Built Dana 30 with 5.13 gears vs Built Dana 44 with 5.38 gears

connorwfrench

connorwfrench

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2004 Jeep LJ Auto 42RLE Dana 30/Dana 44

Have 35s waiting to be put on.

I’ve seen recommendations for my setup at 5.38 gears, but the front Dana 30 can only do 5.13.

Should i try to find a front rubicon Dana 44 to get the larger size R&P to fit? Plan on building both axles up to support 35s with either choice i make, but any reccomendations?

And anywhere i could find one besides FB or Craigslist? Thanks!
 
I can tell you from personal experience that 5.38 gears with the 42RLE on 35s still don't feel deep enough, unfortunately it's as deep as you can go.

I can also tell you that going from 5.13 to 5.38 isn't worth the cost, so in your case I would just stick with the Dana 30 with 5.13 gears, as it's more than capable of handling the 35s. That is unless you can get a Rubicon front axle for really, really cheap (which probably ain't going to happen).
 
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Chris said:
I can tell you from personal experience that 5.38 gears with the 42RLE on 35s still don't feel deep enough, unfortunately it's as deep as you can go.

I can also tell you that going from 5.13 to 5.38 isn't worth the cost, so in your case I would just stick with the Dana 30 with 5.13 gears, as it's more than capable of handling the 35s. That is unless you can get a Rubicon front axle for really, really cheap (which probably ain't going to happen).
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Ohh no i still have stock gears! I don’t have 5.13 I’m just wondering which to do for when i install the wheels.
 
connorwfrench said:
Ohh no i still have stock gears! I don’t have 5.13 I’m just wondering which to do for when i install the wheels.
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Well I would say 5.13 because the cost of a Dana 44 front Rubicon axle isn't worth the difference between 5.13 and 5.38. Like I said (and Jerry echoed), 5.38 is barely enough for the 35s with the 42RLE. I'd probably re-gear to 6.88 or something absurd if it was possible :LOL:
 
connorwfrench said:
@Jerry Bransford @Chris
You guys are so fast with all my posts i really appreciate it, thank you! Hmm alright, I’m still learning some terms, when you say you wish it were deeper, what exactly do you mean? It has better acceleration?
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I mean that the 42RLE is such a terribly geared transmission that even 5.38s still don't seem ideal with 35s. It accelerates fine, it's just that if you don't get in the habit of turning off the overdrive anytime you get in the vehicle, it still wants to consistently hunt for overdrive and shift into it way before it actually should. Of course this is the fault of the lousy .69 OD ratio, which is something that can't be changed no matter what unfortunately.
 
Chris said:
I mean that the 42RLE is such a terribly geared transmission that even 5.38s still don't seem ideal with 35s. It accelerates fine, it's just that if you don't get in the habit of turning off the overdrive anytime you get in the vehicle, it still wants to consistently hunt for overdrive and shift into it way before it actually should. Of course this is the fault of the lousy .69 OD ratio, which is something that can't be changed no matter what unfortunately.
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Ohhh okay i understand, now how would 5.13/5.38 be different on the highway with overdrive off/on?
 
connorwfrench said:
Ohhh okay i understand, now how would 5.13/5.38 be different on the highway with overdrive off/on?
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You wouldn't notice much of a difference between 5.13 and 5.38 at all. Not in the city or on the highway. It's just too small to notice much of anything. Now going from 4.10 to 5.38, then you'd notice a tremendous difference.
 
Chris said:
You wouldn't notice much of a difference between 5.13 and 5.38 at all. Not in the city or on the highway. It's just too small to notice much of anything. Now going from 4.10 to 5.38, then you'd notice a tremendous difference.
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Okay cool cool, and even with 5.13 say in the front Dana 30, lockers would still be able to go in there as well?
 
connorwfrench said:
I think I’ve read some posts about recommended shafts, any reccomendation for Dana 30/44, something real solid
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IMHO if you want the best axle shafts you can get, go with the Revolution USA made axle shafts front and rear, or Revolution rears and RCV fronts. Can't beat those.
 
connorwfrench said:
@Jerry Bransford @Chris
You guys are so fast with all my posts i really appreciate it, thank you! Hmm alright, I’m still learning some terms, when you say you wish it were deeper, what exactly do you mean? It has better acceleration?
Click to expand...
When regearing from, say, a 3.73 to a 5.13 you are going to a deeper aka lower ratio. That gives better acceleration via higher engine rpms and can actually result in better mpg when you are regearing to a ratio that puts the engine into its 'power band' so it operates more efficiently.

When I regeared my axles from 4.88 for my 35's and 42RLE to 5.38, I went from sub-12 mpg to over 14 mpg on the highway due to the engine operating more efficiently at the slightly higher rpms. I.E. lower rpms don't necessarily give better mpg, it depends on several variables. :)
 
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