To Those Who Went From 3.55's to 4.10's

[Big_Al]

That being said, a lot of people leave their 3.55's in with 31's with no complaints. It isn't a huge jump to 4:10's and may not be worth the expense it will cost you. If you were wheeling it, then I would definately say go for it, but since you are not, it's just up to you whether you want more power and better mileage in town or taller gears and lower rpm's running 80, with more cash in your wallet. Either way, you'll be just fine.

That makes great sense. I'm a little disappointed with "around town" preformance as it is now.
I paid $131.62 total for both diffs with drums and rotors. To me it makes such sense to swich. I'll keep my old 3:55 diffs in case I feel it's too much gear for 80~85 mph. Again, thanks for all the great replies, Al

 

[Hudson Bend]

I paid $131.62 total for both diffs with drums and rotors. To me it makes such sense to swich. Al

But to me it took such little cents for you to make that decision.

I think you just got the bargain of the year for changing your gearing. And from what I've learned from countless posts on said subject...4.10's will be perfect for anything in the 30 to 32 inch tire range. Now put those units on a table top bench and work them over for it will never get any easier to do so than now. Congrats on your finding gold in them jy hills.

 

[garr]

I'm currently running 31" tires on my 97 Sport with 4.0 a/t and have no plans to go larger on tire size.

My question: Is there any reason that I shouldn't go to 4:11's for my rig? I use this as a dd and often drive 8hrs @ 80mph to the coast to fish on the beach where there's deep sand. (that's why I have the 3' lift and 31's on there) Not for wheeling. I read through the long sticky thread on gearing and it seems to say go to lower gears. I was just looking for some folks that had went this route before to seek there opinions. TIA....Al

My 2001 XJ is set up with 31s & 3.5" of lift also & I use my jeep for exactly the same thing as you, Driving to the beach & fishing (Long Island has some very soft sand), I did the swap from 3.55s to 4.11s (I installed ARB lockers at the same time as the gear change), The best thing I ever did, fine on the highway & no more lugging on the beach. MPG is just about like it was when it was stock.

I am now going to swap to 4.56s because my dad purchased a 24Ft boat I will be towing twice a year, I should have listened to other board members & went to 4.56s from the beginning :doh:, But I did not plan on towing a boat!

 

[Steve_Moore]

I stand corrected. I-70 passes through Kansas City.
I lived in Kansas City then Jefferson City from 1999 to 2002.

Jefferson City is where it's at!arty:

 

[techno1154]

Jefferson City is where it's at!arty:

X2.
I miss that place but it is too cold at this time of the year for a Caribbean boy.

 

[linksvu]

If you truly never go larger then I wouldn't put that money into the new gears.

IMHO I would take the same money (or less) and put it in a few performance items (intake, exhaust, etc...) to pick up the power a bit. I bet you will feel more of a difference in that area on the highway over 4.10's. You may even see some mileage increase.

 

[BruceB83]

I'm currently running 31" tires on my 97 Sport with 4.0 a/t and have no plans to go larger on tire size.

My question: Is there any reason that I shouldn't go to 4:11's for my rig? I use this as a dd and often drive 8hrs @ 80mph to the coast to fish on the beach where there's deep sand. (that's why I have the 3' lift and 31's on there) Not for wheeling. I read through the long sticky thread on gearing and it seems to say go to lower gears. I was just looking for some folks that had went this route before to seek there opinions. TIA....Al

My friend and I just re-geared his XJ to 4.10s and it's great. I always had stock gearing when I was on 31s before but after driving his I wished I would have re-geared. It's a whole new machine! You'll like it for sure.

 

[89xj]

If you truly never go larger then I wouldn't put that money into the new gears.

IMHO I would take the same money (or less) and put it in a few performance items (intake, exhaust, etc...) to pick up the power a bit. I bet you will feel more of a difference in that area on the highway over 4.10's. You may even see some mileage increase.

concidering an intake and exhaust mod on an xj yields maybe 10hp, i think gearing from 3.55 to 4.10 would make a conciderable more difference.

 

[89xj]

My friend and I just re-geared his XJ to 4.10s and it's great. I always had stock gearing when I was on 31s before but after driving his I wished I would have re-geared. It's a whole new machine! You'll like it for sure.

i havent heard of anybody that hasnt said that after they regeared. its always better after you regear.


i know its expensive, usually more than the cost of of a 4.5" lift, but i think most dont regear because they dont understand mechanical advantage and what regearing actually does.

 

[clunk]

how about for someone who daily drives his jeep very short distances and never hits speeds over 55 miles per hour on the highway? I only drive around 7k miles/year and live in a very hilly area but I don't ever need to drive fast, our roads have far too many twists and turns and uneven spots to be driving my lifted jeep like a race car. I don't do alot of technical wheeling, mostly just old washed out logging and mining roads and the odd ATV trail. I'd like to step up to 31's this year when I replace my balding LT235 all terrains, but I can't justify the cost of regearing (or the hassle of swapping axles) in my $1500 truck.

 

[mbogosia]

If you decide to do this make sure you go to a reputable shop. If you drive away and your gears are howling, you want someone who will back up there work. I got mine done at a place and he just stopped answering the phone.

 

[Hudson Bend]

Colonel Clunk. Some folk will spend a grand or more regearing while others, like Big Al, will gladly fork over $131.62 for a set of used factory geared axles and accomplish the same thing. That "hassle" of swapping parts is truly what jeepin is all about. Its a rolling erector set constantly being repaired, remodeled, or improved depending upon the whims of the owner. But I would bet you that if your Canadian frontier had the junkyard resources of North Carolina, you would be singing a different tune, justified or not.

 

[89xj]

how about for someone who daily drives his jeep very short distances and never hits speeds over 55 miles per hour on the highway? I only drive around 7k miles/year and live in a very hilly area but I don't ever need to drive fast, our roads have far too many twists and turns and uneven spots to be driving my lifted jeep like a race car. I don't do alot of technical wheeling, mostly just old washed out logging and mining roads and the odd ATV trail. I'd like to step up to 31's this year when I replace my balding LT235 all terrains, but I can't justify the cost of regearing (or the hassle of swapping axles) in my $1500 truck.

i regeared(4.10, 5spd, 31's) my 89 which is only worth 1500$ tops but use it as a daily driver. i thought it was a great investment since i have zero payments on it. with lots of hills, you would love the low gearing. hills and tall gearing sucks balls.

 

[89xj]

Colonel Clunk. Some folk will spend a grand or more regearing while others, like Big Al, will gladly fork over $131.62 for a set of used factory geared axles and accomplish the same thing. That "hassle" of swapping parts is truly what jeepin is all about. Its a rolling erector set constantly being repaired, remodeled, or improved depending upon the whims of the owner. But I would bet you that if your Canadian frontier had the junkyard resources of North Carolina, you would be singing a different tune, justified or not.

i wish i could have said it like this. no wonder im better at wrenching than writing.

 

[mucovich]

if you add weight and bigger tires then regearing is a necessity and i agree, it's a big boy erector set (and money pit if you ask my wife) wrench away!

 

[clunk]

Colonel Clunk. Some folk will spend a grand or more regearing while others, like Big Al, will gladly fork over $131.62 for a set of used factory geared axles and accomplish the same thing. That "hassle" of swapping parts is truly what jeepin is all about. Its a rolling erector set constantly being repaired, remodeled, or improved depending upon the whims of the owner. But I would bet you that if your Canadian frontier had the junkyard resources of North Carolina, you would be singing a different tune, justified or not.

I definately love to turn wrenches on my heep, but I'll be the first to say the junkyards in my area seem to suck...I've gotten a few quotes on parts over the last year or two that had me walking out of there laughing the whole drive home. If I could find a set of axles at that price I'd be stoked!
Of course, I'll probably end up getting the 31's and finding a way to get some cheep stock axles under there myself (since buying anything new and paying someone for work just isn't my style!), but I really do wish we had the same JY resources you do...last year after I pulled a knock sensor out of a block sitting in the mud at the back of my local JY, they tried to charge me $57 for it!! After realizing the guy wasn't joking, I managed to talk him down to $35, but ouch! Talk about getting hosed for a part the jeep doesn't even really need!

 

[Big_Al]

Thanks again for all the replies. This thread has been a pleasure to read even if I did start it. :laugh: I did notice that even after I mentioned the price of the used axles some still said it wasn't worth the money to make such a small step in gearing. I'm assuming they didn't catch what I paid for the parts. That being said,

Clunk, I feel for folks like yourself that don't have access to great places like http://www.pullapart.com/Locations/LocationDetail.aspx?locationId=7 If you really want to make your self sick, scroll through that site and their price list and what you can get stuff for. Their prices are firmly set very low.:loveu: But like everything else there's always a trade off......When's the last time there in your Canadian frontier have you had to deal with gang grafitti, rush hour traffic and all the other lovely stuff that goes along with life near a big city.:banghead:
I mentioned my re-gearing to a few guys at work and they are still stuck in the 70's when 4:11's were in Novas and Chevelles with 60 series 14" tires. I had to educate them on the factors that 30" tires and OD play in the overall scheme of gearing. I ran 4:11's in my 1992 Silveraro with 30's and a 700r4 and it was great. Looking foward to the swap. Again, thanks everyone.....Al

EDIT: I feel that I was able to get to the axles first because I subscribed to their notifacation system. I got an automated call that a 1999 Cherokee had been placed on the lot.

 

[BruceB83]

i havent heard of anybody that hasnt said that after they regeared. its always better after you regear.


i know its expensive, usually more than the cost of of a 4.5" lift, but i think most dont regear because they dont understand mechanical advantage and what regearing actually does.

Yup...ALWAYS!

It's funny to read peoples justification to themselves on why they shouldn't re-gear. If they'd just zip it and go re-gear all doubts would be removed and they would greatly appreciate what they did for their jeep. It's not about "racing around town" or only driving on "windy and hilly roads". It's about correcting something you just screwed up by putting larger (and heavier) tires on your vehicle. Performance mods are just band-aiding the problem.

 

[copper204]

KJ regeared my jeep a year ago. What a change from 3.07 ratio to the 4.11. My jeep is a climber and shoots out of the hole like a rocket.

party1:

 

[Big_Al]

copper204, My 2000 Wrangler had 3.08's.... I can only imagine what a difference 4.11's would make. I hardly evry used 5th gear.


Now for some closure on this post..... I made the swap and LOVE the 4.11's with 31" tires. Acording to my GPS and speedometer differences I'm geared sllightly lower that stock, but I still feel like 75 mph is a comfortable cruising range. Best $131.62 a guy could spend....Al