Camaro SS Episode 7: 3.91 Gears were a Big Mistake 

26 vs 28" tire size change, and 1500' of DA difference, and sub-optimal traction on the "after" hits have a lot to do with why the 3.91s didn't seem to gain you what you thought they would. 26" tire with the factory gear is like going to a 3.55, so you're really not appreciating a huge gearing change going from 3.27/26" to 3.91/28". Locking the converter on the back half of the track would really help keep the RPMs down where that cam is happiest. Go back to Cecil in November with the negative air, make the 28" tires hook, lock the converter, and it would really boogie. It's good results for sure, and awesome to see the progression - but I do think it's a bit of a mischaracterization to blame the gear change when you have such a dramatic change in weather, the tire difference, and can clearly hear the car struggling to hook on some of the "slower" passes. I know you have since changed the cam, added lockup out the back, and I know for a fact our SS3 VVT loves/needs the 3.91 gearing to give it's best. I would imagine the new setup has really proved to you just how exception your stock gear/stall/SS1 VVT pass really was, and why it was so hard to replicate. Negative DA has a bit of a compounding effect, and it really makes stuff fly!

Thank you for representing the 5th gen well. It's hard for me when ever other video I see is one getting gapped because it not set up correctly. Keep it up!!

Shift points have to be off, with a 3.91 I picked up 1.5 tenths in the 1/8th. My car has stock motor, all the bolt-on's, 1 piece driveshaft, Circle D 3200, and 125 shot. The rear axles aren't going to hold 1.5X 60' times for long. I swapped the clutch pack diff to the True-Trac (what the car should have came with), and it launches dead straight every time now. Prep plays so much of a part as to how well you run though. Everything can be perfect, but bad prep = bad runs. The best tire I have ran is the ET Street R. Good prep and I cut 1.4X 60'. The more pressure you can run the better. With great prep I can run 21 psi and dead hook.

3.73 seems to be the sweet spot for 6L80s you may want to try that but every car is different what works on 1 might not work on another keep grinding bro

It's well known the A6 6L80 performs best with 3.45 gears. Due to the short first gear anything greater you go backwards. Also when you get a cam, you will cross the line at 7000rpm in 4th with the 3.45s. With 3.9s you will definitely hit 5th before the line. I'm saying all this based on my few hundred time slips and other cars I've seen.

My buddy had his 2010 ss heads cam and 150 shot of nitrous running 10s.. my car with cam only and 75 shot nitrous will run High 11s out here in high altitude.. Good shit keep up the good content

Sorry to hear that. Looking forward to seeing the results of putting the stock gears back in!

When I had 3.90 done in my c5 I felt like it needed a cam with power in the high rpm range because those gears get the car into the high r’s faster

Not surprised at the loss of mph at the end, but losing .3 tenths is crappy and surprising. A lot of people run this combo too. It likely makes for a much more fun street ride with occasional track use, but once you dedicate to full track purpose the 3.27's could be the better bet. Glad we have people like you testing these things out for us! I will likely still do the 3.91s with either a 3800 or 4k, but I will still be driving it around town a lot. Fairly certain I will be ditching my GPI SS1 for an SS3 though. Also, just an FYI on the Vararam. My Vararam tail section was cracked on the neck right where the steel reinforcement ring is. It was around 1.75" long and was very close to becoming a vacuum leak. I fixed it with flex seal tape for now and will plastic weld it soon. I have been trying to tell other people that are running them to just take a look at theirs to check for any cracks in that location.

Great looking car; runs like a beast. Thank you for the test and tune info. Alot of useful info here. Appreciated!!👍. I know exactly how you feel after swapping parts back n forth, but in the end it's all fun.stay safe!

What do you think about 3.73 gears for a 5th gen SS manual?. Strictly street use.

Do you think it would of helped if you would of had a much bigger cam in such as a btr4 or gpi ss4? I was gonna do gears in my car but might retract on that and just do the converter

I’ve always been told and had a few experiences with large converters.. when u do a big converter switching gears isn’t very beneficial. You just risk being out of the power band.. I’ve alway been a fan of stock gearing with a big converter and a 26 inch tire. Just seems to work great 👍 hopefully you’ll figure it out man. Maybe time for heads cam intake to get power up?

This is disappointing to see. Thanks for giving me something to think about. I was going to do same to my 11SS. A 3800 and 3.91 my car is painful from go with the 3.27 then again I have a fat convertible. I was using it as a daily and most roads are 40 to 45 on my commute it struggles to get to 6th just too slow speed. Think i will hold off on convertor and go with 3.91s still.

The manual 3.42s are going to be your best best

It’s weird because the M6 community recommends 3.91’s as if its the #1 upgrade for these cars. I guess the gearing is a lot different in the A6. PS it kills me seeing the autos make passes like this at the quarter!! I’m over here shifting gears and the autos are gone!!!

I have a friend with a supercharged SS and he was telling me the stock gear is a lot better than the 3.91. He didn’t go into full detail of why, but I kind of see why in this video. I was thinking of going 3.91 next season, but I’m definitely reconsidering now

I ran 11.40 at Atco last month. 3.91 gears and a circle d 3200 triple disc. Had 20" z28 replica wheels with 305 nitto dr's.

my 3.91 gears blew out on me , going back to stock diff , great content ! new subscriber here

Outta curiosity, when you upgraded the 3.91 gears and the bushings and went to the 28, did you retune or just switch parts and went back at it?

I definitely will be waiting to see the next video man all your videos have been a tone of help or knowledge thank youu

Thanks for the 5th Gen Videos, Are you still on stock 1/2 shafts.

I'm thinking with the 3.27 gears it will not need to shift into 5th making you able to go through the traps in 4th gear and if you get a good 60 foot 1.57-1.60 should get you into the low 11s like 11.1 at 124mph l think the 3.27 gears are fine with the low 4.03 transmission 1st gear these cars like higher stall converters would rather put a higher stall and keep the stock 3.27 gears car ran 11.3 with a stock stall and gears would think just the 3800 stall without the 3.91 gears would be worth 4 to 5 tenth with the stock 3.27 gears that should put you around 10.9-11.0 at 124-125mph

What gear you recommend I’m pretty much FBO just need to change manifold & TB got a 4K stall with stage 4 cam, heads, e85 just trying to figure out the gears next I’m between 3.91 & 3.73

i know my comment is a year too late...but differential ratios and transmission ratios are integral to one another.so when gen5 owners upgrade to the 3.91 gears...they just need to reference all the engineering that gn has done already. the 3.91ratio was for the 1le sub model. 1le model came exclusively with the manual transmission. so...swap to 3.91 if you have the ls3 only.

Ok. I see what u talking about. I have the. 3.73 gears. And thinking going back to the stock gears. Nice ride

You lost significant top end mph as soon as you put the converter in it. Gears made the problem worse. Problem lies in the converter. its too loose for that heavy of a car. your losing E.T. on the hit due to torque multiplication from the steeper gears a loose converter and tire spin as a result. And Mph is suffering dramatically due to the loose conver. Lock up the converter at the top of second gear and carry it through....watch the et's fall and mph increase. More tire in the rear for better 60' I had 315/40/18's nitto D.R's on my gen v they fit nicely with factory reproduction 18x11 wheels

I'm sure this is a stupid question but you did change the gear in the tune ?

Have you considered stepping down to a 3.70 gear. I have one in my 5th gen but haven't run it at the track yet.

What would you recommend to set one up

That GPI is bad and whoever tuned it got it running real clean . Transmission too

I’m somewhat in the same boat, i currently have 3.91 gears making 720 whp m6. I’m been thinking of going back to 3.45 gears should I decide to go more power.

That is correct more is not always better.

Put a taller tire on the drag strip on it, it takes gear out.

Put a 26” slick on n that 28” off n watch the difference

My 2014 SS has the factory gears and cam. Why am I being told to place a 2800 converter in it? Won't that just kill my daily?

I have a question unrelated to the video. Are you still running the factory or a factory style starter? After i stroked mine to 415ci ut started having "hot start issues" i put a new starter, battery and ground wire from bell housing to frame and still have issues. Thinking of going to a gear reduction starter. Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks for kicking out all the 5th gen content.

So if I have a manual, with stock tires and rims, and I'm looking for a better gear ratio in the rear... what should I go for? 3.73, 3.91, or 4.10

Are you running any suspension modifications? Sounds like the car is still spinning off the line.

Just curious what are the biggest changes on going 3.91s? I’m leaning towards getting some

Going to a taller tire would be alot less work/cost and get you at the top of the rpm when crossing the line and possibly more traction...

Where can I find upgraded carbon steel clutches?

Not talking shit because you have an automatic but that is your problem with the 3.91 gears because they are used more towards the m6 Camaros. I would go with the 3.45 - 3.73 gears for the auto

Is this an LS3 or L99; M6 or A6? I plan on upgrading my axles and diff at the same time with BMR suspension and my procharger

What rpm are you launching at

so I'm FBO as of now, i don't plan on camming it anytime soon just because it's still a daily, but im wondering if 3.91 gears would be a nice little mod for me. Only pushing 400 and I do hit the track once or twice a month. What would the steeper gearing do for me??

Yup ur car is definitely running out of power before the 1/4 mile.

I'm still baffled by this, its like something is slipping. I wonder if the stall is locking up properly. You made me buy a Circle D 3,800 for my 10r80 F150 as well. Curious to find out whats causing the loss. I run 7.00 at 103 in the truck. Good luck, nice video...

Yikes! Didn't see that coming. Get it fixed up!

What was your set up on stock converter and stock gears ?

If you havent swapped gears yet and you are close to Houston i will gladly trade my 3.27 diff for your 3.91. It will save me the hassle of swapping the gears i have.

So it’s best to stick with the stock gears ? Correct

Lol I just manual swapped my 97 328i and it came with a 3.91 from the auto transmission. I HATE IT! I'm gonna fine a 2.93 ASAP so I can drive my car normal

Any power adder ? And weight reduction?

Geez just found your runs sick car man. I drive a m6 so makes me cry inside wishing I had gone a6 lol

Slobalt SS didn’t stand a chance!!

You should try 3.73 gears

Personally I feel like the 3.91 gears seem to be better for roll racing than drag racing. At least from what I've been seeing

Where did you buy the diff

So best gears for cammed auto 5th gen camaro are 327 gears?

You kept spinning too, try a different tire maybe it would help

Sick ride

If you didn’t put a bigger cam it’s the stall that did it

Are you spinning the engine above 7k?

This is not what I was wanting to see! I was contemplating stepping up to 3.91 from the 3.45's in the G8. Sorry, you're going backward.

I do not agree I think your stall is too high you could gain low end power with a 3200 stall over a 3800 stall

Good video!

Rear tires are to big buddy🔥🔥🔥👌🏾‼️

28 tall tires is too big for your power

Ran into this with a th400 swapped trans am. We went with a slightly lower gear set & killed 60ft pretty significantly & some mph. It wasn't loading the converter as hard with the lower gear,which it was a nitrous/blower converter & was kinda tight to begin with.

I wanna see more of the camaro

Damn brother sorry to hear the results...the 3.91s treat me good but i do highway pulls and backroad rebel shit lmao

Just need more tire!

Don't lock the converter on a bolt on car.really guys

nice

the car need more traction

Higher gears always make your car slower my buddies do that with their Mustangs and go from getting smoked by a car or two to three or four

First 5th gen I've seen run slower with 3.91s

Scat packing shit anyway it's a big hunk of metal crap a plain old Camaro SS can beat it all day long Scat Pack got one of the worst engines on the market with the Hemi tick lifters that break apart and disintegrate I would never waste all that money on one of those cars😂😂 I have an 11 Camaro SS worked I love it BTR stage 2 LS3 cam DOD delete kit new lifters new rods same heads I just had them redone dual Springs crank Pistons basically everything is all stock except for the stage 2 cam everything under the hood is brand new water pump radiator alternator starter fuel pump the car is the Beast 6.2 L best engine you can ever get all it wants to do is keep on pulling the faster you go the more it wants to pull and go faster it doesn't stop Scat Pack for a joke all that money for nothing Texas Speed headers Chrome dual exhaust Texas Speed high flow cats they can't touch my car Inferno Orange automatic

Too much converter IMO

Slipping worse now with lower 3.91 gears-stock clutch style diff. I don't care what the friction plates are made of...all junk. Get a Truetrac and be done.