Regearing XJ Question

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Jan 21, 2019 | 10:37 PM

#16

Exploited

Thread Starter

Junior Member

Joined: Nov 2018

Posts: 32

Likes: 0

From: Greenville, SC

Year: 1998

Model: Cherokee (XJ)

Engine: 4.0L 6Cyl

After re-deciding to just go with 32's is regearing even necessary?

Jan 22, 2019 | 05:39 AM

#17

00t444e

CF Veteran

Joined: Nov 2015

Posts: 3,636

Likes: 469

From: Southern OH

Year: 1997

Model: Cherokee(XJ)

Engine: 4.0

The Chrysler 8.25 doesn't have a carrier break so you can use the same carrier for any gear set. You should get the tires put on first and see how it does before you regear.

Mar 8, 2019 | 06:57 PM

#18

viciousone

Newbie

Joined: Jan 2019

Posts: 11

Likes: 0

From: PDX Metro Area

Year: 2000

Model: Cherokee (XJ)

Just get the gear set for a 8.25 and if u get a locker u will have a small learning curve on knowing how to drive with one......just YouTube it.....also make sure u know what tire size u want to use before making a commitment

Mar 9, 2019 | 04:09 PM

#19

TRCM

CF Veteran

Joined: Jan 2016

Posts: 1,242

Likes: 41

From: Newport News, VA

Year: 96 & 88 4 dr Cherokees

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rlmx

There are folks here that know better than me for sure...

It may or may not be possible to install the much larger ring and pinion (e.g. the 4.56 that you want to install). It depends on the diff that you have and the carrier break. For example, my XJ has a Dana 44 3.54. The carrier break, based on deck height (I guess), is 3.73/3.92. One translation, a 4.56 ring and pinion set cannot be installed in the Dana 44 on my XJ. 3.73 is as large as I can go.

But, I am an IT guy, not a mechanic. So I hope that another CF.com patron chimes in.

I saw a thing on YouTube though. The NickInTimeFilms guy was able to put a stronger gear set ratio into his XJ Dana 44 based on some specialized hardware that he acquired. But he is a pretty advanced XJ tech.

All of this is wrong...period.

The ring & pinon meet at a 90 deg angle relative to their respective centerlines, and as the gear ratios change, so does the diameter of the pinion gear. But the centerline of the pinion gear never changes, so to maintain the proper gear mesh, the ring gear must move side to side.

Now, since the diameter of the pinion gear changed, the location of the ring gear in relation to this 90 deg intersection where the gears actually mesh together has also changed, requiring it to move in closer or move away farther to provide the correct dimension for this gear meshing.

The carrier, in 90% of the differentials out there, is what controls the location of the ring gear in relation to the pinion gear by the thickness of it's flange (where the ring gear sits), and that is why you have a carrier break in many differentials.

The break is basically the point at which the flange on the carrier must be thicker or thinner to allow the ring gear so be set up for proper gear mesh, altho some differentials can be set up with a thick or thin gear (which gets rid of the need for the flange thickness to change), or by using a spacer to get the ring gear in the correct spot for gear mesh.

Some axles allow enough movement of the carrier that a thicker flange isn't needed.

The below pic may help explain this some.............the orange & green lines are pretty much set, no major changes there, as the orange can't move, but the green does move in conjunction with moving the pinion in & out (I didn't show this) as needed to set the gears up, but usually not more than 1/8" or so at the most. The pinion can move up & down in the pic (in & out to change depth) to also fine tune the gear mesh pattern.