Questions about re-gearing my 2.5 TJ

mateocubillos

mateocubillos

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2002 2.5L Automatic, not really looking to pour a lot in but just curious! I have done some reading on forums and stuff, I am not quite comfortable with regearing in terms of what it means and putting the money into it, but I'd like to slightly lift it and get bigger tires. Tires are just under 29 inches, no lift currently. No off-roading just street use. For minor highway use and mainly street use, what could I do without regearing? And how would regearing benefit me if I do do that, seeing as it can be quite expensive? Any input is appreciated I am new to Jeeps specifically but doing my own thing with cars in general
 
Unfortunately it is what it is.
I would suggest keep the tires small if all your doing is street use. That will be the best thing you can do.
But if you really want a lift look into to a budget boost style lift. You add some pucks and newer shocks gets you about 2" enough to clear 30's maybe 32's.

I have 32's and a 2.5" lift.
The other day I was driving on the highway with all 3 of my kids in the jeep. Hit a very small incline and it was windy I had to drop to 3rd and with the foot to the floor jeep struggled to stay at 50.
 
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One thing to check is what gearing you currently have in your axles. If I remember correctly some automatics came with 3.73 instead of the 4.10 gears that manuals came with. If that is the case you might be able to find some axles with 4.10 gears for cheaper and it would give you a slight boost in power.
 
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Wildman said:
One thing to check is what gearing you currently have in your axles. If I remember correctly some automatics came with 3.73 instead of the 4.10 gears that manuals came with. If that is the case you might be able to find some axles with 4.10 gears for cheaper and it would give you a slight boost in power.
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I think I've read that a scant few actually came with 4.56 from the factory...03-06 4 cylinders with the auto, if memory serves.
 
Mike_H said:
I think I've read that a scant few actually came with 4.56 from the factory...03-06 4 cylinders with the auto, if memory serves.
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I thought I'd read some place that the 2.5 TJ's came with 3.73 some of the time if they were an automatic. But my memory could be off too.

EDIT: And again to the best of my knowledge the manual 2.5 TJ's all came with 4.10 gears. And yes I do think the 4.56 gearing was a option with the 2.4 engine but have no clue haw rare they are.
 
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if you dont drive over 45mph and have no hills you can go to 33's, if you want to be able to drive 55+ i'd stick with the factory size !
 
The 2.5 with auto is a slug right out of the box as the torque convertor eats up what little power the four squirrels can muster. With a manual and the 4.10s you can get away with 31s if freeways are not something you have to deal with the auto no so much.
 
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3.73 - 1998-2006
* Standard ratio used with most 4 cyl automatics
* Standard ratio used with 4 cyl 6 speed

4.10 / 4.11 - 1997-2006
* Standard ratio used with 4 cyl 5 speed manual

4.56 - 2003-2006
* Standard ratio used with 4 cyl automatic
 
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Wildman said:
I thought I'd read some place that the 2.5 TJ's came with 3.73 some of the time if they were an automatic. But my memory could be off too.

EDIT: And again to the best of my knowledge the manual 2.5 TJ's all came with 4.10 gears. And yes I do think the 4.56 gearing was a option with the 2.4 engine but have no clue haw rare they are.
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That could be a three speed vs a 4 speed difference too.

That was always the hot ticket in the YJ if you were sticking to 33" tires. Go find a 4 cylinder in the JY and pull the axles for a couple hundred bucks. "free" 4.10's
 
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TheBoogieman said:
4 cylinder auto had 3.73 until 2002. In 2003 they switched to 4.56.
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:unsure: I wonder why ? i test drove a 4 cyl. auto on 33's, dont remember what year it was, but held my foot flat out for over 2 miles of soft rolling hills and never even got it to 65mph. took it back and told them I'd get killed if I drove that thing to Atlanta !
 
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tr21triton said:
:unsure: I wonder why ? i test drove a 4 cyl. auto on 33's, dont remember what year it was, but held my foot flat out for over 2 miles of soft rolling hills and never even got it to 65mph. took it back and told them I'd get killed if I drove that thing to Atlanta !
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If I had to traverse the hwy system in a city there is no way I would have one. I live in rural Nor Cal. Most trails can be reached without much interstate driving for me.
 
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there's a highway in ATL (400) even the cops wont pull out in traffic because they know it would be like that rabbit that tried to cross the track during the INDY 500. damn people think 400 is the speed limit not the number of the highway. if your running under 90mph you better be in the far right lane !!!!! last time i was on it had my 94 bronco w/351, speedo pegged, me praying and it, shaking like a clothes dryer with a comforter in it trying to hold onto the steering wheel praying nobody in front of me locked up the brakes. no way I'd take the jeep down there, hate to be a rabbit !!!!
 
tr21triton said:
there's a highway in ATL (400) even the cops wont pull out in traffic because they know it would be like that rabbit that tried to cross the track during the INDY 500. damn people think 400 is the speed limit not the number of the highway. if your running under 90mph you better be in the far right lane !!!!! last time i was on it had my 94 bronco w/351, speedo pegged, me praying and it, shaking like a clothes dryer with a comforter in it trying to hold onto the steering wheel praying nobody in front of me locked up the brakes. no way I'd take the jeep down there, hate to be a rabbit !!!!
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The Alpharetta Autobahn...
 
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Potomus Pete said:
Great reading on here in the Resources with the 2.5. I spent quite a while last night reading about my squirrel motor. I am getting ready for tires, and as usual found lots of great stuff on here.
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the 2.5 is great for mudding though ! because even with the slickest substance known to man ( the stuff Clark Griswold put on his saucer in Christmas vacation) on the tires the 2.5 cant spin them. they just keep grabbing and chugging along. hell you could put drag slicks on it and take it to the slickest mud and still couldn't spin them ! :ROFLMAO: but you wont get stuck as long as you can keep em on the ground !!!
 
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TheBoogieman said:
3.73 - 1998-2006
* Standard ratio used with most 4 cyl automatics
* Standard ratio used with 4 cyl 6 speed

4.10 / 4.11 - 1997-2006
* Standard ratio used with 4 cyl 5 speed manual

4.56 - 2003-2006
* Standard ratio used with 4 cyl automatic
Click to expand...

Based on this looking for a set of axles out of manual TJ would give you a small bump and most times would be cheaper than getting your axles regeared.

There were a set here local to me recently that were being sold for $400.
 
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