Re-gearing: 4.0 with 33s

[MudderFudgingTJ]

I went from 3.73 to 4.10 in my TJ with the 32rh and 33s and I noticed an immediate difference. The 3.73 felt like I was towing a couple thousand pounds when trying to get out into traffic. I was very happy with change.

Perfect analogy, especially on hills even if I try to buildup speed right before!
How much did it run you, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[MudderFudgingTJ]

Once you determine your desired gear ratio your priority should be to find the best jeep gear installer in your area and have that shop supply all of the parts. The better gear shops will refuse to install customer supplied parts. Even the shops that will install customer supplied parts will refuse to warranty the labor if it turns out the parts are defective or the cause of a failure.

Supplying your own parts is a false economy unless you are doing the work yourself, particularly since the U.S. Supreme Court in South Dakoka v. Wayfair, Inc. eliminated sales tax avoidance on Internet purchases .

Based on the recent replies and help on here I am going to go with the 4.10. Like I said I am somewhat mechanically inclined so I have done a lot to it myself but I have heard that gearing is finicky. Might require an actual mechanic to do it.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Awesome that is what people were telling me prior, that and the 3.73?
Any suggestions? If I get the parts myself. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it myself but to atleast know the stuff I need and then find someone.
Do you know about how much it'll run?

Including all parts and labor for both axles, the costs vary quite a bit... $1300-1400 at the low end and up depending on where the shop is and how much competition the the shops have in your area. I would NOT buy any of the parts to save $$$ with the intention to give to the installing shop. If there were any problems during or after the gearing the shop would have an easy way out... blame the parts you provided and not their installation. And make no mistake, it's the installation process that usually screws things up, not the gears/parts themselves.

To avoid any such issues or post-install warranty issues make sure the shop provides all of the gears and parts needed. If you push back on the shop's pricing for the parts they'll usually discount them to be more competitive since most of their profit comes the installation labor, not the parts themselves.

Edit: Installing gears is a tedious and very time consuming process best handled by those who are very good at it and very experienced. Not doing it perfectly means the new gears will be toast in short order.

 

[MudderFudgingTJ]

Including all parts and labor for both axles, the costs vary quite a bit... $1300-1400 at the low end and up depending on where the shop is and how much competition the the shops have in your area. I would NOT buy any of the parts to save $$$ with the intention to give to the installing shop. If there were any problems during or after the gearing the shop would have an easy way out... blame the parts you provided and not their installation. And make no mistake, it's the installation process that usually screws things up, not the gears/parts themselves.

To avoid any such issues or post-install warranty issues make sure the shop provides all of the gears and parts needed. If you push back on the shop's pricing for the parts they'll usually discount them to be more competitive since most of their profit comes the installation labor, not the parts themselves.

Edit: Installing gears is a tedious and very time consuming process best handled by those who are very good at it and very experienced. Not doing it perfectly means the new gears will be toast in short order.

Great advice, I guess brand on the parts just depends on that shop's preference?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Great advice, I guess brand on the parts just depends on that shop's preference?

The shop's preference trumps all but if they're open to sourcing and using Revolution Gear's gears I'd go that route.

 

[Serbonze]

Perfect analogy, especially on hills even if I try to buildup speed right before!
How much did it run you, if you don't mind my asking?

I’m not sure that comparing costs on different set ups in different cities will be much help, but I paid $900 out the door to install front and rear ARB lockers (regear at same time) plumbing and wiring in the air compressor, and wiring in all three switches.

I provided the Revolution gears with Koyo master install kits which I got from Allen @AOR.

 

[Locky]

So what transmission do I have in my 2001 60th Anniversary edition with the 4.0 automatic?

 

[Serbonze]

So what transmission do I have in my 2001 60th Anniversary edition with the 4.0 automatic?

You should have the 32rh.

 

[AndyG]

Once you determine your desired gear ratio your priority should be to find the best jeep gear installer in your area and have that shop supply all of the parts. The better gear shops will refuse to install customer supplied parts. Even the shops that will install customer supplied parts will refuse to warranty the labor if it turns out the parts are defective or the cause of a failure.

Supplying your own parts is a false economy unless you are doing the work yourself, particularly since the U.S. Supreme Court in South Dakoka v. Wayfair, Inc. eliminated sales tax avoidance on Internet purchases .

As for cost, an average for parts and labor for a re-gear by a good shop is $1,600 +/-. How much the +/- works out to be will depend on the particular gears you buy, the shop labor rate, and a myriad of other factors.

This is great advice . Providing parts is a guaranteed finger pointing if there is an issue .."well, you supplied the gears sir , we like X brand "

 

[AndyG]

Including all parts and labor for both axles, the costs vary quite a bit... $1300-1400 at the low end and up depending on where the shop is and how much competition the the shops have in your area. I would NOT buy any of the parts to save $$$ with the intention to give to the installing shop. If there were any problems during or after the gearing the shop would have an easy way out... blame the parts you provided and not their installation. And make no mistake, it's the installation process that usually screws things up, not the gears/parts themselves.

To avoid any such issues or post-install warranty issues make sure the shop provides all of the gears and parts needed. If you push back on the shop's pricing for the parts they'll usually discount them to be more competitive since most of their profit comes the installation labor, not the parts themselves.

Edit: Installing gears is a tedious and very time consuming process best handled by those who are very good at it and very experienced. Not doing it perfectly means the new gears will be toast in short order.

All true .

 

[trevino33]

True. It's a good chart for the 30RH and 32RH but its RPMs don't show the actual highway rpms you'd get with the AX-5, AX-15, NV3550, NSG370, or 42RLE... all of which have overdrives which significantly reduces the actual rpms you'd see on the highway. That type of chart has caused a lot of inexperienced people to misgear their Jeeps.

So what would the ideal gear ration for an automatic with overdrive on 33s?

 

[L J]

So what would the ideal gear ration for an automatic with overdrive on 33s?

the best you can do is 5.13

 

[jjvw]

So what would the ideal gear ration for an automatic with overdrive on 33s?

5.13

 

[Oklahomacheapjeep]

Another option is to keep an eye out for a set of LJ axles (or a dana 44 optioned tj). I've seen them frequently for around 1k in the Dallas area. They come with 3.73s which are perfect in my opinion if your jeep ever sees highway drives and it definitely shouldn't struggle on hills or feel like you're towing a couple thousand pounds. This way it ends up being cheaper than a gear swap and you get a better rear end out of it, if you feel up to swapping axles.

 

[jjvw]

Another option is to keep an eye out for a set of LJ axles (or a dana 44 optioned tj). I've seen them frequently for around 1k in the Dallas area. They come with 3.73s which are perfect in my opinion if your jeep ever sees highway drives and it definitely shouldn't struggle on hills or feel like you're towing a couple thousand pounds. This way it ends up being cheaper than a gear swap and you get a better rear end out of it, if you feel up to swapping axles.

That's an expensive way to still be undergeared.

 

[Oklahomacheapjeep]

It's a 600$ cheaper way of having a gear that works perfectly fine for a Jeep that has to be driven on the highway.

 

[TheBoogieman]

So what would the ideal gear ration for an automatic with overdrive on 33s?

I'd upgrade the rear axle before I spent money to regear a Dana 35. Turn the OD off until then.

 

[jjvw]

It's a 600$ cheaper way of having a gear that works perfectly fine for a Jeep that has to be driven on the highway.

An undergeared Jeep on the highway.

 

[Oklahomacheapjeep]

An undergeared Jeep on the highway.

Speaking from personal experience it’s not under geared.

 

[jjvw]

Speaking from personal experience it’s not under geared.

Stock gearing was barely adequate with stock sized tires with the 42rle. Now you are suggesting that axle gearing be used on much larger tires.