4.56 vs 4.10 (d30/8.25) 97XJ

[Double Down]

Unless I missed something in my searches, I was looking for a discussion on these two gearings for a 97XJ auto with d30/8.25 axles. But here's my scenario, I don't drive the Jeep as much offroad as I want to, I'd say about 20% of the time. The rest is spent on the highway, etc. So I am looking for the best gearing ratio for what I need. Right now I am running 31's TrXus Mud Radials (which are a little bigger than 31's by the way) with the stock 3.55 gearing.

I have heard that 4.56 is too low for what I would be using and I have heard that 4.56 is perfect. And just recently someone told me that the 4.10 gearing would be just right, etc.

For locking purposes, I plan on putting in a limited slip in the rear and front or a powertrax in the rear and no-slip in the front. Like I said, I only use this about 20% of the time offroad but when I do go offroad I would like some better traction, etc which is why the limited slip was suggested to me by several people.

So at this point, just looking for some comments, ideas, feedback and possibly the best place to get the gears, limited slips/powertrax/no-slips.

Thanks,

Chris

[tetsulo]

From what I have read on the forum, the limited slip won't be much different than an open diff offroad. I do not have first hand experience though. I think they'll wear out pretty quick too.

If motor is stock (and a 4.0) I say 4.10's are your ticket to happy highway driving and offroad fun.

fwiw

tetsulo

[Frank Z]

I'm running 4.10's and will be putting in a Powertrax No-Slip in the next week to ten days. Tire size is 32x11.50x15, AW4, 4.0L. this is also a DD and I took it off-road for the first time yesterday. I was very pleased with the performance of the gears and even more impressed with how well it handled the trail overall.

[BrettM]

4.56 and be done.

TrXus measure large and my 33x12.50 BFGs that I use for the street measure small so they are probably actually pretty close in rolling diameter. I have 4.88s and it's perfect. 4.88s arent' available for your 8.25, so get the 4.56.

[BrettM]

oh yeah, and get a real locker. with an auto tranny it is nearly invisible on the street. ARB or Detroit would be best, Aussie (is it available for 8.25?) or No Slip would be good too.

[sintax]

you'll kick yourself if you ever plan to really wheel it if you get the 4.10's. I'd say get the 4.88's but they are not an option to you. So 4.56's is the only way to go. As Brett said, get a real lock, I am not a big fan of ARB's in the rear (too much money, not enough function) so i'd say a detroit where i'd put my money.

[woody]

The debate over 4.10-4.56-4.88 will live forever, but I'll toss in my two bits

I dunno how hilly it is around Cinci, but if so... consider the 4.56:1. Especially if you don't have a long interstate commute, or do a lot of long road-trips. I had to run awhile with 31" TSL radials on my 4.0/AW4 with 4.56:1 (my DD is 50 mi of 2 lane, rolling hills @ +400' sea level) I thought it was fun, with no penalty at the gas pump. If I had 4.56:1 (or 4.10) in my current DD on P225, It would be even more fun, but with probably a MPG and a D35 penalty.

There is a broad range of overlap with what tire/gear combo will make the owner happiest. (depending on their use, predicted tire sizes, loads etc...) Gearing a bit lower than stock suits me, particularly with older/hi-mile 4.0l/AW4s, that see little interstate travel. Off road, lower gearing just makes it smoother.

[jpx3]

no aussie for the 8.25 yet, talking to a rep and he told me its doubtful if there will be due to whats already on the market.

are you planning on going to a bigger tire size or pulling a trailer? if so 4.56 will give the better performance, if just staying under 33" get the 4.10s for all around fuel and offroad. about the locker, if saving some money for awhile is your skill, save and get an ARB(s). selectable for others that might drive your heep, while on the trail, snow,etc. lived in Cini (off cin-day road in liberty township) would have been nice to be able to not slide around so much with the locrite. just dont have a place/time/axle choices around me to swap so im building the 8.25 (29 sp, arb, shock relocation, etc.) and its been good so far.

-jpx3

[Ramsey]

get 4.56s, anyone that says otherwise is a moron

[Muddy_XJ]

4.56's and a Detroit get my vote

[hillbilly_jeeper]

no aussie for the 8.25 yet, talking to a rep and he told me its doubtful if there will be due to whats already on the market.


They list one on their web site for the 27 spline 8.25, but not the 29.

[tetsulo]

guess I'm a moron.

80% dd means the vehicle should be optimized for the road not off road in my opinion.

still just my .02 though

tetsulo

[Double Down]

At this moment, meaning the next 2-3 years I wouldn't go any higher than 33's (in fact I may go to 33's in the next couple months before the gear install), so even with that in mind and knowing again that this is used 80% of the time it is driven on the highway and around town 4.10's would be the right choice? What would 4.56's give me that 4.10's wouldn't for my situation?

Also, all that is available for the back (8.25) that I know of is arb, detroit, and no-slip. The front (d30) all I know of is arb, detroit, ez, OZ, loc-rite, and limited slip. Knowing that money is somewhat of a concern and that I only wheel it 20% of time, what do you all suggest? I want something I can wheel with when I get a chance but something that won't suck on the open road if that makes sense.

I am playing stupid on this, but someone said that an open diff would be the same as a limited slip...why?

And last question is...do I need a locker on both the front and rear at the same time. I realize that if I am going to put in gears and have everything open I might as do it, but let's say I can't...should I just put them in the rear?

Thanks,

Chris

[Ramsey]

guess I'm a moron.

80% dd means the vehicle should be optimized for the road not off road in my opinion.

still just my .02 though

tetsulo
that you are
even if it was 95/5 i would still get 4.56s. it is still very road friendly. do your 2 cents come from experience or just speculation, if the latter shut up until you know what your talking about, if the former forgive me for my rudeness

chris i have a no slip in my 8.25 and it works great, for the price of it you cant go wrong. after reading about the warranty problems and the commoness of breaking the locker when popping a shaft i'm not sure if i would get a detroit. sure a limited slip is better than open, but if you want to do any serious offroading i would just get a locker.HTH dont need both, i would lock the front first if you are just gonna do one. without starting a discusion here just look for the other thread about it on the first couple pages. with a lunchbox locker like aussie lock right and no slip it will be easy to add them later on if you want

[woody]

guess I'm a moron.

80% dd means the vehicle should be optimized for the road not off road in my opinion.

still just my .02 though

tetsulo

How is gearing the vehicle to suit the guy's tastes NOT optimizing it for the road... w/o knowing how this guy loads out his Jeep during the 80% and the 20%?

Think about it, for a good running 4.0l with either trans, 30-35" and 4.10:1-4.56:1 is an acceptable range. The 4.0l's torque curve is wide enough to deal with it. At 3000 rpm in 3d/4th gear (1:1), 31" with 4.56:1 is around 60 mph, 31" with 4.10 is around 67... Stand on it, upshift, or back out of it. :dunno:

[ACE]

I have 4.10's and 31" tires. I think it is a perfect combination for road and off-road. Any bigger tires than that I would not even think of getting lower (numerically) than 4.56's. I would have gotten 4.56's with my 31's anyway if the 4.10's weren't practically free to me.
If you are thinking of ever going to a taller tire, whether it be now or several years from now, listen to the experienced here, do it once, do 4.56's.

[tetsulo]

Hey...no problem guys. Your right about the load between the 80/20, we don't know. Woody says the range between 4.10 and 4.56 is acceptable for 31's. Which is consistent from what I have read from the forums. So different opinions regarding gearing from one side of the 'acceptable' range to the other doesn't seem to make anyone a moron in my book.

matt

[What Rd]

Even at 100% DD use, you'll be happier in the long run with the deeper gears. While using my 93 4.0 AW4 as a DD I didn't have to deal with the kind of hills that exist around Cincinnati. You WILL appeciate the lower gears. Period. Anyone who tries to convince you that you'll pay a penalty in gas mileage has neither any experience on the subject nor any idea how his vehicle operates.
I love my 4.88s and 33s and would go deeper if possible. When (not if) I lose the D30 in favor of something beefier, I'll be dipping into either 5.13s or 5.38s. Once you've driven a rig with effectively lower than stock gearing, you will never be satisfied with less.

A spool is cheap, but for no more than you get offroad it doesn't seem like your best option. I run ARBs front and rear now, but have run a No-Slip in the rear when I still had the 8.25. You can't beat a selectable locker like the ARB for versatility, but they come at a higher price and require on-board air or some other engagement mechanism (cable, wiring, tinfoil hat, etc.). After a selectable, the next best option in my opinion given the way you describe your useage is a toss up between a No-Slip and a spool. It doesn't sound like you require the strength advantage of a full case locker like the Detroit. I think you'd better appreciate the smoothness of the drop-in No-Slip's synchronizers. After a couple of weeks for break-in, I never heard from mine again unless I intentionally got on it in a parking lot. It would lock and unlock very smoothly and seemlessly. That said, an auto locker, even a really smooth one like the No-Slip, is not as predictable in the slippery white stuff as a spool. A spool is generally inappropriate for the street and will lead to much quicker tire wear in the rear - a tradeoff for the cheaper purchase cost. But you know exactly how it is going to behave in every situation - like a one-piece solid axle. Driving either an auto locker or a spool on the street, epecially in the winter, is a matter of learning and getting used to the particular quirks. Neither is insurmountable and those who speak in superlatives and absolutes on the subject are simply spreading bogus information.
How do I know? Here's a clue: it WASN'T from reading it on the internet or hearing it from some old-timer at the shop.
Enjoy.

[Double Down]

Okay, so far I'm looking at 4.56's especially if I am going to go to 33's anytime soon...makes sense.

Now for the lockers, the back I am looking at a no-slip after reading "What Rd" and "Ramseys" replies, but for the front (d30) I was looking at my options and what I have narrowed it down to are; No-slip, lock-rite, and EZ locker.

So now I have two more questions. First, what is an EZ locker exactly and is it a good option for me and my front and two, out the options above for the front, which one is recommended for what I will be using the Jeep for? I know that the guys recommend the no-slip for the back, but what about the front?

You guys have been a big help, thanks.

Chris

[Ramsey]

lock right for hte front. i have riden in a jeep with a lock right in the back and it was loud and not near as quiet and smooth as my no slip. i got the rear no slip for that reason. up front i have a lock right where it is ok since it wont have those same manners since in 2wd it doesnt have power. all you will get is some ratcheting from it in sharp turns. no need to extra cash on a no slip up front IMO. i have had the lock right up front nearly a year and it has been working great, i would get it again( and the no slip in the back) if i had to do it again.

[What Rd]

Here's another option: leave the front open for now. You'll be amazed at how much better your rig wheels with just the rear locked. Plus, you can take the 300 to 400 bones you would have spent on the front locker and put it toward a selectable rear. Having the front open in the snow will allow one front wheel to maintain ground speed for more effective steering. A front locker means both tires are pulling, but they alternate between steering and sliding a bit unpredictably. Just another possibility.

[Ramsey]

front lock right is 250 or so, but good point about hte snow driving. not a concern down here though

[Double Down]

Okay, now I just got confused. I know everyone has their opinions, but someone just said if I they had to lock one, they would do the front and then you said another option is to leave the front open.

So humor me, what does it mean to leave the front open, I kinda know, but I'd rather hear from people who definitely know.

And by selectable rear, you mean ARB? Which if that is true would mean I would have to put in some sort of air system to run it?

So you say in the snow, the front locked is unpredictable but because both tires are pulling and steering at the same time, but with it open you are saying that it is easier to manage in the snow? But what about the mud and rocks when I do get a chance to go offroad?

Thanks,

Chris

[woody]

Hey...no problem guys. Your right about the load between the 80/20, we don't know. Woody says the range between 4.10 and 4.56 is acceptable for 31's. Which is consistent from what I have read from the forums. So different opinions regarding gearing from one side of the 'acceptable' range to the other doesn't seem to make anyone a moron in my book.

matt

:kissyou: You're the one who called out morons... Dammit if you haven't caught one. I'll rustle up a miscreant if we need one...

Consistent with what I've found... everyone's experiences are different (and valuable, if they can relay them objectively.) but there are some generalities.

One is that (within reason) overgearing works better than undergearing.

Two is that many folks overestimate or generalize (assume) their tire size when ciphering. Measure from the rear hub center down to the driving surface, multiply by two and ad the wheel dia. to get a working size. Most 30"-35" aren't

[Ramsey]

for best offroad performance lock the front over rear, in my opinion of course. many people run them up front that also run in the snow and they havent died yet. lock right front first then no slip back later or at the same time if affordable. do some reading on driving locked up front in the snow(search) and then make your decision

[Purple]

i have a 98 with same setup as yours, been watching "diff&pinnion stories" for a while now... i think i will go with no slip for the rear and lockright for the front...

[ILLXJ]

i think i will go with no slip for the rear and lockright for the front...
This is the set up I am running. In fact it is What Rd's old 8.25. I had 4.56's installed in Jan. & I am running 31" Trxus. It is great. I wish I could go to 4.88's because I know I will miss the power when I go to 33's.
As to driving with auto lockers in the snow it just takes some getting used to. This past winter I didn't even use 4 wheel drive on road. With that said I will not let my wife or kids drive it in bad weather. HTH. JIM.

[NHextremeXJ]

Okay, now I just got confused. I know everyone has their opinions, but someone just said if I they had to lock one, they would do the front and then you said another option is to leave the front open.

So humor me, what does it mean to leave the front open, I kinda know, but I'd rather hear from people who definitely know.

And by selectable rear, you mean ARB? Which if that is true would mean I would have to put in some sort of air system to run it?

So you say in the snow, the front locked is unpredictable but because both tires are pulling and steering at the same time, but with it open you are saying that it is easier to manage in the snow? But what about the mud and rocks when I do get a chance to go offroad?

Thanks,

Chris
My turn.........my opinion.....4.56's and ARB in the rear. Reason: 20% offroad you will have good power to turn up to the 33's you may use. the ARB will give you great selectable traction when you need it and not when you don't(snow on the interstate). Plus you will have unlimited air for your tires. 80% on highway: you will gain the lost power from the larger tires. Overdrive will actually be usefull. You won't soil yourself from an automatic locker engaging unexpectadly in the snow. :passgas:
P.S. Most people lock the rear first because more weight is transfered to the rear when climbing hills and such.

[ArcticXJ]

You won't soil yourself from an automatic locker engaging unexpectadly in the snow. :passgas:
Unexpectedly? If, after driving for all of 15 minutes on it, you dont know or cant *predict* when or under what conditions your automatic locker will or will not engage, then you honestly werent to the point where you needed one in the first place. Ive spent these last three frozen winters in Alaska with a Detroit and bias 35s and not once did I "lose it" by way of an "unexpected" locker engagement. Locker or no locker, dont jump on the gas on snow. Thats common sense.

Detroit and 4.56's. Good to go.

[spaulman]

Chris,

I'm running 4.56's, locked front and rear. Last fall, I ran the 4.56's with stock tires for about a week while I was working out some issues. Not once did I think it was too low.

If you want to stop by some time we can swap your 31's on to my rig and you can take it for a ride to see firsthand how you like the combo.

[jimbar]

IMO it depends on how much money you have. If you have the bucks then try'em all and keep the options that work best for you. hasta

[Double Down]

Scott,

Sounds good to me. I actually just emailed Andy in your TKO group because I am interested in joining up with you guys.

Thanks,

Chris

[ExTankerGuy]

I have 4.56s and ARBs front and rear. I have 31s on for now. Pretty good combo. I wouldn't want to do alot of interstate travel though...

[virginxj]

get 4.56s, anyone that says otherwise is a moron

First off dont listen to anyone who says do this or you are a moron...

Second 4.10's with 31's will give you slightly taller gearing, ie lower you rpms on the freeway. check one of those gear calculators to match gears to tires, I did it lets you know exactly what you'll get. I have a 30.6" tire (245/75/r16) and with 4.10's I will go 1 mph slower at 2k rpms than stock tire gear. On the road I like these tires and the 3.55 gears, but going down steep rocks where you need to control your speed, you need low gears, and there the lower the better IMO.
Teraflex 4:1 too much bloody $$$$, so gears it is for me(4.10's since I am kind of moronic), I will not go down steep rocks with 3.55's and my larger tires, I just wont feel safe.
As far as lockers, several people who have wheeled jeeps advised against large tires AND lockers on 30/35's, they cant handle the additional stress, I dont know this first hand though so I recomend researching it from other posts and sites.

[Ramsey]

and dont listen to a calculator that doesnt take in real world concepts. those are just numbers, it doenst take into account increased rolling mass of larger tires and extra weight from bumpers skids and of course the loss of already crappy aerodynamics of being higher.


4.56s:D

[virginxj]

and dont listen to a calculator that doesnt take in real world concepts. those are just numbers, it doenst take into account increased rolling mass of larger tires and extra weight from bumpers skids and of course the loss of already crappy aerodynamics of being higher.


4.56s:D

Ok, but aerodynamics are only a factor on the freeway where lower gears hurt your fuel economy, yes they give you more passing power but why not just downshift! With the current gears the jeep drives fine with extra weight. 4.10's by the way are recommended by many people to compensate for the larger tires.
You should really just apologize for the "moron" bit and acknowledge that there is no percfect gear. You seem like you know at least a little bit about this but, so do alot of the people on here. 4.10's are the minimum to bring the rpms back to "normal" anything lower helps offroad and hurts freeway fuel economy. To each his own as they say, I do alot of long freeway runs so I am willing to sacrifice a little off-road.

[Ramsey]

spobi. i ran 4.56s w/31s for several months until i got my 33s and it was fine. no suffrage in fuel economy and it was quite fun to drive too. lower gears, what were talking about, dont hurt you on the freeway they put you where you should be. i'm speaking from experience. if you ever regear you will see what i, and many others, are talking about. you did mention 4.10s are the minimum to bring you back. why do the minimum, especially when there is a possiblity of going to bigger tires. regearing can cost a lot. just spend the money once

[Double Down]

All "moron" stuff aside, what I want to know is this now:

If 4.10's are recommended to bring back good fuel economy for larger tires, i.e. 31's, then if you go to 33's wouldn't 4.56's do the same that 4.10's do for 31's regarding fuel economy or am I missing something completely different here?

So far what I can tell is that if I stay with the 31's then 4.10 are great for fuel economy and my 20% offroad time BUT if I go with 33's I may want to think about putting in 4.56's instead of the 4.10's?

So basically, if I do go with 33's in the 6 months or so and still ONLY do about 20% offroad and rest driving will the 4.10's be the best for fuel economy, driving, and offroading OR will the 4.56's at that point provide the best fuel economy, driving, and offroading?


Not trying to hasta just trying to understand my options and learn.

Thanks,

Chris

[Ramsey]

yes you want at least 4.56s w/33s 4.10s wont cut it. i even wish i had deeper gears(4.88s if the 8.25 would allow it) w/my 33s but the 4.56s are good enough. run down:4.56s and 31s still very much road friendly and great offroad, 4.56s and 33s nearly perfect onroad and still great offroad. if you think you might ever go bigger, do the 4.56s now and save yourself the cost of regearing twice.

[NHextremeXJ]

All "moron" stuff aside, what I want to know is this now:

If 4.10's are recommended to bring back good fuel economy for larger tires, i.e. 31's, then if you go to 33's wouldn't 4.56's do the same that 4.10's do for 31's regarding fuel economy or am I missing something completely different here?

So far what I can tell is that if I stay with the 31's then 4.10 are great for fuel economy and my 20% offroad time BUT if I go with 33's I may want to think about putting in 4.56's instead of the 4.10's?

So basically, if I do go with 33's in the 6 months or so and still ONLY do about 20% offroad and rest driving will the 4.10's be the best for fuel economy, driving, and offroading OR will the 4.56's at that point provide the best fuel economy, driving, and offroading?


Not trying to hasta just trying to understand my options and learn.

Thanks,

Chris
Now you are right on track with your thinking. If you have any thoughts AT ALL of going to 33's in the future, then 4.56's.

Ok, but aerodynamics are only a factor on the freeway where lower gears hurt your fuel economy, yes they give you more passing power but why not just downshift!
DUH! frequent downshifting is a cause of bad fuel economy.

Second 4.10's with 31's will give you slightly taller gearing, ie lower you rpms on the freeway.
What? ummm........I think the taller gear will give you higher RPMs.
Double Down, The overdrive will be just fine on highway with 31s and 4.56s. Don't worry about high RPMs.

[What Rd]

If you want to stop by some time we can swap your 31's on to my rig and you can take it for a ride to see firsthand how you like the combo.
Kudos - this is by far the best thing to come out of this entire gawdaweful thread. This offer must be accepted because you'll never get any better idea how YOU will like a particular combination (especially when MORONS keep opining based on what they "think" or have "read" or "heard" or know from "some others" . . . :rolleyes:

Please try to ignore people (like virginxj) who are trying to tell you what they know because they looked at a chart on the internet. Think about it. Here's a guy running stock gears who's telling you what certain specific lower gears will do to your driving experience. Isn't that just a bit like relying on a virgin to tell you what certain specific sex acts will do to your $*@#ing experience?

good luck

[virginxj]

yes you want at least 4.56s w/33s 4.10s wont cut it. i even wish i had deeper gears(4.88s if the 8.25 would allow it) w/my 33s but the 4.56s are good enough. run down:4.56s and 31s still very much road friendly and great offroad, 4.56s and 33s nearly perfect onroad and still great offroad. if you think you might ever go bigger, do the 4.56s now and save yourself the cost of regearing twice.

I agree, 33's, you need more than 4.10, 4.56's are the max so... with 31's and 4.56's you'll be going 5-7 mph slower in 4th gear at any givin rpm or at 55mph 270-350 rpms higher than 4.10's, but 33's will be nicely matched.

On a different note I have heard some say that 33's are to big for the d30 and you will likely break parts if you wheel alot, I am curious how long everyone has had 33's and how the driveline is holding up.

[virginxj]

DUH! frequent downshifting is a cause of bad fuel economy.

What? ummm........I think the taller gear will give you higher RPMs.
Double Down, The overdrive will be just fine on highway with 31s and 4.56s. Don't worry about high RPMs.

who said frequent downshifting....

did I misuse the word taller:
numerically lower gears = lower rpms, numerically higher gears = higher rpms

[Ramsey]

Kudos - this is by far the best thing to come out of this entire gawdaweful thread. This offer must be accepted because you'll never get any better idea how YOU will like a particular combination (especially when MORONS keep opining based on what they "think" or have "read" or "heard" or know from "some others" . . . :rolleyes:

Please try to ignore people (like virginxj) who are trying to tell you what they know because they looked at a chart on the internet. Think about it. Here's a guy running stock gears who's telling you what certain specific lower gears will do to your driving experience. Isn't that just a bit like relying on a virgin to tell you what certain specific sex acts will do to your $*@#ing experience?

good luck
too funny

virgin there is an axle tech thread here written by crash, read it to find out about what is good on what axles.

[virginxj]

too funny

virgin there is an axle tech thread here written by crash, read it to find out about what is good on what axles.

Kudos - this is by far the best thing to come out of this entire gawdaweful thread. This offer must be accepted because you'll never get any better idea how YOU will like a particular combination (especially when MORONS keep opining based on what they "think" or have "read" or "heard" or know from "some others" . . .

....and now ramsey thinks I should go read what crash thinks.
I've read those charts and talked to people who did 31's etc.
BTW it's not the only jeep i've been in or around, so quit assuming I am an idiot Im not the one saying people who run 4.10 and 31's are morons. I am the one who responded to you for saying it though, maybe that's why your panties are all bunched up right now. Respond to this however you want this is getting out of hand and a bit childish (both of us), so I wont respond to it since it has gone beyond modified tech.

[Ramsey]

whos panties are bunched? i stood by what i said and then supported it. there is some good tech in that axle thread though. i guess you need to chill, its just the f@wking internet man, dont let it get to you. i just wanted the guy to be properly informed. :cheers:

[What Rd]

edit: Lest anyone get confused, this is addressed only to virginxj.

My panties ride in a properly geared rig and they feel fine!

You really don't get it, do you? If you actually had any relevant personal experience and disagreed with me, I could respect that. The only thing you've contributed, however, is to regurgitate what you've read or heard from others. Thanx, but from now on you should assume that those of us using this website have mastered the basics of reading for ourselves.

It was my impression that Chris posted his question because he was seeking advice and feedback from people with experience - people who had something in their personal experience that qualifies them to offer an opinion or advice. You simply don't know what you're talking about - and that is NOT helpful.

[What Rd]

. . . so I wont respond to it since it has gone beyond modified tech.
At least you recognize the subject of the forum. It's "modified tech", not "unsubstantiated opinions on tech with which I have no experience."
:bs:

[virginxj]

You guys keep assuming I have no experience, and that I base everything on the internet, if you are ok with that than well ok. The guy started out talking about 31's, that is what I have experience with. Everyone I know runs 31's and 4.10's the ones who have 4.56's say their rpms sit a little to high on the freeway. If you disagree then ok thats why we are here.
By the way What Rd you dont need to own every combination to know how it works if you have been out with people who do run it. Chris asked what gears are perfect for 31's and I told him what I thought and why, whereas Ramsey who seems knowledgables only said that lower is better and I disagree with that for someone who is 80% street. Although I learn alot from these sites I do not learn everything from them.

Ramsey I have heard more conservative "max tire size with locker" estimates form several people, and that is what I base my opinion on, I read crashes post and found it quite interesting, he however has seen and broken many shafts on d30, so I tend to favor a higher gear and a smaller tire to avoid this. If you give think this is bs then please elaborate, because many seem to share the same opinions. BTW Ramsey thanks for responding politely for the final post, I took your advice and went and chilled out before responding to this new reply.

[NHextremeXJ]

http://community.the-underdogs.org/smiley/angry/icon_argue.gif

[Ramsey]

glad to hear you've calmed down. one problem with gearing too high(lower numerically) is that you tend to need momentum to get up some things you could just crawl up if you had lower gears, momentum breaks things. i am pretty hard on my dana 30 locked running 33s and have only broken a hub, which might have been more wear than anything. a guy in my club up until recently was running 35s on his 30 with little problems, and he scares me the way he drives. some people get lucky others dont. general rule of thumb for a dana 30 is locked w/33s is the max, and that is with 297/760 joints btw. i think this subject and thread has been beat to death plenty hasta
You guys keep assuming I have no experience, and that I base everything on the internet, if you are ok with that than well ok. The guy started out talking about 31's, that is what I have experience with. Everyone I know runs 31's and 4.10's the ones who have 4.56's say their rpms sit a little to high on the freeway. If you disagree then ok thats why we are here.
By the way What Rd you dont need to own every combination to know how it works if you have been out with people who do run it. Chris asked what gears are perfect for 31's and I told him what I thought and why, whereas Ramsey who seems knowledgables only said that lower is better and I disagree with that for someone who is 80% street. Although I learn alot from these sites I do not learn everything from them.

Ramsey I have heard more conservative "max tire size with locker" estimates form several people, and that is what I base my opinion on, I read crashes post and found it quite interesting, he however has seen and broken many shafts on d30, so I tend to favor a higher gear and a smaller tire to avoid this. If you give think this is bs then please elaborate, because many seem to share the same opinions. BTW Ramsey thanks for responding politely for the final post, I took your advice and went and chilled out before responding to this new reply.

[virginxj]

yes new to this site especially.

I should have posted a resume:)

that is interesting about the guy with 35's and rough driving, sounds atypical so hey lucky him, I wish I could remember the website that recommended the max tire sizes so you could at least see where I'm coming from. Sounds to me like you are doing ok with 33's best of luck to you. I am going to be sticking with 31's at least until they are dead, then who knows.

happy wheelin!

[Double Down]

Well, aside from all the "who knows the most" stuff going on, I appreciate the responses. I am going to try to get a hold of the local guy to test out the 4.56's, but more than likely I am going with those.

Lucky enough, I just bought a no-slip for the back and lock-rite for the front from a guy on this website a day after you all answered my questions, so it must be for a reason ;)

Now, as soon as I can marry this girl I'm engaged to, the sooner we can use her car for everything and that 20% can become more like 50%+.

Best,

Chris