Im running 32" tires on my 98 xj with the stock ratio of 3.43?? in an 8.25 rear. I only drive it 3 miles a day as a daily driver. I do need to rebuild the front rear due to a bearing noise and want to throw in some new gears and a mechanical locker both front and rear. What would be a better option, 4.56 or 4.88?

4.88 in case u go bigger tires in the long run.

ax-15 transmission? you'll be very happy with 4.56 gears.

4.56
general consensus is 4.88 is weaker
4.56 will be awesome.

4.10
http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

4.56. Stock gearing is 3.55. Because you only drive it a few miles a day I would just go deeper. According to most charts, 4.10s are good for 31's and 4.56 are good for 33's. 4.10s will have less power, lower gas mileage, and lower rpms on the highway. 4.56 will give it a lot more get up and go.

x2

Its what ill be running in a few weeks.

you will run 300 rpms higher for ever "step" higher in gears you go.
so if you have 373s now and go to 410s lets say on the highway at 50 mph your rpms are at 2k with 373s, stepping up to 410s will put you roughly at 2300.

As for what you think will be a good gear set, go with the next set deeper and that will be perfect. dont worry about running 488s especially on 32s it will still be hard to break.

I've seen too many broken 4.88's (4 of them, too many to trust). But all those guys were running 35's or 36's and driving pretty hard. Don't worry about it unless you're running a big tire and a locker

I'm surprised nobody has said it yet, but gears aren't something you can just "throw in".

Exactly. When someone has not even researched enough to know what gears they need it leads me to belive thay have no idea how to install them or what it cost to install them.

Or perhaps he's using a figure of speech and has every intention of having them professionally installed.

Sort of like referring to your Jeep as "Junk."

Don't always assume the worst.....

4.88 using one tooth from the ring and pinion that's why they break
4.56 uses two that's why it's stronger
Dana 30 35

Since you're running a manual trans I also vote for 4.56.

4.56 IMHO.