Going to 4.88 or 5.13 for 37s?

[Rodeoflyer]

What are you referring to when you say “tazor patch/plug bypass”?

I have the Tazer Mini and set the tire size accordingly. I did see I could change the gear ratio in the settings. Is this what you are referring to?

This device https://www.zautomotive.com/product/z_lkr_oem/

My rear locker sensor failed and I was using it but had the rear axle assy replaced and no longer need the bypass...

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[XtremeRetard]

I vote 5.38

Still drops to like 5th and 6th at 45mph going up hills.
Sits in 5th on average around town at 35mph.

But goes into 8th at like 2500 on the highway. Thats with 37s

Running 35s at the moment and its still great. In no way too much rpm. Its always under like 2500rpm at cruise.

I see zero point running any other ratios other than maybe a perceived strength difference.

I was skeptical at first and thought I would be geared too high. But no way. Sure it uses the gears more, but with less throttle. MPG is better than it was with the 4.56

Also its only like 15% different 4.56 vs 5.38 that's even less than the difference between 7th and 8th gears in the auto trans.. 0.84 vs 0.67

Plus WAY better going up the dunes in Offroad+ mode 4HI

 

[SOON]

This might be an ignorant question. But couldn’t you just manually shift to the next gear (in the +\- setting)?

 

[Rodeoflyer]

I see zero point running any other ratios other than maybe a perceived strength difference.

I've broken a set of 5.13's which I 'perceived' were stronger than 5.38's but if I regear again it will def be 5.38's or 6.0 or the max gearing I could install.

These JL's are HEAVY and need it.

 

[Whaler27]

I’ve already weighed in on this discussion, but I’ll add one additional note. I’m on 37s with 488s and it’s a perfect match — right up until I‘m headed up into the mountains and I’ve added my wife plus another 450 pounds of camping gear, food, dog, and a 180 pound rooftop tent. Then I really wish I had the 513s.

 

[Rodeoflyer]

The 3.6 is a good durable little engine that's happy to sing along at 5k rpms and 10k feel elevation but yeah gears GEARS! lol

 

[XtremeRetard]

This might be an ignorant question. But couldn’t you just manually shift to the next gear (in the +\- setting)?

Yes... But.. Running 538 vs 456 gears means for trans gear x the engine is working ~15% less hard. More knock, more load with lower numerical gears. Less throttle and less load with higher numerical gears...

If i could go 5.86:1 I would!

 

[kapk22]

I've broken a set of 5.13's which I 'perceived' were stronger than 5.38's but if I regear again it will def be 5.38's or 6.0 or the max gearing I could install.

These JL's are HEAVY and need it.

I was not aware the higher the number = the stronger.

 

[Rodeoflyer]

I was not aware the higher the number = the stronger.

https://www.randysworldwide.com/blogs/size-matters

 

[Jeep Dude]

I've broken a set of 5.13's which I 'perceived' were stronger than 5.38's but if I regear again it will def be 5.38's or 6.0 or the max gearing I could install.

These JL's are HEAVY and need it.

Hmmmmmm...?

https://www.randysworldwide.com/blogs/size-matters

I totally agree with the article. In fact, my Wrangler mechanic has advised me, from not going any higher than 4.56 with my type of usage, as anything over and including 4.88, is basically running on borrowed time. At least with my case scenario.

My question to you is, and why I'm quoting both your quotes, is that I find them, somewhat contradictory? My question is not a loaded one, so please take no offence, I sincerely wish for a contructive debate, so that I might actually take away something new here. Perhaps your quotes are NOT contradictory at all, because I do not know what conditions your JL sees on a daily basis? Can you specify how you use your rig for clarification?

Yes, they are heavy, and I totally get someone who lives up in the mountains, driving on highway mountains at 75 mph, and wanting to pass 18 wheelers with ease, etc, and longing for 5.13+ gears. I totally get that .

However, applying this to a different case scenario like mine(someone who constantly off-roads, and climbs rocks, and does NOT do 75mph on a highway going up steep mountain grades, or longing for quicker 30mph - 80mph times), wouldn't the heaviness of the rig, be the logical reason for easing off ones temptation to go with a numerically higher gear ratio, on a Dana 44?

Before the sand dune dudes chimes in ?, I have not forgot you. I totally understand the need for a numerically higher gears, especially with lower hp/tq engines, and a heavy weight, going up the dunes. I have done sand dunes before, and boy did I wish I had the V8 engine!

In summary, my question pertains more to the back road crowd, the off-grid crowd if you will, who have zero time and zero luxury, to get stranded, because their gear teeth failed, while attempting to constantly climb over a small cliffs, and/or large rocks even.

 

[XtremeRetard]

Maybe. But with mixed use cases, it's a much harder decision. Easily fixed with Dana 60s etc. Or just change gears and see how long it lasts if you are careful...

 

[grimmjeeper]

https://www.randysworldwide.com/blogs/size-matters

So I don't fully agree with one of their points.

I'm in the middle of swapping out 5.38 gears for the 4.30s that were in my Dana 80. Both 43 tooth ring gears. The 4.30s have 10 pinion teeth. The 5.38s have 8.

Setting the pinions on the ring gears side by side you can see that they have similar tooth contact. The bigger pinion head of the 4.30s has more teeth but that just means more of those teeth are not in contact.

If you look at the two ring gears you see that the teeth are similar (but not identical) in size and shape. So the teeth have very similar strengrh.

The only way to have more teeth in contact is to have more ring gear teeth. But that means the teeth are smaller since the ring gear doesn't change in diameter.

 

[CarbonSteel]

In fact, my Wrangler mechanic has advised me, from not going any higher than 4.56 with my type of usage, as anything over and including 4.88, is basically running on borrowed time. At least with my case scenario.

How is that given the number of Jeeps running around with 4.88 and higher numerically ratios?

I would opine that **most** people who break a JL axle are asking more of it than is capable no matter what ratio is in it.

 

[Steph1]

I was not aware the higher the number = the stronger.

It’s the opposite. The higher the number, the smaller/thinner the gears have to be able
to fit more theeth on the same circomference/size ring and pinion.

But, the stronger the Jeep pulls due to the demultiplication of gearing.

 

[kapk22]

Hmmmmmm...?

I totally agree with the article. In fact, my Wrangler mechanic has advised me, from not going any higher than 4.56 with my type of usage, as anything over and including 4.88, is basically running on borrowed time. At least with my case scenario.
.

I guess I am more confused now, than when I first posted this thread.

One of my main concerns and reasons for changing gears was to prevent damage to the transmission from running 37s.

Now I am hearing/reading, going to 4.88 or 5.13 increases the risk of them breaking.

So, are the stock 4.10s in my Rubicon more durable than 4.88s and or 5.13s?

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