Gear opinions for 35's

[Dsquared]

I've been reading now for 2hrs and still can't make my mind up on gears. I have a stock 302, 3speed, with 3.50 gears and 35's with a 3 1/2" lift. Its a dog around town and I'm agonizing over which direction to go with gears. I also have an NP435 to put in it so I'm keeping that in mind for the future. I'm leaning more toward a daily driver, I started building a trail rig but after beating the crap out of it after I finished restoring I had second thoughts. It may see the trails on ocassion but I don't plan on abusing it.

I bought and built a samurai for that addiction.

Seems as though half the board is for 4.11 and the other half is for 4.56's. I'm concerned the 4.56's will be to low for daily driving.

Also, I've read that the front carrier will need to be changed with either option, but some of the parts dealers offer a "thick gear" for the front. What exactly does that mean.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be great, thanks.

 

[JWMcCrary]

Seems as though half the board is for 4.11 and the other half is for 4.56's. I'm concerned the 4.56's will be to low for daily driving.

That's the very reason I went with 4.30 gears. Perfect for 35's in my opinion. you will need a different carrier for the D44 when going from 3.50 to 4.11 or lower to properly set them up.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I would pick 4.27 or 4.30 (same thing)

 

[mytmyk@q.com]

I would put the NP 435 in first then make your decision. If you compare the 3speed and the 4 speed the ratio is alot diffrent. I now the final gears are the same for each one but if you do hit the trails its great and take off is much better with the 4 speed for the gear ratio. Plus you have 6.69 first gear.

 

[needabronco]

'Daily driving' leave's out alot of variables. Do you daily drive around town, tool down a 2 lane highway, or drive for hours on the freeway? I would figure out what you would drive at highway speeds which could be 55-75 and then use the gearing calculators to determine you gearing.

I also would not choose a 435 for a dd if you don't plan to wheel it. You will more than likely never use low around town, and the other 3 gears are basically what you already have. I would lean more towards an overdrive transmission for a dd, if you like to row gears look into an NV3550, or something like an AOD for an automatic. An overdrive gear would also let you run a lower gear ration like the 4.56's or even 4.88's...

 

[TN1776]

A good reference for you is the following site:
http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

On this page is a gear ratio calculator that shows you all kinds of good information about the way your rig will rev at different speeds in different gears.

For example, in my rig, I have an NP435, T-shift D20 and 4.11 gears with 37" tires. I actually really like this combination - it is very streetable but does respectably in the rocks.

So with my setup, in 4th gear at 3000 RPMs I'm doing 80MPH. 4th gear at 2500 RPMs is 67mph, etc. An overdrive would be nice but my rig cruises on the highway as is.

The NP435 is a stout tranny but as others have said if you're not going on trails, its not worth the swap. On the trail its great with it's low granny gear.

 

[broncnaz]

I daily drove my NP435 for years its no worse that a 3 on the tree as far as shifting goes. Normal street drving its really no better than the 3 sp but that low first gear help on the trail.
I would consider 4.11 as the highest gear I would use with 35in tires. I would also go with the np435 with 4.11's it will give that nice lower gear for when you do see the trail and it will still have a bit of a OD effect on the hiway. 4.30's or 4.56's would be a better choice they will save wear and tear on the clutch and help keep the engine up in the powerband but a OD gear would be better with these on the hiway.

 

[Oatmeal]

I run 4.11s with my 35s and NP435 and it was my daily driver for many years. I drove to and from the trails I usually ran (300+ miles from home) and made several trips a year to Cedar City UT to visit my folks, over 400 miles one way........gas was alot cheaper then With the NP435's 6.69 first gear it was plenty low enough for the rocky trails I ran to get to my favorite campsites but, the 4.11s weren't too low for extended highway travel.....all in all a decent ratio. Thick gears are just that.....a thicker ring gear that compensates for the smaller pinion gear diameter eliminating the need for a carrier change. In fact I'm pretty sure that Jeep Rubicon D44 gear sets are thick sets and would fit our 3.50 carriers by just enlarging the ring gear bolt holes from 3/8" to 7/16".......know anybody that's thinking of regearing their Jeep? or call Tom's: http://tomsdifferentials.com/catalog.asp?pg=93 ------------Hans

 

[SnwMnkys]

Ive got 4.11s and 35" tires behind a built up 351w and its 90% street driven. I often wish I had 4.56s. Alot of the time I wish I didnt have the 435 either, I hate shifting that pig of a tranny. But I rarely take mine on the freeway, I have a tow rig and trailer for that.

 

[ken75ranger]

Another vote for 4.30 with a manual tranny. 4.10 would be ok with an auto tranny for a DD.
Thick gears are have a thicker than normal ring gear. It takes up the space that a lower geared carrier would normally do.

 

[sprdv1]

Another vote for 4.30 with a manual tranny. 4.10 would be ok with an auto tranny for a DD.
Thick gears are have a thicker than normal ring gear. It takes up the space that a lower geared carrier would normally do.

My opinion as welll......

 

[wildbill]

I would suggest 4:56's will work much better and not lug the motor when playing good luck with your choice. Bill %) ;D

 

[TN1776]

Alot of the time I wish I didnt have the 435 either, I hate shifting that pig of a tranny.

Get a gear banger... they help!

 

[av bronco]

I am in the same boat, but I also do alot of freeway driving. I currently have 3.50s and its perfict for the freeway but a dog around town. I have to maintain at least 70+ on my strech of freeway and the engine is at 25 to 2600 rpms. I think my olny option is a 700R4 or aod.

 

[Devin]

This might help some:

http://web.archive.org/web/20050204061805/home.comcast.net/~jcmiley/bronco+gears.html

There just isn't much difference between 4.30s and 4.56s. Less than 200 RPM at 70 mph. My vote would be 4.56s. When I was making the decision, I almost went to 4.88s. I guess that some people don't like turning their motors much.

AV - if you are wanting to stay down at 2600, you are right - you are going to have to go OD (or maybe slap on some 54" tires ;D).

 

[TBS-POPS]

I have 435/4.11/35's combo. Good 80% street combo. 4.56's for a 50/50 rig. 4.88's or lower for 20/80 rig. O/D trans would be better for alot of fwy use. just my .02

 

[RnrdTheFox]

I run 35's, 4.56 gears and an explorer 302/4R70W setup. It's run mostly on the street and I'm very happy with it. The only thing is that it does bog a little bit in the mtn highway driving until it drops out of OD. Around town and flat interstate driving is great - 70 mph all day long. I also average 14 - 15 mpg all driving combined.

 

[GrillMaster]

Thought a gearbanger was for an auto trans??

 

[68rockcrawler]

I have a 5.0/T-18/4.11's and I really wind it out getting up to 55 on the highway. The T-18 is similar to the 435 but 1st isn't as low in the 18. In my opinion 4.11's are not low enough if you are mostly driving it on the street or highway. I am currently switching to 4.56's.

 

[Oatmeal]

Something to take into account: The stock manual 3 speed's first gear is 2.99 and might be a little tall for 35s and 4.11s now if you have or are considering an NP435, 2nd gear would be your new "1st" gear for normal driving. The NP435's 2nd gear is 3.34 and it would be like having 4.59 gears so, starting from a stop would be alot easier on your clutch and your motor would still be happy cruising on the highway. I myself would love to have an AA Ranger gear splitter and 4.88s but, don't have the $$$---------Hans