j4mison

Yes, I've searched for threads.

I've been very interested and done a lot of looking up gears and lockers in the past few weeks - I have a 2WD cherokee and am looking to re-gear and put a locker in the rear. I'm running 33's with no plans for larger tires, ever. I will probably forever stick with 33's.

My question is, would it be better to get 4.11's or 4.27's? I am a pizza delivery driver and am frequently on the highway (everyday.) going 80mph. I do want something that's more fuel efficient than what I currently have, but I also want it to be stronger offroad. Combined with the lockers, higher gears should work well.
I have an 8.25 in the rear, and am planning on a powertrax no slip locker.


Also, i have pretty minimal experience on working with cars, but I do want to learn - is switching gears and installing a locker something I could do in a day or two with some help and instructions, or should I pay someone to do it for me?

toasterknight

Gears are not something you want to do without knowing exactly what you are doing or are willing to screw it up extremely easy missing a single detail. That's being said, go 4.56. That's pretty close to factory gear only slightly deeper at 33.

j4mison

really? 4.56's are supposed to be like stronger and less fuel efficient, or so I've heard. I've basically just been going by this chart
http://www.quadratec.com/jeep_knowle...article-26.htm
and also heard about Forum member 'No Rdplz' ran 4.56/33" but preferred to have 4.10 due to highway traveling.

toasterknight

That chart is for 3rd in an auto and 4th in a manual. Take 20%-25% off that for either trans in top gear. That would put you. Just about 2500rpm on the freeway. Depending on how heavy the vehicle is, you may have worse economy with 4.10. Best case would be something in the area of 4.3 but those aren't common. If you are going to regear do it once. It's best to go a bit deeper the first time even if its a small difference in economy.

srb53150

buy a honda civic to deliver pizza in, 33's + a lift i assume + 80 mph doesnt = good gas mileage no matter what gear you use, imo. btw pay a pro to do a gear change its not for the inexperienced.

j4mison

i actually thought about that, but i'm a full time college student and having two cars to maintain isn't good for me - as it is, i have a hard enough time just working on one while working two jobs and going to school.

johnfkellogg

the dog and I want to tow a camp trailer 3500lbs into back country to set up base camp and 4wd out from there.

I currently have problems going up mountains and long grades with 4.10 / frt/rear lockers / 31s / 3.5 lift WITHOUT any trailer.

As I understand it 4.10 gears with 31s = stock 3.55 performance.

I am considering a 4.5 lift upgrade and 33s.

Anyone have experience with 4.56 or 4.86 gears providing increased capacity towing? Is it worth the cost for gears and install? what is the performance increase given one might not care about mpg if one could pull a camp trailer (dog 4 years and I, 68 are tired of tents).

thanks
John
520-404-4605
Tucson, AZ

j4mison

the way i understand it, your cherokee is used alot for towing the trailer and the back woods drives - for this reason, if you are going to 33's, I'd go higher rather than lower. The higher gears might impact your fuel economy slightly, but you'll be much better off going up mountain trails and such with a trailer and 4.86 gears.
If you are planning to go 33's, definitely upgrade gears. with 4.10's and no trailer, it'll feel a little weak. 4.10's and a trailer, you'll want to upgrade. (not personal experience, just from reading into it.)

toasterknight

You need to get your terms straight. Lower gears are a numerically higher number. Higher gears a numerically lower number. All you are doing is confusing those that done have a good knowledge of gears.

j4mison

yes sorry, that's how I think of them. You are most definitely correct, i meant numerically higher.

Fred/N0AZZ

John with the 33" tire and what you plan on doing a 4.88 gear is needed or really for that weight of trailer up a mountain a 5.13, but that's a lot of gear for a DD. If the mileage wasn't an issue then I would go with the 5.13's for the trailer and limiter HP of the 4.0. When you increase the lift install an SYE for sure the AA's are a good choice and inspect the TC chain for condition. If you don't have one a good trans cooler is needed and cooling system needs to be in tip top condition.


I run a 4 1/2" lift, 33x12:50, locked ft & rear with a 4.56 gear. That combo brings it to a stock combo again. My XJ is fairly heavy with aftermarket bumpers/winch/armor/recovery gear with a lot of weight in the cargo area also. I do wish that I had installed 4.88 gears in mine to start with being I now run 35" tires off road only but still needed as I added weight.


My wife and I wheel alone a lot in remote areas and know lockers get you in but the winch and recovery gear get you out lol.

Fred/N0AZZ

When I switched from 3.55 to 4.56 gears with my 33x12:50x15's my MPG increased over 6-7mpg. 33" tire = stock 4.56 gear.

johnfkellogg

THANK YOU.




I am leaning towards the 4.88 w 33's 4.5 short arm lift.




Might I inquire as to weight factor. My bumpers, tire carrier, skid plates/rails are all home made, adding a roof rack & cargo makes for a lot of extra weight . I believe a stock Cherokee is somewhere @3,100 lbs. and mine weighs in at 4,600 lbs. Maybe towing a trailer is wishful thinking?




Might I ask for further explanation on:




"5:13s are a lot of gear for DD and limited HP for the 4.0"?....I need to travel 250 miles one way just to get to mountains and other back country locales (out of Tucson, AZ)... am I crawling along the freeway due to 5.13s?




I have a SYE but what are AA's?




My transmission cooler is four row 15"? need upgrade?




Lastly: engine upgrade an option for additional power???? 4.6 seems like a race car engine with premium gas, and cost factor




Thanks




John

520 404 4605

Tucson, AZ

j4mison

sorry to bring this thread back up,

buying gears now and just looking at prices, Nitro seem to be much more expensive than the motive gears I was planning on - Just wondering if gears are something that I should spend more money for the quality of the Nitro gears, or if the motive ones will work just as well... It's almost $100 cheaper if I buy Motive.

Fred/N0AZZ

I have ran Motive gears for many years in my race cars from 500hp up to 1500+hp using a transbrake with 35 spline axles on a spool and never destroyed a set of them yet.


I found the best prices for the Motive 4.56 gear sets for my D30/Chy 8.25 at Rustys Off Road for the pair under $500. That included the Master Install Kits for each, the quality of these has a lot to do with the overall price these were very good in his kits.