Are 3:08 gears a nice upgrade

rolltide

Registered User
I have come by a set of new Ford 3:08 gears and the install kit. Are these a nice upgrade. Will they help with performance and what kind of mpg will I get. I do a good deal of highway driving. I just want something to help my 95 5 speed get off the line faster. Thanks.
 
gears

3.08's are probably not worth the trouble.I have 3.27's in my 5 spd car and they are great!That's the consensus of all 5 spd owners.
 
If you do alot of highway you will love them. I have them on mine. I went from 3.27 to 3.08.
If you got a good deal go for it. they get nicer as you do more and more mods.
If you are totally stock and plan on staying that way go for 3.27. if you are going to the track with some heavy mods and slicks go with 3.27.

my .02cents
 
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I have a 5 spd. and I swapped from 2.73 to 3.27 a couple years ago--its great around town - but I think they suck on the highway
I already bought a new set of 3.08 gears--I just havent had a oppurtunity to install yet --I think they are a happy medium
g/l
Josh
 
3.08 are good all around gear ok in town but on the highway good you still have 5 gear pull. 3.27 are to much In a 5 speed SC first gear is all most not useable.
 
gears

Boy do things change.A few years ago there was never any mention that 308's even existed, the consensus was 327's.I guess I've been out voted.Mine's not a daily driver and when I drive it I am usually corner carving on the hilly backroads of NC.327's and over 400 lb/ft sure is fun coming out of a corner.The torque is kind of rough on the rear tires though even if I be careful to roll into the throttle.
 
3.27's

I love my 3.27's in my 5 speed. I think first gear is very usable still. I may try to go with 3.08's later on to personally compare them myself, until then I'm sticking to 3.27's.


Jeff
 
Even though the OD ratio is the same, the 3.27 gears are probably more livable in a 94 - 95 car, compared to an 89 - 93, since the first few gear ratios aren't as steep.

As ricardoa1 said, with a car that's going to stay pretty much stock, 3.27 works nice. When you add some more HP, 3.08 is probably enough.

On my 95, I've had 3.27 for a few years, love the way it pulls on the highway in 5th gear. I've thought about going down to 3.08 gears, when I'm doing some of the open-track stuff, a bit less revs would be nice for some of the corners on the tracks I usually run. Either that, or go up to 3.55 !! :D


cheers
Ed Nicholson
SCCoO
 
the gears themsleves do not make a difference as to posi or non posi. The gears are the same. The posi unit is inside of the rear end, and inside of the posi unit are little clutches that you might want to have replaced. Those gears will work fine.
 
I've been thinking about the gears quite a bit as that is not one of the areas that I'll likely upgrade at the moment. I'm wondering if at some point there wouldn't be better times with the stock gearing do to how difficult it is to get the torque to the ground in the first place??? I'm probably going to be making a 3 hour each way commute on the highway fairly regularly with my bird when she gets done, so I'm partial to the slightly better mileage... also, I'm HOPING ;-) to see 450-500 ft/lbs of torque when she's done... hoping of course being the operative word.

Paul
 
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