Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

Diff gears! 3.7's or 3.9's?

HERONVY

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Messages
586
Reaction score
5
Points
0
Age
31
Location
Steel city
Members Ride
2003 VY2 SS
Hi guys, before i get flamed for posting up "another one of those diff gear threads" hear me out...

Im looking for a straight answer here with as much info as possible

If you dont know already i drive a manual vy 2002 S pac on a daily basis, it has just been cammed, had 1.9:1 roller rockers fitted, custom tune and upgraded valve train gear.
It goes well now, has an awesome lumpiness to the idle (sounds like an early torana :D) and i can feel the extra power, however i feel that it is a bit sluggish down low and you cant feel the extra power as much until you hit mid-high revs.

Now my mechanic suggested fitting up a set of different ratio diff gears to get that low end sluggishness out of it so i can feel the power all through the rev range and take off a little bit quicker than the standard 3.08's

What im asking here is what is the difference between 3.7's, 3.9's and 4.11's? As i dont know much about gear ratio's etc.

What is the best set i can fit up to it? What is good for the street? I want to launch quicker and faster, but still maintain some sort of high end power (i dont want to sacrifice all my high end power lol)

Thanks for reading, hope to here some good responses soon!

Cheers, Al
 

wraith

Hand over the dog bikkies
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
5,014
Reaction score
117
Points
63
Location
Demonicaland
Members Ride
VX V6 Berlina. 2003 VW Passat
For a manual I would say stick with 3.7's. 3.9's will mean you will run out of revs quicker and 4.11s are good for burnouts.
 

walesy

Aint no family cruiser!!!
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
2,254
Reaction score
19
Points
38
Age
37
Location
Perth SOR
Members Ride
Cherry Black WH II Caprice, VS exec wagon
basically the number represents the number of rotations of the pinion gear to the ring gear, or close to tailshaft rotations to wheels (not 100%accurate depending on wheels tyre combo) so 3.7's will be the pinion gear rotation 3.7 times, to the ring gears 1 rotation (thats why you see diff gears as 3.7:1 etc)

i cant really comment on which ones you should go because mine is an auto, i use 3.9's which are really pokey off the line, but will rev higher at 100km/h 4.11's will rev higher at 100kms but take off slightly quicker than 3.7's or 3.9s.

hope this helps
Walesy
 

VY Rossi

New Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2009
Messages
378
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Age
35
Location
Enoggera QLD
Members Ride
03 VY SS 5.7L M6
I have 3.9s in my manual vy ss and they are great sitting on 2000rpm in 4th at 60km, 1800rpm in 6th at 110km and it launches hard
 

HERONVY

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Messages
586
Reaction score
5
Points
0
Age
31
Location
Steel city
Members Ride
2003 VY2 SS
Cheers guys for the fantastic responses, its been extremely helpful :-D
Best response ive had to any post in a long time

Anyway, down to business !
Seems like 3.7s are the go, ill have a ring around the commodore shops and look online to see if I can get a set for my car

What would I be looking at price wise for a set of these gears? Just the gears not the casing and whole assembly
New or used doesnt matter

Cheers, Al

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk
 

walesy

Aint no family cruiser!!!
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
2,254
Reaction score
19
Points
38
Age
37
Location
Perth SOR
Members Ride
Cherry Black WH II Caprice, VS exec wagon
3.7's are alot easier to come across than 3.9's and 4.11s so your in luck, but they are still really expensive, from memory i paid about $750 for my 3.9s, just dont go getting cheap chinese brand gears as they are known to break
 

Dr HaxZaw

New Member
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
1,462
Reaction score
13
Points
0
Location
Sydney
Members Ride
R34 GT-T
dont the manuals generally come in 3.45??? or did you put a different diff in it at some point?
 

walesy

Aint no family cruiser!!!
Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
2,254
Reaction score
19
Points
38
Age
37
Location
Perth SOR
Members Ride
Cherry Black WH II Caprice, VS exec wagon
dont the manuals generally come in 3.45??? or did you put a different diff in it at some point?

yes i missed that in the OP, manauls are standard 3.46 and auto's are 3.08
 

HERONVY

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Messages
586
Reaction score
5
Points
0
Age
31
Location
Steel city
Members Ride
2003 VY2 SS
dont the manuals generally come in 3.45??? or did you put a different diff in it at some point?

Mmm well thats a completely different can of worms, still has the standard diff in, hasnt been looked at since I bought the car.. Lol
So... Dont go 3.7s???

Al

Sent from my X10i using Tapatalk
 

wraith

Hand over the dog bikkies
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
5,014
Reaction score
117
Points
63
Location
Demonicaland
Members Ride
VX V6 Berlina. 2003 VW Passat
3.7 will still be a benefit. Holden's are pretty lazy off the line.
 
Top