chip / tuner questions

[pimtool]

Here is the story.
I have a 98 ex sport, 4.0 OHV, 4x4, 5 speed, 3.27 gears. It is my DD.

It came stock with 235s I put on 30/9.50s. It lacks a little cruising in OD on inclines.

I have been trying to find some real info and havent had much luck. One site will say all 4.0 , some say 4.0 sohc and so on.
I know I can probably find a chip for the ex, but is it a waste of money? I dont know if some of these "tuners" will fit my application or if they are any better than the chip.

Dont say just regear it, cause when I do its going to be for 33s or so.

Anyone with experience with these chips and tuners please help me out.

Was it worth the money?
Did it really do anything?
Would you do it again?

Thanks.

 

[Bent Bolt]

Here is the story.
I have a 98 ex sport, 4.0 OHV, 4x4, 5 speed, 3.27 gears. It is my DD.

It came stock with 235s I put on 30/9.50s. It lacks a little cruising in OD on inclines.



Dont say just regear it, cause when I do its going to be for 33s or so.



Thanks.

You don't want to hear it but it still applies, re-gearing will help ALOT in your case. 30" tires on 3.27 gears simply will suck.

You'll waste your money getting a tuner for an otherwise stock engine.

Just my humble opinion, take it or leave it.

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

a tune or chip is faaaaar better after all mods are done and you tell them what you have done, re-gear and you'll be waaaaay more pleased than a chip.

 

[Viva*the*Ranger]

^^word^^ so true so true.....Trust us, you want at least 4-10's.The difference will be night and day. Either way, you will benefit from a tuner though.

 

[AllanD]

30x9.5's are only trivially larger than the stock 235/75's and actually smaller than the "optional" 265-75's that were available at the time.

unless you are planning 31's in your future you really don't want 4.10's,
they limit you too much in both speed and fuel economy out on the
open road...

Regear? YES!
4.10's? No

what you probably really want are 3.73s

AD

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You don't want to hear it but it still applies, re-gearing will help ALOT in your case. 30" tires on 3.27 gears simply will suck.

They are not that great with 235's either...

I think my Ranger would take my parents '94 Ex out of the hole, same size of tire (235's), probably twice the hp in the Ex... with the Ex packing 3.27's and the Ranger 3.73's. I wouldn't beat it very far, but until it gets rolling I think I could take it... if not it would be close.

3.73's came stock, you could probably just switch axles for about the same $$ as a tuner.

 

[Viva*the*Ranger]

He was also talking about 33's in the future, that's why I suggested 4.10's. Why re-gear twice? My truck came stock with 4.10's, and I was getting great gas mileage compared to what I've heard some folks post in this forum. I now have 285/75's and I still get about 17mpg through town. I'm pretty sure my rig would be quite a dog if I had 3.73's with what is equivalent to 33' tires. I could be wrong about that, but it's kind of a dog as it is with 4.10's. But I can attribute that mostly to having a 3.0 I guess.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

He was also talking about 33's in the future, that's why I suggested 4.10's. Why re-gear twice? My truck came stock with 4.10's, and I was getting great gas mileage compared to what I've heard some folks post in this forum. I now have 285/75's and I still get about 17mpg through town. I'm pretty sure my rig would be quite a dog if I had 3.73's with what is equivalent to 33' tires. I could be wrong about that, but it's kind of a dog as it is with 4.10's. But I can attribute that mostly to having a 3.0 I guess.

Tuners ain't cheap, figure a couple hundred bucks for one.

I just paid $100 for a good 8.8 with 3.73's and a limited slip (4.10's were also common in your style of Explorer), you should be able to dig up a front pig for about the same. Regear them to fit your 33's when you get to that point, but it isn't that much money to swap the whole thing as an assembly. The 8.8 you have now may be worth something to someone that wants to regear now, so selling that would help recoup your costs.

For the same if not less money as a tuner, you would fix the problem. 5-10hp will barely be noticible when your engine is fighting for its life.

 

[Bent Bolt]

He was also talking about 33's in the future, that's why I suggested 4.10's. Why re-gear twice?

+ 1

 

[pimtool]

I was just thinking the tuner would help a little now and later when I lift, gear and tire it for wheelin. Which is going to be awhile Im having a baby next month and dont want to get in and out of a lifted 2 door explorer with a newborn.
According to the calculators in the tech section 4.10s would bring it back to near stock with 33s. I would go with 4.56s though. And I dont want to regear it twice.
The 30s are only an inch taller than the 235s. If it turns into to much for the truck I will just put the old tires back on.

Thanks for the input.

 

[07rangerfx4]

i got a superchip on my truck and it made alot of difference...ive saw about 2 mpg in economy and more noticable power...