32s and 31s, mixed gear ratios. Am I insane?

I can get a ford 8.8 cheap with 3.73 gears, but I can't afford right now to change my front 3.55 gears. What I could do is run 32s on the rear and 31s on the front. This would have my front tires spinning slightly faster than the rears in 4wd so I would have to be careful about when and where I used 4wd. This would only be until spring and wouldn't see much 4wd use.

Am I completley around the bend for even considering this?

The reason for this exercise of insanity is that I am being offered a long arm lift for half of retail + TJ flares and cheap 35s, so I NEED the better axle. I can't trust that I can get the deal on the axle later, and part of the deal on the 8.8 is my stock axle back in trade.

Ahhhhhhh. It starts!!!! I was going to 31s, then 32s.....now 35s??

wow....:doh:

why not just buy it all and wait?

yotaparts said:

why not just buy it all and wait?

Click to expand...

In order to get the 8.8 cheap I have to give them my stock axle in trade.
This means I must install it, which means I either run with different gear ratios or as 2wd. Rather not be stuck as 2wd all winter.

Then in the spring it will get the long arm lift,35s and correct gears front and rear.

According to plan I get a new winch bumper tomorrow, front axle truss later this month, 8.8 and temporary 3" lift early next month,TJ flares and rocker replacements with box tubing late next month, and maybe a roof rack in there somewhere.

The beauty is that I will get a lot of the parts for next to nothing because it's going to be a project build up for 4WD magazine.
arty:

It would depend on teh condition of the 31's and 32's in question. That and the actual size of the tires. You have to install them and measure from the center of the wheel to the ground and find out how much the difference is.

I assume this is a Command-trac you're worried about. If the deal is a good one, I'd take the chance on not needing it, knowing that it can only be used in slippery conditions and for only as long as it takes to get out of those situations.

I ran a 3.73 rear w/ 3.55 front a LONG time ago for about 4 months or so.

ran it in the winter. even though I have a 242, sometimes the full time 4wd just wasn't enough traction, and I'd pop it in part time.

I even wheeled it a couple times like that. It took some time getting used to how it handled, but to be honest, I actually started to like some of the characteristics of how it worked out. it turned MUCH sharper in 4wd, and didn't plow. it would climb ledges better and it just tracked better in snow.

I rebuilt the transfer case after I got my D44 in, and to my surprise the chain wasn't stretched.

now I'm not exactly reccomending that you do this. I was in a pinch myself (workin on the D44 and I destroyed my D35 and swapped in the old axle I saved from my '86) I'd be more inclined to believe that I was lucky, but if you're just mindful of your setup, and aren't stupid about it (like driving around on dry pavement at high speed with that setup) I wouldn't be extremely concerned about damage.

forget the roof rack. theres been plenty of times ive barely been able to squeeze my xj under a fallen tree around here