Ok awesome! Just what i was looking for. And i'm looking at axles and I see they are around the $200-$300 range with 4.10's and I found two with drum and 3.08 gears. So I spend $80 on an axle then regear is it worth it? Or just spend the cash on an axle with 4.10's?
And, stupid question...but why go with disc's?
They've used drum brakes since the beginning of the automobile and still use them today. Drum brakes are just fine, they do have drawbacks like ease of maintenance (the lack there of), and number of parts. That and braking in reverse, actually if you don't apply the brakes in reverse once in a while they'll stop working. That's how they self adjust. Technically they work better than disks going foreward.
Ratios: Unless you have the tiniest of tires go with 4.10 and don't look back. the 4 bangers in these like to rev, so let them. The analogy I like to use is this. Look at it in terms of power cycles:
a V8 engine traveling at 70 MPH turning 1,500 RPM, not too bad no?. That equates to a 4 cylinder turning 3,000 RPM at 70MPH (half as many cylinders needing to turn twice as fast to get the same amount of power cycles). Letting the sucker rev doesn't sound so bad now does it?
*edit: oh, and if you change your gear ratio be sure to get the speedometer checked out, it'll be off.
Actually now that I'm thinking about it you said broken spider gears are common? This means I can rip out the spiders and just install a lock-right/aussie and call it a day?
You might, depends if any of the chunks got into the ring gear and trashed that, or made their way into the oil galleys for oiling the pinion bearings. Unless you're taking the thing entirely apart, it is actually much easier just get another axle. Especially if you depend on the truck as your DD.
Last I knew, there are no Aussies for a 7.5".
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