To regear or not to...oh who are we kidding, we are regearing!!!

Possibly willing to road trip for the right price

 

I'm on 265/70 R17s with 4.10 gears. I'm guessing you're going to want to run with 4.56 or 4.88s.

 

Trying to talk him into 4.88

 

Not quite, lol. Southeast Texas.

Yep, going with 4.88's. Thanks for the offer though.

What kind of truck are you looking at @robrides ?

 

Hell yes 4.88s ARB up front

 

I'm looking at either GMC or Chevy 2500HD with Duramax.

 

Interested to hear how you landed on 4.88 for your ratios.

Just thinking out loud here....I did the math for my tire size (33.25" true measurement BFG KO2) and 4.10 gears get me back close to stock gearing and should yield a MPG increase. Keep in mind, your tires are only 1.15" bigger in diameter. I'd considered going with 4.56 but I thought that was overkill and although it would be quick as hell, the MPG would still be bad. For the slightly larger tire you're running, I would think 4.56 might be acceptable but 4.88 just sounds like lunacy.

I'm not a gearing expert so I'm hoping someone could explain.

EDIT: I did the math to make sure I wasn't crazy. 4.88 gears on your current tire size (assuming they measure 34.4" like stated) would mean you're turning 2401RPM at 70mph. Stock gearing w/ stock tires turns 338rpm less (2063rpm) at that speed. Even 4.56 gears will put you at 2245RPM at 70mph which is still a lot more agressive than stock.

 

I just got 4.88s and was trying to convince Warren the day his rearend went out that's what he needs. I'm planning 37s and pretty sure he is to down the road but all the extra gear always on the truck and towing with them is going to be a lot better. I was told 4.56 but I need 37s and so does Warren.

 

I'm on 35's with an auto and 4.56 gears with ARB lockers front and back. If I blow gears out I'll swap up to 4.88's

If you do part it out check in here for some other St. Louis area folks.

 

Haha, it's a blessing to have good friends you can count on.

Do you have reason to believe that's gonna happen? Your gearing advantage is still pretty significant over stock gearing with stock tires.

 

Warren and I have completely different driving styles in that I come from the "slow as possible, fast as necessary" school. Do I think it will happen? No, but if it ever did - my wife has a heavy foot - I'd upgrade. All of the changes I've made were made with the logic that I don't intend to drive it at the limits of its ability, I just want the security that it offers since anywhere I want to wheel is hundreds of miles away at minimum and I don't like pushing stuff home.

 

Thanks. Why didn't I think of that?

 

I'm planning on 35s this year been kicking aroun 4.56 or 4.88. Probably go 4.88. I drive like a slow ass old person anyway. Loss in mpgs really dosent bother me if it did my 1/4 ton truck wouldn't weigh 5200#. Although I'm still on the fence on the gears though. I have an auto if that makes any difference.

 

I think you will find that the general census is that if you have a manual transmission go with 4.56 and if you have an auto go with 4.88. I too have the geezer mod installed that just sets the cruise control and uses the logic that wherever I'm going will be there when I get there.

 

That's what I thought.

My clock spring is f'ed up and my cruise doesn't work. That's ok though cuz I called it race truck mode anyway. All it did was downshift and rev real high

 

I've got 35's with an Auto and 4.88s. If I had to do it over again I'd get the same gears. The power is amazing on and offroad.

 

I was back and forth with what kind of locker up front but I'm pretty sure I've set my mind to an ARB.

I really need a tow pig!

I was on the same page as you at first. I was convinced that I would be fine with 4.56's but the more I talked to others and the more research I did I learned that with my setup and my plans with my truck 4.88's are more suited for what I need. Your math is correct but there are variables that you are not taking in to consideration. I not only have larger tires, but a 6in lift, worse aerodynamics, more weight with armor, gear, full size spare, plate front bumper w/winch etc... If I was only running larger wheels and tires, the 4.56 gears make since. But since the truck is overbuilt and I plan on more additions with larger tires and pulling a Overland trailer the 4.88's are more suited to my current and future needs.

If I went with 4.56's I would just end up swapping them out to 4.88's later. Do it once and do it right!

And another reason to go 4.88's. ^

What makes you feel like you wouldn't want to stay with the 4.56's @G.T. ?

 

I'm not terribly dissatisfied with the 4.56 arrangement that I have now but after a thousands of miles I wish that I had the access to the power band that the 4.88's would have allowed me. I don't get terribly hung up on fuel economy but then again, I don't hammer on the throttle either.

 

I'm a granny on the street but a cougar on the trail