Ring & Pinion Sources

[NOTNSUV]

Since you said cost is a factor, consider a TrueTrac for the front and maybe even the rear. I run one in the front and a regular Detroit locker in rear. Kicked the snot out of the Rubicon; there wasn't one place I struggled for traction. It's true the the TT isn't a locker but it is VERY effective and I think a little kinder to my D30. I like the rear Detroit Locker for it's simplicity and strength.

People love the TT in the rain, ice, snow, mud but criticize it for rock crawling only in wheel-in-air scenario. I run an auto tranny so it's super easy to compensate for by using a little brake. I drive 2 footed in the rocks anyways so it's no biggie to apply brakes to gain traction.

Any other comments on the Tru-Trac gang? Sounds like a good setup for what I have planned. (Still not sure on the 8.25" - whether it's limited slip. Doesn't appear to be with wheels spinning opposite direction when on the jack) Ratcheting of the Detroit might drive me nuts?

In a nutshell, won't TT front & rear be worlds better than open on both ends?

Thanks again.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Think long and hard about the direction of your jeep before you make the plunge on gears. Once upon a time I was planning on going to 35's, so I bought a 44 with 4.88's installed. I swapped it in with my 32's on, figuring it wouldn't be too bad until I bought some new rubber. I thought - if I liked the extra torque, maybe I wouldn't even go up to a bigger tire. WRONG. I was absolutely miserable. Top speed was 65 at a about 3k, and it would shift into overdrive at 33 mph. driving on the highway was torture. I do a lot of highway driving for roadtrips, and 80 is my perfect speed, with 2500 being my ideal rpm. 4.10's put me exactly there, so that's what I'm going with.

If you're goin to be towing a lot, consider 4.56. If its only every now and then with a small load, I'd stick to 4.10's.

 

[souske]

Why not an,aussie in front?

 

[NOTNSUV]

Think long and hard about the direction of your jeep before you make the plunge on gears. Once upon a time I was planning on going to 35's, so I bought a 44 with 4.88's installed. I swapped it in with my 32's on, figuring it wouldn't be too bad until I bought some new rubber. I thought - if I liked the extra torque, maybe I wouldn't even go up to a bigger tire. WRONG. I was absolutely miserable. Top speed was 65 at a about 3k, and it would shift into overdrive at 33 mph. driving on the highway was torture. I do a lot of highway driving for roadtrips, and 80 is my perfect speed, with 2500 being my ideal rpm. 4.10's put me exactly there, so that's what I'm going with.

If you're goin to be towing a lot, consider 4.56. If its only every now and then with a small load, I'd stick to 4.10's.

Not a lot of towing and only once a year of 500 miles each way and that will be with a 17' Alumaweld.. maybe 2000# total. Most will be to the nearby fishing holes within 60 miles. I have a Durmax for the big stuff.
Cruise speed out here in the West is generally 80mph with no ticket issues. I don't need to drive the XJ 80mph but would like to be able to if it feels ok. 70+ would be desirable. No intent to crawl rocks but use it for a hunting rig.. I have quads for game recovery (until USFS totally closes the roads here next year and eliminates off road - another story altogether) so don't need to beat the brush with it either. I want it capable but not extreme so doubt I'll ever go beyond 31" tires.
I guess priority #1 is comfort and driveability, not wild offroad. I've heard and seen some pretty mild XJs that were quite capable on the trails and backroads.

Thanks for brainstorming with me.. pardon the rant.

Gary

 

[NOTNSUV]

Why not an,aussie in front?

Hmm.. I know so little about all the offerings out there that I'd overlooked the aussie.. then figured for sure it was made in AU but low and behold it's 100% USA made.. very important to me (nothing against the Aussies).. and it's less $$$ than most stuff I've looked at. With only occassional use, like in deep snow with or without chains or in nasty loose shale, etc., it should work great.

Is it an 'automatic' locker? Any downsides on the street/highway?

So.. how about an Aussie front and Tru-Trac rear combo?

Thanks.. I'll keep digging.

Gary

 

[DanMan2k06]

No worries bro, no rant. We're all throwing out our 2 cents here to try and help you make a decision you're comfortable with. Aussie in the front would work great. Automatic lockers are invisible on the street (unless you drive around in 4wd on the pavement...) I'm a big fan of pulling the front shaft on long trips. Less parasitic drag. I do it all the time on my trips down to South Carolina from MD. I keep the shaft and tools in the trunk so I can pop it back in if I think I'll need it. Come to think of it, my shaft is out right now lol.

If you wanna do 70+ I'd stick with 4.10's. Just my opinion. I think 4.56's would be a little much for a 500 miles trip on 31's. I'd rather have the option to downshift into third if need be, than be stuck at 60mph cruising speed for hours on end. I've done a lot of driving with 31's and stock gearing, and I didn't think it was that bad at all. I usually keep it in 3rd unless I'm going on the highway. Around town there's no need for it to be going in and out of overdrive. 3rd gear lockout is plenty of gear length up to about 50-55. I think you'd be perfectly happy with 4.10's.

For the rear, I'd go with a selectable if you want decent street manners. In the same 44 I bought, it had a Powertrax No-Slip (supposed to be the friendliest on the street) and that sucker clunked like a son-of-a-gun. Worked great, but wayyy too much slop and clanking under accel and decel. I took it out and put the stock spiders back in. My wheeling scenarios these days don't demand a rear locker, so I keep it open for quiet and smooth operation on the street.

 

[NOTNSUV]

Oops..

 

[NOTNSUV]

Around and around I go..

Sounds like any locker, front or rear, is going to kick my butt on slick roads. I definitely enjoy driving around in the snow (if we get any in N. NV this year @ 5500') in a rig that's more capable than most on the road. Yeah, offroad is fun but I don't want to sacrifice safety and control for the few times a year I might go 'wheeling'. I've done considerable off road and snow stuff in everything from all pickup brands and sizes, suburbans, 54 Chev 2WD panel, to CJ5 and put them places that might surprise some folks and worked many years on mountain top microwave sites in NV and MT.. (that's B4 fiber optics for you yunguns.) so it's not like I'm totally green.. just have never had a locker in my rigs, or a lifted rig for that matter, or even a winch now that I think about it.

So, thinking out loud, I'm moving back to strongly considering TruTrac on both ends when I do the gear swap. Big remaining question is: will LS/TT in front be any kind of a control issue on slick/icy roads? I'm hoping no, but guessing yes, or somewhat. Is the TT more 'engaging' than factory LS (more money for sure) and more of a potential control issue? I don't want to have to adjust or learn new driving skills to accommodate.

P.S.
Tire chains are the great equalizer IMO - I watched a YouTube video tonight of a guy in a bad axx Wrangler w/BA tires and with obvious lockers latching onto a small tree with his winch when tire chains would have gotten him in/out of where he was in the snow without barely spinning a wheel - toppled the tree but did get out - you guys probably know the video. I'm going to try to get creative with a storage place for my HD tire chains - anyone here invent that wheel yet?

Sheesh.. ain't nothing in life that's not a compromise of some sort.. gotta love it.

Thanks for helping me get this right (for me).

 

[Foothill]

I think if you read around some more you'll find a consensus that the TrueTrac performs great in slippery conditions like mud, snow, gravel.

 

[NOTNSUV]

I think if you read around some more you'll find a consensus that the TrueTrac performs great in slippery conditions like mud, snow, gravel.

.. and at say 45 - 65mph on highways when it's snowy or icy?
Yeah, we throw 'em in 4WD and tool down I-80 at 70mph regularly. There is no snow panic for drivers where I live.. done it for years in pickups in 4WD, but wondering if the TT will change that, especially in front. Most of my stuff has had factory LS in the rear and works fine in adverse conditions. Fine tuning & nit-picking.. hoping to get it the first time.

Thanks.

 

[MAY POP]

Front TrueTrac is terrific. Very safe and predictable. I wish I could afford 2 for my DD.
Ron

 

[NOTNSUV]

I've been advised by a pro (vendor) that running the 231 on the highway is a big no-no, especially if only intermitently slick, and never over 40mph or so. Says the 231 locks front and rear drivelines together and can get nasty in a hurry.
He also says, "I'd NEVER put a limited slip in a Jeep". Likes the Power Trax however.

I'll have to drive it this winter and see where to go from there. Too many irons in the fire right now anyway to make a move on gear swaps and LS, PT, TT, Lockers. But, how about a selectable locker for the real offroad stuff and just drive in 2wd on slick roads, or at least keep speeds down on slick roads?

Still fishing.

 

[Vanimal]

the difference in the price of a selectable vs a true trac or whatever is minimal in the grand scheme of axle work. being unlocked in the snow is a big plus IMO (i grew up in CT, not CA). it's sketchy as hell with an auto locker IMO. Talk to Robert (rwkhaussupply) about the zip lockers maybe. with smaller tires, i'm sure they'll probably be just fine, and the price is right. Then you still have the lockers for when you need it, instead of just an LSD.

 

[NOTNSUV]

I'm not seeing the zip locker for the 8.25" on his website. I guess I could lock the front Dana 30.. been reading the opinions on whether to lock front or rear.. you know how that goes.. I'm still in the dark.

 

[rockclimber]

there is not a zip locker for the 8.25. if you want selectable for it, go with an ARB.