Re-gearing (or correcting the gear ratio after moving to a larger tire) is one of the best investments you can make to your TJ. You often don't realize you needed it until you've had it done. Then you find yourself asking "why didn't I do this a lot sooner?"
Not to be "that guy" but did you verify the 4.10 ratio? Or did the PO just tell you that's what it has? 4.10 is not the correct ratio for 35" tires. It just seems like wasted time/ money to re-gear and not go with the correct set-up.
It doesn’t struggle to turn them for the trails I do or on the highway so for me it’s not a pressing matter currently. At some point, yes, but there are just other mods to solidify and upgrade that take precedence for me currently.
I hear ya and was in the same boat for a long time. We put up with things that we can live with because there's always something else we can spend our hard-earned money on!
No I haven’t yet. I’m going to do the driveshaft estimate thing later this morning. I was planning to pull the diff covers this spring and have them serviced before I start hitting the trails more. He may have upgraded shafts, I just don’t know until we look in there. Every other item he listed has been true.
Yes, that would work. However, an auto locker (aka lunch box locker) like the Spartan is a different animal. Make sure you understand the differences between auto locker, selectable locker and limited slip before you dive in.
To each his own. There are plenty of folks running them with good experiences to report. I personally really like my Eaton E-lockers (selectable full-case lockers).
The comedian or Wilbur and Orville's lesser known brother that was afraid of heights?
I just drive mine around town a lot. 80/20 on/off road. So from what I’ve gathered, a full time auto locker wouldn’t be what I’m looking for. A selectable air or e-locker would work but given the price and the fact I’m running a Dana 30 up front, it doesn’t make much sense. So I guess that leaves me with a limited slip as most logical option if I’m going to do anything to my Dana 30.
The Dana 30 front is never an issue with a locker, a Dana 35 rear axle is.
I don't know where you heard that but a full locker is a problem with the Dana 30. You can do some research on the differences between the Dana 30 and the front Rubicon Dana 44 and see why.
My internal debate is like this...“can I spend $300-$500 and throw a budget locker/limited slip in the front that will make it more capable and allow me to tackle some more aggressive trail but won’t negatively affect on-road drivability? If not, I might as well look to spend $1000+ and shop around for a potential dana 44 from a scrap yard or something.
for 80/20 - on/off road; and a maximun of 35" tires, there's no reason not to dump the money into the dana 30 and get the locker you really want, plus the other upgrades.
