Should I re-gear?

[ozziemo27]

Hey folks, heres the deal. I got about a grand to spend on new tires + wheels. My truck is a 99 4.0 Ranger. I am looking at cragar soft 8s, 15x8s,
theres $260 with caps and stems. I'm also looking at $670 shipped for four 33x12.50x15 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A-KM. This is my daily driver/weekend wheeler truck so is my fuel economy going to be bad with 4.10 gearing and those 33s? or should I bother getting 4.56 gearing? I dont do much highway driving but I will do a bit in the fall when I drive to the city for college a few times a week.

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

It'll be sufficient. The cost of getting the gears put in versus the amount of loss you'll have doesn't compute in my opinion. 4.10s and a 4.0 running 33's isn't optimum, but it'll do.

I ran 35's and 4.10s for a long while...and it's tolerable. Not optimum, but tolerable. Was fine in the city, on the highway is where it sorta sucked.

 

[ozziemo27]

how did it suck on the highway? bad fuel economy?

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

At highway speeds, I didn't have enough gear to keep the truck moving in 5th gear....almost lugging the engine...one small hill, and had to downshift....and my 4.0L SOHC's torque curve is much higher than your 4.0L OHV, so yours can overcome larger tires easier than mine can when RPMs are lower. Keep in mind, I was 4.10's and 35's....33's are alot more reasonable for 4.10's.

 

[ozziemo27]

Ahh, I see. I ordered my 33x12.50x15 BFG KM1s and they're in the mail

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

You can still order KM1's?

Shoot, when I needed tires, ther were only 2 KM1 35x12.50s in the entire country.

 

[ozziemo27]

On 4wheelparts.com you can get up to 33s and LT305s, I'm unsure of whether you can get 35s but i haven't checked anywhere else, so thats up in the air