84XJSS

Hello my friends and family!

I have had some previous conversations on here about my highway speed problem with my 4cyl lifted Cherocar... 65 is the top speed in 4th going downhill with a tailwind... Before my lift and tires, 85 in 5th wasn't an issue. My thinking here is that by going from 4.11's to 4.88's, I can "un-do" per-say my tire caused gear reduction and my highway speed will increase to MAYBE 75-80mph in 4th or 5th? Another thing I noticed is that after the lift and tires, I lost major pep when accelerating... Maybe gears will fix? I rebuilt the engine, entire ignition system, checked the transmission and rebuilt the transfer case, just kind of completing a few last items and gears are one of them.


Has anyone had any experience with this? I want, I suppose, some confidence boosting positivity before dropping some doll hairs on these ring and pinions..


Thanks all!!!

XJwonders

What tire size are u running?

Ianf406

The lower gears will definitely get you your take off back. Increasing your top speed is a different issue though. If your RPMs are pegged and you can't make speed, Gears are not going to help you much. You added a bunch of weight without increasing power output.

If you engine lugs and is unable to get to speed/rpm, gears will help you. Just expect to be using up quite a bit more gas than before as you will be in a higher rpm range.

I have never had a 4cyl so I cant speak from experience but that is generally what will happen. By lowering your gear ratio you are basically shifting into a lower gear on a bicycle. Each push of the pedal will not push you as far as a higher gear would but it will be easier and have more power behind it.

freegdr

You can die just *** good at 65 as any speed higher than that. Maybe a tranny upgrade with different ratios another way . Its only a 4 banger....

84XJSS

Im only on 31x10.5x15's

Ian, that makes perfect sense... It does seem to drag. It just seems like I have plenty of power in 3rd, but 4th and 5th seems to drag on when going up hills and such on the highway. The wind literally slows me down in 5th, so I pop to 4th and get up to higher RPM easy peasy.

True, already tried to kick the can a few times the past few years, just another adrenaline rush when I get blown across the KS highways. Im ready to go hang with Johnny Cash when I bite it going 70 grandpa is waiting on me to come up and fly fish. Idiots in my generation call it "YOLO" I believe? But with changing the trans, I might as well just go ahead and do an LS + TH swap and be done with it.


SO in my head- I have this thought that basically these gears would change my ratio from (as an example) 1:1 to a 1.10-1.25:1??? I have a basic grasp on Jeeps, I build/restore vintage indy/race vehicles, still VERY green to the whole 4x4/Off-road community and how these specific things work.

freegdr

If your pockets that deep ya. A tranny swap could be as simples as plug and play. And a couple of hundred buck. Id do some ratio searches. I swapped 410s from 4cyl xj into mine and a nv3550 all for around 1,000 buck just searched and collected. Im running 4.0 on 38s I can run 85 and have the same issue your having but I good at 65.

Ianf406

A bit off topic but I pulled a 5000lb uhaul trailer from Louisiana to Montana in my 6.5" lifted XJ a few Decembers ago... I took a route I normally don't as my wife had friends in Oklahoma... Those winds in Kansas were miserable! Lol I probably went through 4 packs of smokes and a few bags of seeds crossing the state. Gotta say though, Wyoming easily has you beat lol... That place is a godforsaken wasteland with nothing but wind and ice. Only place I have seen semis blown on their side.

Codenamefa

I'm gonna say 2 suggestions. Only 2. Both are cost effective and both give more POOOWWWAAAAA.

1. Forced Induction - Turbo or Supercharger.
2. Swap out the 2.5 setup for the 4.0

And Problem solved.

Fred/N0AZZ

A 4.0 engine swap might be the most cost effective route for you and a direct swap I think.