Looking for some input from Jeep owners...

[Offroader5]

Looking for some information from those of you running lifts/big tires/swapped gears. The best information for my purpose would be from XJ owners purely for the weight factor since it's for my XJ...but if you have a Wrangler with an I6 the info would be really close...so speak up.

Alright...I am trying to figure out a new gearing setup for the XJ. It's been running a stock gearing for quite a while even after the lift and tires. I have full width axles in the works...but at the rate they are going, it'll be a while till they are ready to put under the rig. So, in the meantime, I am going to change out gears in the stocker axles so I can get it running more mountain friendly.

What I need from you guys is your setups. I am going to assume a stock I6 engine and a stock 231 or 242 transfer case ratio. The only gear information that is really relavant is anyone that's running 33" tires or larger....and 4.10 gear sets and numerically higher. So anyone running 4.10's, 4.56's, or 4.88's speak up.

What trans...auto or manual? Which one if manual?
What gearing are you running in the axles?
What size tires are you running?
What are your RPM's on the highway at 60-65?
Do you know your final drive ratio?
Do you know how much your rig weighs with all its add-ons?

This is hopefully going to give me an idea as to what gear set I want to put in my axles. Thanks for any help on this research.

[run2jeepn]

If you only have 33's in the plans... Don't go any higher then 4:56's. 4:10's are fine.. 4:88's will be to low for you. I ran 4:88's in a Wrangler with 33's, 35's and 36's. But it was with a 4 banger at that time.

[Offroader5]

Well, right now I have 35's...a stock I6, auto, and 4.10's. It's a dog on the hills. I am still in the unknown on whether I want to stick to 35's or drop down to 33's since I don't do alot of the more "hard" rock crawling with it anymore. I think 4.88's would be the right step if I stuck with the 35's...but am worried that if I do decide to drop to the 33's once I've put in 4.88's...I'll be screwed on the highway. That's why I am looking for specific RPM's when running down the highway based on everyones setup.

[bigflex]

what are the stock gears and tire height? If I have that info I can give you athe right ratio for either 33's or 35's? You are wanting to keep it close to a stock ratio right? I used to run a sami with 5:83's and a 4.16:1 Tcase on 34's and I could still run 60 on the highway. But we are serious about our rock crawling down here. My trail rig is running 5:71's and a 6.5:1 tcase with a doubler on 36's.

[JeremyH]

Yeah, 33's, I6, manual tranny and 488's will be too high. I run that setup in my jeep, except it's a 4cyl....and at about 70, I hit ~3K rpm. Personally, I'd go with the 456 gears...

[Rokpile]

I currently run a v-8, 4spd cj-7

here are my specks, i hope it helps

ford 5.0 H.O.
np 435 4spd.
4:56 gears front and rear
36" swampers
dana 300 t-case 4:1


i pulls really good off the bottom in second, since first is compound.
and cruises at less than 2,000 rpm at 75 mph on the freeway. I am
currently dropping a set of 4:56's into a jeep with a 6 cyl. 5 spd
and if i remember correctly 5 th gear is so high it didn't matter
what you ran.

[Offroader5]

Here's a tidbit. It used to be worse. When I finished the build of my XJ it only had the stock 3.55 geared axles under it . Talk about a dog with those 35's . I ended up pulling a set of axles out from under another XJ I had sitting. This had a 4 cyl/manual trans. combo which meant the axles were geared at 4.10. Been running those ever since...but that has been a bit of time. Now after numerous add-ons like heavy front & rear bumpers, winch, plate steel armor, and a rear cargo area loaded with recovery & survival equipment....it tends to take a little from the power trying to get up those long hills. And will only get worse with the addition of an exo. But hopefully by the time the exo goes on...the full widths will be ready to go.

At this point I am leaning more in the direction of just getting the 4.88's and keeping the 35's. I just not so sure I see myself stepping down in tires....I like the size of the 35's on the rig.

Originally Posted by bigflex

what are the stock gears and tire height? If I have that info I can give you athe right ratio for either 33's or 35's? You are wanting to keep it close to a stock ratio right?

I'm not so concerned with keeping it at a "stock" comparative ratio...but more looking to know what I would be getting out of each particular setup. I know how to figure out what I should be running to get back to the stock ratio....at least purely using math...but just because the math works doesn't mean that real world will be what I want from it.

From the combo I already have, everything tells me that 4.56's would be comparative to stock, but I don't want to just put the stock ratio back in if I can get a touch more bottom end with the 4.88's....but that's where I question of how the 4.88's will do on the highway comes in. Even though my goal is to make it not such a dog on the hills and mountains...there's alot of highway to and from those mountains

Originally Posted by JeremyH

Yeah, 33's, I6, manual tranny and 488's will be too high. I run that setup in my jeep, except it's a 4cyl....and at about 70, I hit ~3K rpm. Personally, I'd go with the 456 gears...

Oh yeah...33's with a manual and 4.88's is definitely too low of a gearing for the I6. The manual trans alone adds alot of low gear to that equation on the bottom end and with no overdrive like the auto, would be spinning pretty fast at the top end.

[JeremyH]

If what you are looking for is a lot of low gearing when wheeling and a little bit of gearing when on the road, I'd gow tith the 456 gears in the diff and a Tera 4:1 conversion for the t-case.

[Mr Glassman]

I run 4:56 with 35's on my XJ but it's an auto. They are comfortably in the middle for trail power and darting to the next one! You should head over to NAXJA.org (if you haven't all ready) and see what others are running on their manuals.

[Offroader5]

Originally Posted by JeremyH

If what you are looking for is a lot of low gearing when wheeling and a little bit of gearing when on the road, I'd gow tith the 456 gears in the diff and a Tera 4:1 conversion for the t-case.

Not really not as concerned about the lower gearing for the trails as much as I am for the hills and mountain inclines getting to where I want to go and the added weight of all the add-ons I've done and will do. The rigs duties are switching from a hardcore rockcrawler to more of a long range expedition/camping rig. At least that's the plan. Along with this, it could possibly end up towing a small camping trailer loaded for a weekend...up those mountain grades. I'd still like to be able to do some of the technical trails...but they won't be the primary stomping grounds.

Not sure they have a 4:1 kit for the 242 tcase...but I haven't done much research on it so I don't know.

Originally Posted by Mr Glassman

I run 4:56 with 35's on my XJ but it's an auto. They are comfortably in the middle for trail power and darting to the next one! You should head over to NAXJA.org (if you haven't all ready) and see what others are running on their manuals.

Mine's an auto too...so that's some good info. Any idea what RPMs your turning at highway speeds? Is your rig pretty heavy with add-ons? I used to be all over the Jeep boards...but have slacked off for quite a while. Just though since I know there are alot of Jeep'ers on RCC, that I'd give it a go first.

[JeremyH]

Are you sure that it has the 242? I thought that was only in the Waggy's. I could have sworn that the XJs had the NP231 t-case.

In your case, I would definitely upgrade the gears/chain in the t-case and install some 456's! You'll want the low range of the t-case when crawling, but the slightly higher (numerically lower) ratio on the freeway to keep engine RPMs a bit lower...

[47willysbuggy]

Were running 4:56 with 38 1/2 tires.

[run2jeepn]

I would go with the 4:56's...If it's going to see alot of Highway use.

I run 4:88's with a TH350 and NP231 with 38's.. My Top speed on the Highway is only 60 or so... Thats around the 3500 RPM range too.

[Offroader5]

Originally Posted by JeremyH

Are you sure that it has the 242? I thought that was only in the Waggy's. I could have sworn that the XJs had the NP231 t-case.

In your case, I would definitely upgrade the gears/chain in the t-case and install some 456's! You'll want the low range of the t-case when crawling, but the slightly higher (numerically lower) ratio on the freeway to keep engine RPMs a bit lower...

Yup 242...positive. It's the Selec-Trac model tcase. It IS a Waggy....an '87 Cherokee Wagoneer Limited. It's got all the bells and whistles baby...wood grain inside & out, four headlight setup, and LEATHER . What's weird is that it doesn't say "Cherokee" anywhere what-so-ever on the truck...only Wagoneer, Limited, and Jeep.

I'll have to do some checking and see if they have a 4:1 for the 242.

Originally Posted by run2jeepn

I would go with the 4:56's...If it's going to see alot of Highway use.

I run 4:88's with a TH350 and NP231 with 38's.. My Top speed on the Highway is only 60 or so... Thats around the 3500 RPM range too.

yeah...the more I think about it the more I'm with ya on that one. I think 4.56's would be the ticket with the 35's and such. If I was running 37's...that's when I think it'd be better for the 4.88's.

How's yours do on the hills?

[run2jeepn]

Originally Posted by Offroader5

Yup 242...positive. It's the Selec-Trac model tcase. It IS a Waggy....an '87 Cherokee Wagoneer Limited. It's got all the bells and whistles baby...wood grain inside & out, four headlight setup, and LEATHER . What's weird is that it doesn't say "Cherokee" anywhere what-so-ever on the truck...only Wagoneer, Limited, and Jeep.

I'll have to do some checking and see if they have a 4:1 for the 242.



yeah...the more I think about it the more I'm with ya on that one. I think 4.56's would be the ticket with the 35's and such. If I was running 37's...that's when I think it'd be better for the 4.88's.

How's yours do on the hills?

Mine pulls hills fine... I run a 4.3L Vortec in mine. I'm not sure how close the Jeep Tranny and the TH350 are in Gearing. MIght look into that.

[JeremyH]

Originally Posted by Offroader5

Yup 242...positive. It's the Selec-Trac model tcase. It IS a Waggy....an '87 Cherokee Wagoneer Limited.

Ahh....gotcha! I'm no XJ buff....know more about CJs and Wranglers...

[2JSC]

Originally Posted by Offroader5

Yup 242...positive. It's the Selec-Trac model tcase. It IS a Waggy....an '87 Cherokee Wagoneer Limited. It's got all the bells and whistles baby...wood grain inside & out, four headlight setup, and LEATHER . What's weird is that it doesn't say "Cherokee" anywhere what-so-ever on the truck...only Wagoneer, Limited, and Jeep.

I'll have to do some checking and see if they have a 4:1 for the 242.

XJ bodied Waggy's are awesome, and pretty rare. I'm surprised the 242 is still holding together for you. Had nothing but issues with the one in our ZJ and tor it out for a 231. I haven't heard of a 4:1 for the 242 but it's out there from Tera for the 231.

As far as your situation goes... why not stick with what you got until the full-widths under it? Why spend even more money now? BUT - look around (NAXJA) and see if anyone locally is selling off some geared XJ axles that might work better for you, unless your current axles are BUILT as is.

[Offroader5]

Originally Posted by 2JSC

XJ bodied Waggy's are awesome, and pretty rare. I'm surprised the 242 is still holding together for you. Had nothing but issues with the one in our ZJ and tor it out for a 231. I haven't heard of a 4:1 for the 242 but it's out there from Tera for the 231.

As far as your situation goes... why not stick with what you got until the full-widths under it? Why spend even more money now? BUT - look around (NAXJA) and see if anyone locally is selling off some geared XJ axles that might work better for you, unless your current axles are BUILT as is.

Yeah...the 242 has been good to me. I've driven my XJ on some pretty knarly trails too and really the only things to ever give me problems was the stock "pressurized" closed loop cooling system which has long since been replaced with an open system....and the track bar. Aftermarket track bar & mount...but I couldn't keep the damn thing from coming loose at the frame end. Fixed that problem by just beefing up the frame then welding the mount on along with using the OEM bolts. Good to go now

I am pretty easy on my rig though. I am a more methodical and technical crawler in lieu of the "just get it" attitude of gas pedal control. Stock axles...shafts, ujoints and all...and have never broken anything. They have remained unlocked though just for that reason. I know that if I did ever throw lockers in them...they'd be broke pretty quick.

As far as stickin' with what I have...the money I spend on the stock axles to regear would definitely do some damage on parts for the full widths but there would still be alot more cash above and beyond that to get those axles all the way done and under the rig. That's why I was looking to fix them right now just so I can get the thing in the mountains and do some wheeling. It's really the only reason I have yet to bring 'er up to Payette and that area due to having to go up the hill.

[2JSC]

Are you planning on doing the work yourself? Ever set gears up? I know there is a mobile guy I've seen on the VJC that does awesome work. You get the parts and he'll come to you to do it. If not contact Joe Darro @ Absolute Offroad Phoenix (I'm sure you've heard of him). I know what you mean by "up the hill". My TJ with 3.07's and 32"s don't like the hill's very much either, especially witht he A/C on.

[Offroader5]

Originally Posted by 2JSC

Are you planning on doing the work yourself? Ever set gears up? I know there is a mobile guy I've seen on the VJC that does awesome work. You get the parts and he'll come to you to do it. If not contact Joe Darro @ Absolute Offroad Phoenix (I'm sure you've heard of him). I know what you mean by "up the hill". My TJ with 3.07's and 32"s don't like the hill's very much either, especially with the A/C on.

Never set up a r&p...and I hope to never really have to. I guess it's not tough...it's just something that benefits from having the right tools for the job, which I don't have. I've been outta touch so long with the Jeep boards...I have no clue on that VJC guy...but I'll have to look him up. My plan was to have the guys at 4 Wheelers Supply install them...but they seem to be on the high side of pricing. I'll have to call up Absolute and see what he says.

3.07's I thought I was hurtin' on the hills. What's A/C?