[reb6672]

Lets say you had an 8.8 rear with 4.10 gears that someone was basically going to give you. You'd have to convert the brackets for a TJ, which is fine. Now what do you do with your Dana 30? Spend the money to have it re-geared to 4.10s, buy a used D30 that already has 4.10 gears for just an axle swap, or get the D30 and 8.8 both re-geared to 4.56? Cost wise, I don't know which will be easier on my wallet. about 700 for a D30 at the boneyard, or re gearing my existing one.

I don't see myself going beyond 33's and the wheeling will unfortunately be at a minimum..even then, nothing really extreme.

The 8.8 a friend has sitting behind his shed. it's still set up for an explorer, i think limited slip, 4.10 with disc brakes, which he has no use for anymore.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

It'd be great if you could find a D30 with 4.10 but that combination only came with the 2.5L engine. I can't imagine that configuration would be easily found, especially since it's hard to find any Jeep parts in normal junkyards. It might be helpful to place some 4.10 Dana 30 axle wanted ads in the various Jeep forum parts wanted classified sections.

Can't say what ratio would be appropriate without knowing what engine and transmission you have. Depending on which engine and tranmission you have, it could be appropriaite to run 4.10, 4.56, or 4.88 for 33's.

 

[reb6672]

Thanks Jerry. I have a 4.0 with a 5spd. I've searched car-parts.com and found a few of them with 4.10's within a hundred miles of me. They seem to range between 700 and 1000. I'd have to rebuild them for sure, but I wouldn't have to mess with the gears at all. I just have no idea what the going rate for changing gears around me is. Knowing me, I'd rather be able to do it all myself rather than have a shop do it. Gears though, I'm not comfortable with.

this weekend I'm hoping to put my zone lift in, then I'll a little bit with the 3.07's and 30's I have on there now until I get the 33's. The 30's will go on my ZJ..the tires are fairly new. I don't want to go to 33's for too long without re gearing first..I know I'll probably hate the loss of power.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I'd have it regeared then, regearing a single axle shouldl run $600-800. I paid under $1100 to have both my axles regeared the last time which included all parts and labor.

Ideally, I'd go for 4.56 for both axles for 33's, 5-speed, and 4.0L engine. 4.10 isn't quite enough for 33's, though it does work ok for some people. I made the mistake of regearing to only 4.10 (against the recommendations of friiends who advised 4.56) many years ago for my then-33's and 5-speed and within a few days knew I should have gone with 4.56.

 

[reb6672]

That's kind of what I'd be afraid of too..that I'd regret not going to 4.56. I guess if I can find a d30 with 4.10's cheap enough on Craigslist, then I'd just go that route. If I'm going to spend a little bit of money, I might as well do it right the first time and get them both re-geared.

 

[idiot magnet]

Try and find a late 90's XJ with a HP30 which can be found pretty cheap. Regear that when have the 8.8 done.

 

[norville]

Wow, I must be in axle heaven. I cant sell my 3.73s here in pa. Check Craigs list I know there was a set of 4.10s that needed ujoints and probably bearings for 400. You're not that far away.

 

[reb6672]

thanks Norville. Which part of PA if you could remember? I normally just check Pocono listings.

 

[norville]

Pm sent

 

[O_M_Jeep]

What area of the country are you in, I have a D-30 with 4.10s I'm about to have hauled off in Wyoming. I routinely travel a lot, so maybe we can work something out.

I just read Pocono, I'll be in Allentown tomorrow, too bad I didn't know earlier, but this is not an unusual trip for me. A D-30 weighs less than 100 lbs inner C to inner C I should think.

I should say also it'll need new ball joints and your knuckles and shafts, its an open carrier with factory 4.10s but the knuckles and shafts went to my HP-D-30.

 

[steelslinger]

Go 4.56 gear for sure. I have a 4.0 auto with 4.56 and I have no problem off road or highway. The 4.10 kills your highway driving. I have wranglers on 33 with 4.56 & 4.10. No difference off road but the 4.10 can't keep up on the highway

 

[NC Bear]

4.10's and 33's worked very well for me on and off road. Interstate was no problem, I lived in the left lane, towing a 8' pop up was no problem at all. This was with alloy wheels and TA/KO's with a lot of armor. I recently went to 35 MTZ's and 4.10's are barely tolerable. I rev a little longer shifting between the gears and travel in 4th only at 45 or under. On the interstate I have no trouble with 5th except in the wind or steep inclines. I am saving for lockers and a re gear.
I live in the relatively flat part of the state, and if I was in the mountains I would agree that 4.56 would have been better. When I re gear I will most likely go 4.88 cause it just would not be worth the expense to go only to 4.56.
With 4.10 and 33 I got 15/17. With 35's and same everything I am 12/14. Anything over 65 and it drinks, no it guzzle's the gas.

We re geared the wife's 2001 XJ to 4.10's when I put the 33's from my TJ on hers. It is perfect! She had 3.55's and going to 4.10 put her right back into stock range. In fact her speedo gear is the same one from stock and it is still dead on.

Oh yeah, my speedo is off by 1 MPH at 65, All the internet charts say I should be off 3.3 or so mph...

 

[dogiscopilot]

I ran into a similar situation.

i have 4.1's in my jeep with a 30/35 running 33's

picked up an 8.8 with 4.1lsd ready to go. Traded a part and ended up with an hpd30 that had 3.55.

What is your ultimate tire size plan? for me it was 35's.

So before I bolted in the 8.8 i ordered 4.88s for both the axles and am getting them regeared while they're out of jeep. now i won't have to regear again unless i go to new axles (since d30's are currently limited to 4.88 anyways).

Long story short, regear while they're out if you think you'll need to at anytime and you can currently swing the price. Many places charge a little less if the axles aren't in vehicle.

 

[anavrinIV]

with the 6mt I have no problems with 33s and 4.10s, but the actual difference between my tires and stock is less than 2" diameter. I'm happy with what I have.

 

[reb6672]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I don't see myself ever going larger than 33's. At least in the foreseeable future. The Jeep will see a lot of highway miles. Work is an 80 mile round trip.. While it isn't technically my daily driver, I've been driving it more that I had pictured myself. Probably even more once the warmer weather comes. DD is a ZJ that's creeping up to 300k miles, but still running strong.

I think I'm going to go the route of 4.56 gears from the start. Do it right, and hopefully only do it once. I can take my time cleaning up the 8.8 this way too.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I think I'm going to go the route of 4.56 gears from the start. Do it right, and hopefully only do it once.

Good decision.