Help me settle the regear ratio question

[omnitonic]

If on 35s 4.56 is GREAT. I don't see how you'd regret it.

I have no idea what that guy drives. His shop has done lots of Jeeps, but I don't know any of the owners, and don't know if his builds are even any good.

Right now, 4.56 is definitely the offer to beat. I have data from the real world from at least two people who were really happy with that ratio.

Quit stressing. Now is the time to do some testing on your commute with the new tires. Grimm tells us 4th with 3.45's is going to be smack between 5th and 6th with 4.56's. Now with 4.88's 4th will be the same as 6th and 3rd is going to be a little like 4th meaning you are going to pick up a gear right between where 3rd and 4th are now.

I'm not really stressing, I just thought it was interesting that the shop guy would be so insistent that I was wrong about my choice. Assuming he's NOT a moron, and that is a big assumption, I'm just taking a look.

See, I was coming at this from the premise that lower gears are bad, and I want to sneak up on a low ratio. Is 3.73 low enough? Is 4.10 low enough? Until I ended up at 4.56.

I never gave going one step farther more than a passing thought. Giving it a more than passing thought now, and coming at the whole thing with all my past thoughts cleared from my head, 4.56 and 4.88 are pretty close, and it looks like either would work.

As you suggest, now is the time to do some testing. Whenever I get this rig on the road in a condition to do more than just go to Harbor Freight in the rain with no front fender flares.

There's another shop I am more likely to use anyway, and I am going to talk to that guy too. I have a better impression of the second guy's competence, but I'm still interviewing both of them.

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[DanW]

I have no idea what that guy drives. His shop has done lots of Jeeps, but I don't know any of the owners, and don't know if his builds are even any good.

Right now, 4.56 is definitely the offer to beat. I have data from the real world from at least two people who were really happy with that ratio.

I'm not really stressing, I just thought it was interesting that the shop guy would be so insistent that I was wrong about my choice. Assuming he's NOT a moron, and that is a big assumption, I'm just taking a look.

See, I was coming at this from the premise that lower gears are bad, and I want to sneak up on a low ratio. Is 3.73 low enough? Is 4.10 low enough? Until I ended up at 4.56.

I never gave going one step farther more than a passing thought. Giving it a more than passing thought now, and coming at the whole thing with all my past thoughts cleared from my head, 4.56 and 4.88 are pretty close, and it looks like either would work.

As you suggest, now is the time to do some testing. Whenever I get this rig on the road in a condition to do more than just go to Harbor Freight in the rain with no front fender flares.

There's another shop I am more likely to use anyway, and I am going to talk to that guy too. I have a better impression of the second guy's competence, but I'm still interviewing both of them.

I really think you'll be happy either way. I just drove to lunch and now have close to 1k on the 4.56 gears and it just puts a huge smile on my face. I feel like I would not want any change at all.

First gear is short but wicked quick. I would not want it any shorter. I can't imagine what it will be like in 4 low when crawling.

My preferred highway cruising speed is 75mph, so that will be something you want to consider. 6th gear now has plenty of power but still returns excellent fuel economy at that speed. I am certain it will pull hills. It is very close to 2500rpm at 75mph and will without a doubt pull hills with ease at that speed. It just feels great but the rpms aren't so high that it is buzzy or costs fuel economy. I am pretty sure it would be about 2700rpm at 75mph with my tires and 4.88's. That's just a bit too much for me. But if I lived in the West in the mountains, 4.88's might be better, but when I visit, 5th gear will become a power gear and should handle things with no issue. Before, in the mountains, I'd sometimes even drop to 3rd. That won't happen, now. 4th will be a beast, but I think 5th will still handle most inclines.

Anyway, if you tend to run 70 or 65, then 4.88's could be comfortable and still get decent economy. I just can't help but wonder if 3rd would be just too short.

The hard part of this is that everybody is different. I wish I lived close to you and could loan you the Jeep a couple days to see what you think. That'd help you zero right in on it.

All this is moot if you are thinking one day of 37's. If that's the case, by all means go 4.88. (Although I do think 4.56 will pull them.) But I know for a 100% fact i won't go 37's. I have never needed them off-road (And I do sometimes get on the skid plates) and I honestly don't like the way they look. I think they are disproportional, but that's all 100% subjective. They just aren't for me.

Whatever you do, you'll be glad to kick the original ratio to the curb, so happiness is definitely headed your way!

 

[omnitonic]

I really think you'll be happy either way. I just drove to lunch and now have close to 1k on the 4.56 gears and it just puts a huge smile on my face.

I've mulled over everything you said. I think 35s are just right. I usually cruise at 70 with blips up to 75, and that does suggest 4.56s would be the sweet spot.

Well, I got the damn turn signals working, and the fender flares installed, and now it's time for a final torque and a shade tree alignment. Depending on how bad the alignment ends up, I may be driving the old F350 for two weeks. I need to set the toe. It's horrifically bad right now.

 

[DanW]

I've mulled over everything you said. I think 35s are just right. I usually cruise at 70 with blips up to 75, and that does suggest 4.56s would be the sweet spot.

Well, I got the damn turn signals working, and the fender flares installed, and now it's time for a final torque and a shade tree alignment. Depending on how bad the alignment ends up, I may be driving the old F350 for two weeks. I need to set the toe. It's horrifically bad right now.

The alignment is really pretty easy. I did mine with a tape measure and gave it I think 1/16" of toe-in, maybe a little less. It's been perfect since I did that probably 30k miles ago or more. I used a pretty crude method of picking a spot on the tire tread on the front and rear of the front tires. Of course I measured about 30 times each to raise my confidence! Lol! But tires have shown a good wear pattern, so it appears I nailed it!

 

[Jteakus]

Kreepin1 said:
Quit stressing. Now is the time to do some testing on your commute with the new tires. Grimm tells us 4th with 3.45's is going to be smack between 5th and 6th with 4.56's. Now with 4.88's 4th will be the same as 6th and 3rd is going to be a little like 4th meaning you are going to pick up a gear right between where 3rd and 4th are now.

This should tell you everythingyou need to know! ?

 

[omnitonic]

The alignment is really pretty easy. I did mine with a tape measure and gave it I think 1/16" of toe-in, maybe a little less.

I ended up driving it without even thinking about the alignment, or centering up the steering wheel. It did okay. I'll have to get into all that another day, and I'm reasonably confident that I'm not going to mess up my tires too badly commuting for a few more days.

Not surprisingly at all, the gearing REALLY sucks now. The only gear that's almost tolerable is 4th, which is pretty close to where 5th used to be. The other gears suck. Getting regeared will be a huge relief, and I knew all of that going in. I wish I could get the regear done sooner, but it will probably be early winter. I could always put my old wheels and tires back on. They would look great on the new lift. Not.

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