Gear talk - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Camarokid1996 · 11-22-2019, 06:25 AM

Need some advice from the experienced people who have swapped their gears. I have a 2010 Camaro SS with the LS3 and am debating replacing the stock 3.45 gears for something else such as 3.91's or 4.10's. I am full bolt ons (headers, catback, cold air, ported TB and will be getting the GPI rod mod as well as a cam eventually). For those who have done it, what would be better for a stick car? I don't drag race, only a few roll races here and there. Want the car to get up and go a lot quicker. I've heard a lot of talk a while back about 4.10's breaking a lot, should I still be concerned with that? Anything else I should replace as well to go along with the gears? I'd appreciate links for a full kit if anyone wants to do that and would love feedback. Thanks!

Greenhornet2 · 11-22-2019, 06:38 AM

Most seem to happy running 3.91s. Doubt you would break 4.10's unless they weren't set up correctly.

mrvenicess · 11-22-2019, 06:53 AM

I heard of a lot of issues with the 4.10s back when I had my 2010 SS. I went with the GM 3.91s. They were a great price and worked great with my car that had similar mods as yours plus a mild cam.

zlathim · 11-22-2019, 08:41 AM

Since you said LS3, I am assuming that you have a manual transmission. Anything less than 4.10s is leaving performance on the table. If there was an option for lower gears in our diffs, I would go even lower than 4.10s.

Depending on your budget, you might want to look at installing a Truetrac at the same time. The stock posi units have a tendency to turn into one wheel peelers when the clutches get worn out.

As far as longevity, I have over 80 hits on the drag strip with my set-up and haven't broken anything in the diff yet.

Greenhornet2 · 11-22-2019, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zlathim

Since you said LS3, I am assuming that you have a manual transmission. Anything less than 4.10s is leaving performance on the table. If there was an option for lower gears in our diffs, I would go even lower than 4.10s.

Depending on your budget, you might want to look at installing a Truetrac at the same time. The stock posi units have a tendency to turn into one wheel peelers when the clutches get worn out.

As far as longevity, I have over 80 hits on the drag strip with my set-up and haven't broken anything in the diff yet.

At what point do you get to where you need to shift into 5th gear though. I do believe there is such a thing as too much gear. My car does about 145 in 4th so a 3.91 might still work but going lower and I would need another shift in the 1/4 I fear. I haven't done the math but I trap over 120mph now.

Avenging Orange · 11-22-2019, 09:02 AM

Since you are not racing....3.91's would be my choice.

Chris49066SS · 11-22-2019, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenhornet2

At what point do you get to where you need to shift into 5th gear though. I do believe there is such a thing as too much gear. My car does about 145 in 4th so a 3.91 might still work but going lower and I would need another shift in the 1/4 I fear. I haven't done the math but I trap over 120mph now.

What did you end up running in the quarter this season Green Hornet?

Greenhornet2 · 11-22-2019, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris49066SS

What did you end up running in the quarter this season Green Hornet?

Haven't run at the track yet. This is times based off my tuner. So take it with a grain of salt. street tires 11.55 121mph soft launch

pnwdan · 11-22-2019, 12:32 PM

my car is cammed and I went 3.91 due to a few factors. Cost was number one. After having 3.91, I think 4.10 would be fine to daily also

GK_2012_SS · 11-22-2019, 12:52 PM

I too have an LS3 MN6. I have not convinced myself to go to 3.91 yet. My only concern is that I would be shifting to 2nd TOO quickly. The 1LE has 3.91s but the transmission is different, so it seems like the stock 1LE shift points would be about the same as a stock SS in gears 1-3. So if you put 3.91s in the SS your shift points 1-3 would be sooner than a 1LE, correct? Maybe I'm missing something?

Greenhornet2 · 11-22-2019, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GK_2012_SS

I too have an LS3 MN6. I have not convinced myself to go to 3.91 yet. My only concern is that I would be shifting to 2nd TOO quickly. The 1LE has 3.91s but the transmission is different, so it seems like the stock 1LE shift points would be about the same as a stock SS in gears 1-3. So if you put 3.91s in the SS your shift points 1-3 would be sooner than a 1LE, correct? Maybe I'm missing something?

I don't think it matters so much if you are shifting at a lower speed into 2nd. If you are making 3 shifts you are making 3 shifts. It certainly does help the car get out of the hole faster especially if you are NA or closer to stock. I guess my thing is I don't feel I NEED 3.91's as I don't really race and drive on the street more where traction is already an issue. I also don't want to sink a bunch of money into this rear end as once I break it I think I will be swapping to a ZL1

Benman · 11-22-2019, 01:13 PM

AGM is the OE supplier for our SS rear differential, they do not offer anything steeper than 3.91, I suspect there is a reason for that. For street driving you won't see a plug nickel from 4.1 to 3.91. I went with the AGM 3.91, installed the JRE posi kit, along with JRE billet carrier caps and an LPW girdle/cover, I have about as strong of a setup as possible for this particular differential. I don't drag race anymore, never have in a gen 5, but if I do decide to go to the track I want the best chance of driving the car home afterwards as I can give myself. Next for me is suspension bushing, toe rods, and trailing arms to guard against possible wheel hop these cars are notorious for.

Camarokid1996 · 11-25-2019, 04:16 PM

Bump. Want more people to chime in

jethrobandit · 11-25-2019, 04:46 PM

I have a '13 and this is my next modification on the list and it's out of necessity. Have a BTR Stage 3 cam in and the stock 3.45 bog the low end out of it. Hard to get good launches and 6th gear is useless and bogs the engine below 2k. Meaning to be able to use 6th I have to be going over 80, otherwise its knocking and pinging when you apply throttle.

Plan is Motive 4.10s / Eaton TrueTrac / LPW Cover — since my budget isn't catching up to my needs at the moment, I may have to go with just the 3.91. I hear there are quite a few 1LE rear ends available to purchase and makes the whole swap cheaper.

11-22-2019, 06:25 AM	#1
Camarokid1996 Account Suspended Drives: 2010 Chevy Camaro 2ss/rs TF edition Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Michigan Posts: 125	Gear talk Need some advice from the experienced people who have swapped their gears. I have a 2010 Camaro SS with the LS3 and am debating replacing the stock 3.45 gears for something else such as 3.91's or 4.10's. I am full bolt ons (headers, catback, cold air, ported TB and will be getting the GPI rod mod as well as a cam eventually). For those who have done it, what would be better for a stick car? I don't drag race, only a few roll races here and there. Want the car to get up and go a lot quicker. I've heard a lot of talk a while back about 4.10's breaking a lot, should I still be concerned with that? Anything else I should replace as well to go along with the gears? I'd appreciate links for a full kit if anyone wants to do that and would love feedback. Thanks!

11-22-2019, 06:38 AM	#2
Greenhornet2 Drives: 2011 Camaro 2SS LS3 Whipple Join Date: May 2019 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,925	Most seem to happy running 3.91s. Doubt you would break 4.10's unless they weren't set up correctly. __________________ Whipple 2.9 CAI ID1050x injectors ZL1 Pump JRE FPCM JMS Voltage booster JRE Rough Idle blower cam BTR .660 springs CHE trunnion kit 1 7/8 Speed Engineering Borla Atak JRE scoop 1.5" lowering springs BMR trailing arms and toe links Cradle inserts 704WHP 603WTQ 93 octane

11-22-2019, 08:41 AM	#4
zlathim Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 726	Since you said LS3, I am assuming that you have a manual transmission. Anything less than 4.10s is leaving performance on the table. If there was an option for lower gears in our diffs, I would go even lower than 4.10s. Depending on your budget, you might want to look at installing a Truetrac at the same time. The stock posi units have a tendency to turn into one wheel peelers when the clutches get worn out. As far as longevity, I have over 80 hits on the drag strip with my set-up and haven't broken anything in the diff yet. __________________ GPI SS2; EE E2 catch can; SP 1 7/8" LT Headers w/ hfc; FM AT 3" cat-back; CAI Cold Air Intake; AEM Wideband Tuned by GPI McCleod RXT; MGW flat stick; Ram Clutch slave cylinder & hydraulic adjuster BMR cradle & diff bushings, trailing arms, toe rods & upper control arm bushings Hotchkis sub-frame brace Stop Tech Z-23 brakes 4.10 gears, Eaton Truetrac, LPW diff cover Best 1/4 mile 12.073 @ 115.68 mph 3,300 ft DA

11-22-2019, 09:02 AM	#6
Avenging Orange Drives: 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Clermont, IN Posts: 3,297	Since you are not racing....3.91's would be my choice. __________________ 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS M6 Black Leather, Sun Roof, OBX Headers, Borla touring axle back, Cold Air Inductions CAI , non synthetic fluids, BMR total bushing upgrade/1" lowering springs, DSE 32mm rear sway bar. GM fe4 shocks/struts/LCA's, AAM 3.91 diff, Vertini RFS1.8 20x9 +30. Conti ExtremeContact Sport 275/35/20. sjm autoprod ABL dash kit. Mike Norris tuned 413/419. Avenging Orange: 43 years of not buying into the Hype........and damn proud of it!! https://youtu.be/9JD9it6SmB8 https://youtu.be/xmelTlEzI34 KICKING CANCERS ASS SINCE 2015!!

11-22-2019, 12:32 PM	#9
pnwdan Drives: 2014 2SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Washington Posts: 848	my car is cammed and I went 3.91 due to a few factors. Cost was number one. After having 3.91, I think 4.10 would be fine to daily also __________________ 2014 2SS/RS LS3/M6

11-22-2019, 06:53 AM	#3
mrvenicess Drives: 2013 CRT ZL1 auto Join Date: May 2010 Location: Venice Fl Posts: 1,443 View My Garage	I heard of a lot of issues with the 4.10s back when I had my 2010 SS. I went with the GM 3.91s. They were a great price and worked great with my car that had similar mods as yours plus a mild cam.

11-22-2019, 12:52 PM	#10
GK_2012_SS Drives: 2012 Camaro LS3 2SS Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Missouri Posts: 60	SS vs 1LE I too have an LS3 MN6. I have not convinced myself to go to 3.91 yet. My only concern is that I would be shifting to 2nd TOO quickly. The 1LE has 3.91s but the transmission is different, so it seems like the stock 1LE shift points would be about the same as a stock SS in gears 1-3. So if you put 3.91s in the SS your shift points 1-3 would be sooner than a 1LE, correct? Maybe I'm missing something? Attached Images __________________ Z/28 Cold Air Intake; ARH 1 7/8 Long Tube Headers, High-flow Cats, X-Pipe; Borla ATAK; 160 Deg. Thermostat; Craven Tune

11-22-2019, 01:13 PM	#12
Benman Drives: 13 IOM 2ss RS manual Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Euless,TX Posts: 213	AGM is the OE supplier for our SS rear differential, they do not offer anything steeper than 3.91, I suspect there is a reason for that. For street driving you won't see a plug nickel from 4.1 to 3.91. I went with the AGM 3.91, installed the JRE posi kit, along with JRE billet carrier caps and an LPW girdle/cover, I have about as strong of a setup as possible for this particular differential. I don't drag race anymore, never have in a gen 5, but if I do decide to go to the track I want the best chance of driving the car home afterwards as I can give myself. Next for me is suspension bushing, toe rods, and trailing arms to guard against possible wheel hop these cars are notorious for. __________________ Rectangular Dollars will beat Cubic Inches

11-25-2019, 04:16 PM	#13
Camarokid1996 Account Suspended Drives: 2010 Chevy Camaro 2ss/rs TF edition Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Michigan Posts: 125	Bump. Want more people to chime in

11-25-2019, 04:46 PM	#14
jethrobandit Drives: 2013 Black 2SS Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Hendersonville, TN Posts: 77	I have a '13 and this is my next modification on the list and it's out of necessity. Have a BTR Stage 3 cam in and the stock 3.45 bog the low end out of it. Hard to get good launches and 6th gear is useless and bogs the engine below 2k. Meaning to be able to use 6th I have to be going over 80, otherwise its knocking and pinging when you apply throttle. Plan is Motive 4.10s / Eaton TrueTrac / LPW Cover — since my budget isn't catching up to my needs at the moment, I may have to go with just the 3.91. I hear there are quite a few 1LE rear ends available to purchase and makes the whole swap cheaper. __________________ 2013 2SS ::: MiSSy BTR Stage 3 :: GM 3.91 :: Eaton TrueTrac :: SW LT Headers :: Elite Catch Can :: CAI :: ADM Cold Scoop :: VMAX ported TB :: Forza 3Way :: BMR Lowering Springs/Toe Rods/Lower CA/Trailing Arms/Subframe Bushings