If I change the rear differential gear ratio, do I also need to change the front transfer case or differential for them to match?
My son's Jeep has a low rear-end gearing. I haven't investigated it thoroughly, but it seems to be set more for rock crawling than anything. I'd like to give him some street performance and still have a little "off roading" capabilities, for sand and mud.
If I change the ratio of rear end, do I have to change something in the front end to match the drive ratios between the 2 axles?
Corey
I don't see why you shouldn't have to. The fronts and rears kind of like to go the same speed...
That was my thought, but being a 4wd newbie, thought I'd ask for some experienced advice.
YES you have to change them, or else you will screw up your t-case bad. my friend got a whole new axle off some one instead of re gearing it, it was cheaper. he has to get gears to match his ford 8.8 in rear
Terrence would be correct on that one. On most 4wd vehicles they advise replace 4 tires at a time for the same reason...(Different tread wear will result in a minute change in final drive ratio)
Both diffs have to match, I know of a chart, i think its in the Jeep owners Bible, tells best gear ratio according to tire size. you are best off leaving it stock for "STREET Performance" ( =P )
OMGawd! this is old! aug 2007 =P
if you do not change them both and make them the same ratio the jeep prob wont even move or the axle or t-cace will destroy itself
By reading these posts it seems that it might be eaiser to swap the transmission out (4spd to 5spd) to gain the highway milage and still keep a bit of the "off road" - Am I right in my thinking there??
Can I put a complete rear end housing from a 1990 jeep cherokee under a 1994 jeep wrangler yj
I 2001 Jeep wrangler can i replace both differentials with the diff of a 1999 cheoree
I have a front Dana 30 in my TJ with 3.73 gears, and I replaced my rear Dana 35 with a Ford 8.8. The shop screwed up and misidentified the 8.8 as having 3.73 gears, when it actually had 3.55. I took it wheeling, then flat towed it back. After getting it home I noticed that the front differential had gotten so hot that all of the oil had been ejected out the vent tube. Turns out the pinion gear had completely shredded - no teeth left, and the carrier was destroyed. So, the rear dif and transfer case were stronger than the front end. Costing around $1400 to fix. So, different gear ratio = bad news.
do you have to do anything to your jeep after you hire the gear ratio because I just changed mine to a 488 and now my transmission is slipping
