-catted) X or H are all engineered to work together.

 

Gears will be a cheaper alternative and will probably net you a little more seat-of-the-pants feel just because of the gearing change.

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With what you've done so far, headers would help get the most out of the intake upgrades, but there are a few things you should consider, if you haven't already.

 

The Macs are more of a mid-length, requiring the extension tubes that come with them. Then you need something like the Pro Chamber. If your area requires cats, then you're adding those into the extension tubes, and unless you want clamps out the wazoo, you'll want to have the cats welded in place, so there is some cutting/fitting/fabrication to piece it all together. Of course, if you haven't yet done a cat-back upgrade, you'll want to do that to gain the increased flow benefits up front.

 

I just did the Mac headers, cats & Pro Chamber for a customer who brought me all the parts, and though it sounds good, I like the true long tube setups with catted X or H pipe systems a bit better, instead of piece-mealing all those other parts together. We had to do some cutting of the Pro Chamber pipes to get it to fit with his new cat-back system (his 1.5 year old Pypes system was falling apart) because the cats pushed everything back a little. In the end, it came out looking good, but it was a bit of a pain to put the whole thing together. Plus, the true long tube setups with catted (or non-catted) X or H are all engineered to work together.

 

Gears will be a cheaper alternative and will probably net you a little more seat-of-the-pants feel just because of the gearing change.

 

 

Can you elaborate on the "1.5 year old Pypes system was falling apart?"

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I am in the exact same situation as you. both will be done but only can only do one in the coming months. Other will have to wait till fall. I have about 900 saved but I am going wth the American Racing headers w/catted X. I should have the other 700 in the next month or two. Like you, I could do the gears now, and have contiplated waiting for the headers quite a bit lately. I guess the money is burning a hole in my pocket so to speak. I have a few other mods that will work with the headers and anticipate a nice gain with them after the tune I think that's what is keeping me from spending right now on gears.

 

Gears will give you more torque, no HP gain

 

Headers will give you the HP gain your looking for.

 

Good luck with your decision, it's always tough to hold out when you could have it now. I know the feeling.

 

Jeff

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I've installed one piece aluminum d.s. shorty headers and Brenspeed sct tune to my car when it was n/a and all this did not equal the 410 gear install. i've said many times ,the 410's is like adding 50 h.p. to your car. There is not any one mod that will equal the gear change for the money. This is the best mod you will ever do to your car for performance except supercharging.

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+1 for the gears! I had the 410's installed a couple weeks ago....LOVE THEM! I was also on the fence trying to decide between the 373's and the 410's, so glad I went with the 410's!!

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LOVE the 4.10's don't go 3.73 won't notice enough difference. Then next go to blower or CAMS and headers. Good luck can't go wrong love the gears though Also a lot of people don't know but when they are in the the factory locker will accept one more clutch on each side to give you more clamp. They did that on my 99 cobra and i put 50k on the car with no problems

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I'm with everyone else who has to be frugale with what they do for mods,,,besides buying the gears what else is required or necessary when changing out the gears?? do you have to re-tune the car is it necessary to change out other items for the car to be right after changing from the 3:55 to 4:10's? I have no exipernce is changing out the gears on these cars and do not know what is the best approach....could use all the input possible.

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