Gearing options for 94 XJ

[fsj-earl]

I just jumped up to 37s on my 94 trail rig only XJ. The gearing sucks! I have the stock 3.55 in my D30 and Chryco 8.25. I hate to drop a bunch of money into gears since I need to get new carriers due to the carrier break for lower (numerically higher) gears. What are my other options? Will a Rubicon t-case swap into my rig in place of the 231? This rig does not get used on the road at all. Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[Begster]

My thoughts are you should be looking into what axles to put in your Jeep first, then start asking what gears to put in those axles. Running 37's on a D30 is a terrible idea, it is a ticking time bomb even with heavily upgrading it. It is even less reliable on the trail than it is on the road with tires that large. You're going to go through ring and pinions and shafts/u-joints pretty frequently otherwise is my best guess.

Having run an NP241OR, it will fit, but you should do an axle swap and regear first before that T-case.

 

[MrSimon]

Honestly, the best thing you can do is get larger axles.

37s are really pushing it on a D30/8.25, especially with stock gears.

If you are patient and watch the classifieds diligently, you can find a set of beefier axles that are already geared (and maybe locked) for about $1,500 .... which is about what you'd end up paying to have your current axles geared and locked anyway.

 

[fsj-earl]

Yea, I know the D30 and 8.25 are not ideal with 37s. I have RCV shafts, upgraded ball joint. I have been pretty lucky with everything so far. I run blue, blacks, and an occasional red at RC. I would love to upgrade to beefier axles, but my fab skills and such are questionable. I keep looking......

I figured if I go with a NP241OR, I can still upgrade axles at sometime and still benefit from the better / lower Tcase.

 

[dan1977p]

4.88's were as deep as I could get with my D30 when I did it last year. For about $300 each you can do gears in both axles if you do it yourself. MrSimon is right, though. If you're going to be putting money in, you can get other axles (even bolt on's) with deeper gears than what you already have and be better off money wise as well as gears. If you find the 4.56 or 4.10's you'd get out of the bolt on's isn't enough, you can gear them later and not be in the position I'm in where I need to find someone willing to run a 4.88 geared D30 so I can sell it and build a better axle.

 

[billyjp2]

The t case would help you out, but you probably won't find many for under $1200

 

[RoyalXJ]

Keep the 3:55 gears and get a 4:1 case. Alboy97XJ ran 42s on his dana 30 with much success. Check out his build thread http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1078022

 

[fsj-earl]

WOW! That is INSANE!

 

[Outlander560]

yea he did run 42s but he was very good at replacing everything in the front end and carried tons of spare everything. To bad that rig is gone now and he is a Toyota guy now