87 Ranger 4.56 gears?

[xxL4V1GN3xx]

Okay so i have an 87 Ford ranger with the stock 7.5 and dana 28. It has the stock 3.73 gears in it currently. My problem is i recently bought a set of Mastercraft Courser C/T's for it in 235/75-15. The truck seems pretty doggy most of the time and i am seriously considering 4.56 gears considering that most of my driving is in town. I drive 70 for maybe 10 minutes a day. It is a good possibility that the truck will have a lift and 31's in the future, and i dont really want to regear again then. I have looked at the gear ratio/tire size chart, and with the O/D 5 sp. i wont be running very high rpm's, about 2600.

Any and all opinions and info is accepted, i just really want better low end!

 

[06RangerXLT]

Well, my 235/75 ran fine on 3.55. But 4.56 is for 32 and up. I just put 32" and 4.56 and highway sucks. The problem isn't the gearing. It's the fact that you have a 4 banger. It's never gonna take off like any car or 4.0. I'd go 4.10 if I were you. You can run 31" on 4:10 just fine.

 

[06RangerXLT]

Oh and drop a 4.0 in her. Or a 5.0 stang motor.

 

[Captain Ledd]

It'll be fine, but I think your RPM's might be a little higher.

I'm going 4.56 in my red one with 235/75R15, I have the M5OD which has a slightly higher OD gear.

All numbers are slightly rounded, will vary with pressures, rim width, etc. All are calculated with overdrive gear.

for a 1987 4x4 Ranger (there are 2, 5 speed possibilities) with the 235/75R15:

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/ManualTransmission.html

Mitsubishi FM145 = 3,000 RPM @ 70 MPH
Toyo Koygo = 3,150 RPM @ 70 MPH

Might be getting a little on the high side, but if you cruise at 60 MPH in the slow lane it'll be great, and those numbers will improve a little with 31's. I'd calculate those too but I gotta run to work, be back in a bit.

Ok, I'm back.

With 31's:

Mitsubishi FM145 = 2,850 RPM @ 70 MPH
Toyo Koygo = 2,975 RPM @ 70 MPH


The other thing is that 4.56 gears for a Dana 28 are not exactly the most common. Even 4.56 for the Dana 35 got hard to find for a while, don't know if they still are. The 7.5" might be a little easier, but not much.

I really do recommend swapping a D35 and 8.8" axle, even if it's the Ranger 8.8" (which really does just bolt in). You'll have much stronger axles, likely/usually better brakes, Better front hubs (yes, even the automatic ones), and the aftermarket options open up a LOT.

And for giggles and grins:

235/75R15
Mitsubishi FM145 = 2,580 RPM @ 60 MPH
Toyo Koygo = 2,675 RPM @ 60 MPH

31's
Mitsubishi FM145 = 2,450 RPM @ 60 MPH
Toyo Koygo = 2,550 RPM @ 60 MPH

Also 2 previous threads dealing with 235/75R15.

The suggestion:
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105032

And the Results:
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107076

 

[straycat]

Okay so i have an 87 Ford ranger with the stock 7.5 and dana 28. It has the stock 3.73 gears in it currently. My problem is i recently bought a set of Mastercraft Courser C/T's for it in 235/75-15. The truck seems pretty doggy most of the time and i am seriously considering 4.56 gears considering that most of my driving is in town. I drive 70 for maybe 10 minutes a day. It is a good possibility that the truck will have a lift and 31's in the future, and i dont really want to regear again then. I have looked at the gear ratio/tire size chart, and with the O/D 5 sp. i wont be running very high rpm's, about 2600.

Any and all opinions and info is accepted, i just really want better low end!

It is a 4 banger and thay are all 'doggy', Bro!!!! Lol. Adding that much gear is way over kill. You should not add a gear change unless you are adding taller tires. Since you did change to a bit of different tires I would suggest a 4:10 ratio. I run 33x12.5x15 KO tires and I run 4:10. I get 24 mpg on the highway. I gas up at every 320-330 miles and I still have 5-6 gallons of gass in the tank. If you do add the 31's later, the 4:10 is all you will need or should need.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

Well, my 235/75 ran fine on 3.55. But 4.56 is for 32 and up. I just put 32" and 4.56 and highway sucks. The problem isn't the gearing. It's the fact that you have a 4 banger. It's never gonna take off like any car or 4.0. I'd go 4.10 if I were you. You can run 31" on 4:10 just fine.

Gears can improve take off.
my 2.5 with 4.10s and 31"s takes off better than a 3.0
i did 3 tries and beat the guy on the take of 3 times.
my truck jumped and had 0 tire slip, well it had, but not excesive.

 

[Sunk]

I'd swap in a D35 and 8.8 as well especially if you may go up in tire size later. The D28 and 7.5 are weaker and there are better goodies available for the D35 and 8.8.

 

[racsan]

4:10's would be plenty. i run 235/75/15's with 3.73's and its fine most of the time. granted i have the 4.0, but my first ranger had the 2.3 with the same gearing setup and did o.k., just didnt have alot of torque when it came to long highway upgrades, would still maintain speed when i downshifted to 4rth. with the 4.0 i can leave it in 5th unless im towing and it will maintain speed with the cruise. with 4.56 you might as well swap in a V8, you'll be burning as much fuel, granted you'll be able to do a burnout with just a stomp of the right foot with no problem, though you'll be grabbing for 2nd pretty quickly.

 

[Sunk]

What size tires were on it before? I have 4.10s and 225/75s and I spin about 2800-3k at 70. If I went with 31s, I would get 4.56s for sure.

 

[xxL4V1GN3xx]

Thank you for all the info everybody. I just want a bit more get up and go. Im sure you guys know what im talking about. I can get the r&p for the d28 for $180 and for the 7.5 for about the same. Two master install kits wouldrun me about 200-300$. Like i said i rarely run on the highway and im stop and go a lot.
Thanks again for all the input!

 

[holyford86]

It seriously isn't worth your time to even think about regearing the D28... Swapping to the 95+ D35 is the best mod I ever did (right behind the 4.0 swap)

 

[mp3deviant721]

Drop a Turbocoupe motor in the truck. That'll solve your power issues.

 

[Sunk]

R&P kits for the D35 and 8.8 will be around the same cost if not less.. You should be able to pick up the axles for a couple hundred bucks and you'll be far better off.

 

[Will]

A D28 is okay in that. He's running 235s, not 35s.

I think 4.10 is the steepest gear they make for a D28, though.

What anyone should remember is--they don't make any of these shafts anymore. Whatever axle you have, make sure you keep it lubed and replace the joints when they need it. With steel at 10c/#, junkyards are hauling vehicles to the recycler a lot more frequently. You let a joint seize and then break when you use 4wd for the first time in a long time, you might soon be out of a fix. Go on EBay and see how many D28/35 parts there are for sale.

Take care of your shit.