Tech: 2015+ Mustang Super 8.8 Gear Swap

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Tech: 2015+ Mustang Super 8.8 Gear Swap

Gearing Down

Lethal Performance sought lower e.t.’s with a Super 8.8 gear swap

By Steve Turner
Photos by Steve Turner and courtesy of Ford Performance Parts

Back in the old days, one of the first Fox Mustang mods was a gear swap. Moving to a numerically higher gear ration would help these cars get out of the whole quicker, and simply make the cars feel faster, and it was often that better feeling that encouraged the swap. When it comes to modern Mustangs, they are already pretty fast from the factory, and they often come equipped with the gears we used to swap in.

If you are looking to upgrade your S550 with 3.55 gears, Ford Performance Racing Parts has the gear set (M-4209-88355A; $249) and the install kit (M-4210-B3; $150) necessary to swap them in. Lethal Performance was actually making the move to 3.31 gears, but the process and parts look the same.
If you are looking to upgrade your S550 with 3.55 gears, Ford Performance Racing Parts has the gear set (M-4209-88355A; $249) and the install kit (M-4210-B3; $150) necessary to swap them in. Lethal Performance was actually making the move to 3.31 gears, but the process and parts look the same.

Case in point is Lethal Performance’s 2015 Mustang GT. It rocked 3.73 gears right from the factory, which definitely feels and sounds great. However, when you car is making over 800 rear-wheel horsepower and its mission is lower quarter-mile e.t’s, the question of the right ratio gets a bit more complicated.

Now, there is a science to picking the right gear ratio and the proper tire size to arrive at the ideal ratio for your combo’s goals. That said, the robust Super 8.8 center section in the 2015 Mustang doesn’t quite have the number of ratio options that the venerable Ford 9-inch has—not yet anyway. That means making the best of what’s readily available.

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