gearing question for lifted ranger

[85spraybomb]

I just bought a 97 Ranger Ext Cab 4WD 5spd 4.0 Lifted 6" with 33s on it.
It currently has the stock 3.73 gearing on it,and its terrible IMHO.
What gearing should i be running? I need better gas mileage out of it and a little more power to climb the hills around where i live.
I was thinking 4.10s or 4.56s but im not sure which of the two would be better?

Any suggestions?

 

[brinker88]

4.56's hands down. I LOVE my truck now that it's geared properly.

 

[85spraybomb]

4.56's hands down. I LOVE my truck now that it's geared properly.

how many inch lift are you running and what size tires?

 

[brinker88]

I ran 33's with them for awhile. They're perfect for 33's OR 35's street driving/offroading IMHO.

 

[escort_gts]

4.10 would be better with 33's, would be equivalent to stock. 4.56 with 35's is close to stock.

To answer your question, it all depends on what primary use will be. If strictly off-road, go with lowest gears possible. More highway with little off-road, then stay as close to stock tire:gear ratio.
For me, I have 4.56 and 35's it is good for daily use but not excellent for either off or onroad. Geared to low for over 70mph and to high for crawling around the trails/rocks. Just my opinion.

Sent from my HTC ONE S using Tapatalk 2

 

[pontiacfieroguy]

id go 4.10, I had 4.56 and 33's on my b2 and It wasn't too great on the street, had to shift to second by five mph and third by 15 and It topped out at about 70mph in 5th but crawled awesome

 

[Sunk]

I had 4.56s and 33s on my old Explorer and it was great. I don't think going from 3.73s to 4.10 is a big enough difference.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

I had 4.56s and 33s on my old Explorer and it was great. I don't think going from 3.73s to 4.10 is a big enough difference.

This.

Go 4.56.

 

[4x4junkie]

I have 4.10s and getting-close-to-bald 33s that already started out quite a bit on the small side (old-style Goodyear MT/Rs) on my '94 4.0L, and I still think it's too tall for them.

I will ×4 the 4.56. (kicking myself for not getting them originally).

 

[4.0B2]

3.73 to 4.10 is not enough difference, probably won't notice much..

however 3.73 to 4.56's is AWESOME. I'm glad Legoms and Junkie talked me into 4.56's over 4.10's. I would have not been happy with 4.10's. Plus even at 65mph the difference with 4.56s is only like 260 more RPM's... nothing!

4.56's is the ONLY way to go for 33's with an auto trans. I can't speak of manual trans.

 

[4x4junkie]

Mine's a manual.

 

[FritzTKatt]

Quick question, not to thread jack either...

I'm running stock 3.27's in my 8.8 28 spline. I have a lockrite 1820 in there. I can't find anything saying for X.YZ gears up/down, but for other lockers there are (mostly air/ele). At some point I will be swapping to 4.56. I won't have to get a new locker, right? I don't see anything in its design that would prohibit the regearing, but it sure would suck some giant balls if I burned a few hundred on gears/locker that won't mesh.

 

[escort_gts]

Quick question, not to thread jack either...

I'm running stock 3.27's in my 8.8 28 spline. I have a lockrite 1820 in there. I can't find anything saying for X.YZ gears up/down, but for other lockers there are (mostly air/ele). At some point I will be swapping to 4.56. I won't have to get a new locker, right? I don't see anything in its design that would prohibit the regearing, but it sure would suck some giant balls if I burned a few hundred on gears/locker that won't mesh.

Lockrite will be ok with whatever gear ratio you use but, if you regear it, might as well replace the springs and pins since they are the weakest part of the locker...I need to replace mine again.

Sent from my HTC ONE S using Tapatalk 2

 

[brinker88]

Quick question, not to thread jack either...

I'm running stock 3.27's in my 8.8 28 spline. I have a lockrite 1820 in there. I can't find anything saying for X.YZ gears up/down, but for other lockers there are (mostly air/ele). At some point I will be swapping to 4.56. I won't have to get a new locker, right? I don't see anything in its design that would prohibit the regearing, but it sure would suck some giant balls if I burned a few hundred on gears/locker that won't mesh.

I think what you're trying to ask is "are there carrier breaks in the ford 8.8?" No, there are no carrier breaks in this axle.

 

[FritzTKatt]

I may end up having to sell that locker and or full rear anyway... I'm thinking when I get the money go D44 and 9", and move up to 6" lift and 35's... Since the expected cost of upping to a 6" properly, will probably cost the same as the D44/9" swap. And I'd have to regear them anyway... Maybe I could find one already geared, however the pricetag might be a lot bigger.

End thread jacking...