Another re-gear question

[RYAN17]

Okay so I know that I should ideally be running 5.13’s (33s with 42rle) but some people I have talked to are making me second guess. I just want to be sure since im a college student and im going to pour a lot of cash into this.

Things that I have been told is that it is not ideal for daily driving. I am 90% on road driving and 10% weekends offroad /minor trails/ summer beach driving. So my question would be... are 5.13s a good fit for me. I have to commute to school and work every day on the highway so are 5.13s good for that. Have any of you guys personally ran 5.13s as a daily?

Also, im looking to add some traction device while im getting the diffs done. So I think I will go with a limited slip since my needs are not requiring a full locker. Should I go with front and rear? Links to some good ones would be great

 

[pagrey]

While it is hit and miss some people get vibes after regearing this low and have to spend thousands of dollars to deal with the issue. Just search here for vibes after regearing. You might not have the problem but are you prepared financially if you do?

 

[Chris]

Yes, you want 5.13 gears with the 42RLE and 33s, trust me.

It IS ideal for daily driving, trust me.

Whoever is giving you advice opposing that should be ignored, plain and simple.

I ran 4.88s on my 42RLE with 33s and while it was much better than the 4.10s, it still wasn't enough, and that was a daily driver.

Do the right thing and run 5.13s.

If you're in there, I'd run a selectable locker in the front and a lunchbox locker in the rear if you're on a budget.

 

[pagrey]

@Chris, didn't you do a special page dedicated to these vibes, might be useful so the OP knows what they are getting into? I defnitely didn't suggest a different ratio, just thought it would be nice to warn a College student what they were getting into.

 

[AndyG]

Whether a regeared TJ is ideal for daily driving depends on who you ask, but it will smoke a Honda Accord on the trails the other 10 percent of the time .

On a serious note , I have a 42LRE , with 33's and 5:13 , it's great , and the only thing you need to do is switch overdrive off on long uphills , or anytime it's shifting too much . Basically , a TJ on the highway is as good as the tires, gears and condition of the steering and related components ...it can be as good as you want it to be .

 

[LJ Jim]

@AndyG what gears are you running with the 33s and 42rle?

 

[AndyG]

@AndyG what gears are you running with the 33s and 42rle?

5:13, I apologize for not mentioning that....I was trying to concur with the earlier posts. It is a really high geared transmission.

 

[Chris]

@Chris, didn't you do a special page dedicated to these vibes, might be useful so the OP knows what they are getting into? I defnitely didn't suggest a different ratio, just thought it would be nice to warn a College student what they were getting into.

Yep, here's that page:

The Official Jeep Wrangler TJ "Vibrations After Re-Gear" Thread

 

[Hotrodbud]

I'm in the same boat of needing to regear my tj with a 42RLE and 33s. Does anybody have a wild guess of what % of the regears develope unbearable vibrations? And does the % go up with 5:13, compared to 4:88?

 

[Fouledplugs]

I'm in the same boat of needing to regear my tj with a 42RLE and 33s. Does anybody have a wild guess of what % of the regears develope unbearable vibrations? And does the % go up with 5:13, compared to 4:88?

I believe it’s safe to say that if swapping from 4.88’s to 5.13’s and vibrations are existing then they will be more noticeable at 5.13.

Every Jeep is different and I doubt anyone is tracking what percentage of Jeeps gain vibration problems from re-gears.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Also, im looking to add some traction device while im getting the diffs done. So I think I will go with a limited slip since my needs are not requiring a full locker. Should I go with front and rear? Links to some good ones would be great

I would not waste my time with limited slips. Buy once, cry once and get a air locker or an electric locker.

 

[Goatman]

What speed do you drive on the highway? 55? 65? 75? Be sure that your OD is in the correct rpm range for your 90% daily driving. This will help keep your trans happy. The other 10% will be happy too.

 

[RYAN17]

What speed do you drive on the highway? 55? 65? 75? Be sure that your OD is in the correct rpm range for your 90% daily driving. This will help keep your trans happy. The other 10% will be happy too.

Im comfortably at 65 right now but is there a way to adjust the overdrive?

Also somebody in my area is selling a shell of a Dana 44 that i have talked to him about. Will this solve my vibrations since i wont be going as deep? I still have a front Dana 30 which will probably stay because of the rare and pricey Dana 44 fronts

As for traction I probably wont need any type of locker because it just does not suit my needs. The only reason i wouod need it would be for commuting in the snow and driving on sand. Which is why i think limited slips would be my best option. I dont do any crazy rock crawling and i dont plan on it. 3.07s and open diffs has done me okay so far i just thought that limited slips could help

 

[Jerry Bransford]

...I'm comfortably at 65 right now but is there a way to adjust the overdrive?

No there's no way to adjust the Overdrive. Not even a smidgen.

Those who are advising you against 5.13 don't know what they're talking about and it's clear they don't know anything about your 42RLE transmission and its Overdrive ratio. The 42RLE's .69 Overdrive ratio (drops the rpms to 69% of what they were before the Overdrive engaged) drops the engine rpms so drastically that extra-low ratios like 5.13 and 5.38 (as I installed) are what you need for the highway. NO, that 5.13 or 5.38 isn't a ratio needed for offroading, those ratios are what you want for the highway so the engine doesn't lug.

WIth my 35" tires, 42RLE transmission and previous 4.88 gears my engine was lugging badly enough on the highway that I never got over 12 mpg. Once I regeared to 5.38 my mpg jump 2 mpg to 14 nearly 15 mpg. For your 33's 5.13 would be the way to go.

Don't let any more yahoos talk you out of 5.13. While 4.56 is absolutely the right ratio for other transmissions like the AX-15 or NV3550 5-speed manual transmissions, your 42RLE is a different beast and a ratio like that just won't work. Stick with the 5.13 recommendation given above.

 

[pagrey]

Im comfortably at 65 right now but is there a way to adjust the overdrive?

If you are okay with it now forget the regear and save your money. You cannot adjust the overdrive but you can shut it off with the switch on your dash. Some people do it most of the time when they get in the Jeep. You probably have 3.73 gears with a 42RLE. Save your dollars, there will be other things to spend money on. I did 60,000 miles before I did my first mod and had plenty of fun on the trails.

 

[Steel City 06]

Deeper gearing will also help prolong the life of the transmission, for three major reasons:

1. The torque converter will lock up sooner and at lower speeds, and will remain locked for longer. When the torque converter is unlocked, a significant amount of mechanical energy is wasted as heat. (Hence why fuel economy is better with a locking torque converter.) Generally speaking, the hotter a transmission runs, the shorter its life will be.
2. The additional rotational speed of the transmission will increase fluid flow through the transmission cooler, helping to reduce the temperature of the transmission, and also helping to heat it in cold weather.
3. Less slip will be required from the torque converter during acceleration from a standstill. This is due to the gearing reducing the overall torque demands on the transmission. The overall reduced torque demands can also extend the life of the clutch packs in the transmission.

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

I installed 4.88 with 32" tires on my LJ. I still switch off the OD for routine driving, unless I'm going on the freeway. IMO, the OD engages way to early, regardless of what gearing you choose.

I didn't have any vibration with a 3" lift, 3.73 gearing and TC drop, but picked up a vibe when I went to 4.88. The vibe was mostly cured with adjustable lower rear control arms. My plans are to eventually install a SYE and get rid of the TC drop.

I don't regret regearing.

 

[pagrey]

Also somebody in my area is selling a shell of a Dana 44 that i have talked to him about. Will this solve my vibrations since i wont be going as deep? I still have a front Dana 30 which will probably stay because of the rare and pricey Dana 44 fronts

Dana 44 front is definitely not worth anything. For 33" tires and maybe larger a Dana 35 is fine with a super35 kit. I think that's the way to go rather than swapping the axle. At the end of the day it'll probably be cheaper and you'll have a bit of extra ground clearance. The Dana 44 rear axle wont help with the risk of vibes at all.

 

[RYAN17]

Okay so as a game plan...

Should I keep my Dana 35 / Dana 30 combo and regear to 5.13

To strengthen my Dana 35 should I do the Super 35 kit (some links would help)
Also I know that the super 35 kit usually comes with a locker because it changes the carrier. So without breaking the bank too bad what is my best option. Remember, im not a rock crawler or any crazy trail type of driver. I am a highway commuter and a weekend minor trail driver. I drive in the snow for half the year so I would like some full time drivability traction but I would like to stay away from lunchbox lockers.

I have saved $3000 for the job and my local shop charges $500 per axle plus parts. So im getting close to that number.

 

[Steel City 06]

Okay so as a game plan...

Should I keep my Dana 35 / Dana 30 combo and regear to 5.13

To strengthen my Dana 35 should I do the Super 35 kit (some links would help)
Also I know that the super 35 kit usually comes with a locker because it changes the carrier. So without breaking the bank too bad what is my best option. Remember, im not a rock crawler or any crazy trail type of driver. I am a highway commuter and a weekend minor trail driver. I drive in the snow for half the year so I would like some full time drivability traction but I would like to stay away from lunchbox lockers.

I have saved $3000 for the job and my local shop charges $500 per axle plus parts. So im getting close to that number.

Here is a Super 35 kit with an e-locker:
https://www.4lowparts.com/shop/super-35-rear-axle-kit-eaton-e-locker-Dana 35-30spl/
You may be able to find a better price elsewhere, or by buying the Super 35 kit and the locker separately.

Here’s a Super 35 kit without a locker:
https://www.revolutiongear.com/prod..._tj_cherokee_xj_30_spline_upgrade_super35_kit
If you’re willing to invest some more in the front now, there’s also a Super 30 kit that will strengthen that axle as well. It’s not as necessary though.