Regearing from 4.88 to Revolution Gear's new 5.38... sweet!

Will wonders never cease... I just got back from a quick RT trip to Barstow CA without towing my pop-up trailer and I got 14.34 mpg! And that's on the first half-of my 400 mile trip where I had a climb from my local 340' altitude up to 4000' at the Cajon pass here in SOCAL. My speeds were anywhere from 65-75, I definitely averaged 70 mph the entire way there.

I had never seen over 12 mpg with the 4.88 gears without the trailer. This just goes to prove the theory correct that you can improve your mpg when you raise the engine rpms up enough so the engine isn't lugging.
What are your RPMs when you’re making these trips? This is interesting data on the 4.0 engine. I wonder what it likes? I know most people associate RPMs with gas mileage, but I wonder what the real answer is, and what factors are involved. I know I was running my 6-speed too low when I first had it. It doesn’t bother me now running 2800-2900 for a long time. Sometimes I don’t even notice on my 3-4 mile trip into town in 4th running 3300 or so. But my mpgs are consistently between 13-14 on 31’s and 3.73 gears
 
What are your RPMs when you’re making these trips? This is interesting data on the 4.0 engine. I know I was running my 6-speed too low when I first had it. It doesn’t bother me now running 2800-2900 for a long time. Sometimes I don’t even notice on my 3-4 mile trip into town in 4th running 3300 or so. But my mpgs are consistently between 13-14 on 31’s and 3.73 gears
I'm gettin 2600 at 70 mph with 35's, 5.38 gearing, and the 42RLE transmission. That's definitely not too high of an RPM, actually would be happier with 2700 but 5.38 is as low as my axles can be geared and still keep the OE Rubicon lockers.
 
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A slight increase in fuel economy... There's an often overlooked advantage to running the correct gear ratio!
 
Absolutely, they have a sterling reputation.
Jerry, I have read about this subject on a few forums over the past week and have decided to go with revolution 5.13 only because, (from my understanding) the 5.38 isn't an option on a 04 LJ non-rubicon. My question is, do I need the standard or thick? 04 LJ, 4.0 auto, Dana 30/Dana 44 3.73. Thanks in advance, your knowledge on the subject is obviously highly respected.
 
You're correct, 5.13 is the lowest ratio you can go with due to your front Dana 30. You would not need a different carrier for the front Dana 30 but you would for the rear Dana 44, or at least a thick ring gear set for the rear. Check with Ricky at www.4Lowparts.com who has been an RGA dealer since day-one. He can advise you what he can get you, though I recommend just going with the thick ring gear version. You can email Ricky directly at [email protected]. He might give you a bit more of a discount if you mention I sent you. I owe him a lot of favors lol.

But if you're planning on ordering the gears to provide to the installing shop, I would not. Shops will only warranty what they provide so if they only provide the labor, they won't warranty problems they blame on the parts... even though it is the labor/installing part that normally causes problems.
 
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You're correct, 5.13 is the lowest ratio you can go with due to your front Dana 30. You would not need a different carrier for the front Dana 30 but you would for the rear Dana 44, or at least a thick ring gear set for the rear. Check with Ricky at www.4Lowparts.com who has been an RGA dealer since day-one. He can advise you what he can get you, though I recommend just going with the thick ring gear version. You can email Ricky directly at [email protected]. He might give you a bit more of a discount if you mention I sent you. I owe him a lot of favors lol.
Thanks for the quick response, I'll drop Ricky an email. Take care.
 
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Jerry, I have read about this subject on a few forums over the past week and have decided to go with revolution 5.13 only because, (from my understanding) the 5.38 isn't an option on a 04 LJ non-rubicon. My question is, do I need the standard or thick? 04 LJ, 4.0 auto, Dana 30/Dana 44 3.73. Thanks in advance, your knowledge on the subject is obviously highly respected.
Thick for the rear, standard up front. Carrier break on the 44 is between 3.73 and 3.92, the 30 is 3.54 and 3.73.
 
It is probably somewhere in this thread but I can not seem to find it, what gearing, Mr. Bransford, would you recommend for an 05 LJ with 285 75R16 tires. It is a Rubi so it currently has 4.10 gears, but it also has a little weight added due to a winch and my way over-built rear bumper/tire carrier...... TIA, oh, and I am a big fan of yours and MrBlaine's, been reading posts from you guys over on JF for many many years (more than I care to count.... ;) )
 
It is probably somewhere in this thread but I can not seem to find it, what gearing, Mr. Bransford, would you recommend for an 05 LJ with 285 75R16 tires. It is a Rubi so it currently has 4.10 gears, but it also has a little weight added due to a winch and my way over-built rear bumper/tire carrier...... TIA, oh, and I am a big fan of yours and MrBlaine's, been reading posts from you guys over on JF for many many years (more than I care to count.... ;) )
Gonna depend on whether it's automatic or manual transmission.
 
With the Memorial Day sale going on over at Revolution I'm tempted to go ahead and order a set of 5.38 gears for my '06 Auto LJR. I'll be running 35s and after reading the recommendations here and there for this gear ratio I'm pretty set on it. As I've not gone through regearing before, is there a recommendation between the Koyo or Timken master install kits? I have a local person who is a retired mechanic that will eventually be doing the regear once we have a good bit of other work completed so I'll be taking everything to him instead of him ordering parts.
 
The Koyo and Timken master install kits are both high quality. My local gear installer uses the Koyo kit more often than the Timken kit and has never had a warranty claim for manufacturing defects in the Koyo parts. I used the Koyo master install kit when I re-geared to 5.38 with Revolution gearsets.

BTW, Koyo supplies many major auto manufacturers, including Chrysler. The Revolution gearsets are made by Circle K, a South Korean company..
 
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The Koyo and Timken master install kits are both high quality. My local gear installer uses the Koyo kit more often than the Timken kit and has never had a warranty claim for manufacturing defects in the Koyo parts. I used the Koyo master install kit when I re-geared to 5.38 with Revolution gearsets.

BTW, Koyo supplies many major auto manufacturers, including Chrysler. The Revolution gearsets are made by Circle K, a South Korean company..

I really appreciate the reply and that makes me feel better knowing there isn't necessarily one to get over the other (I figured Revolution wouldn't carry an option that wasn't solid either way). The Koyo is a good bit cheaper so I'm going to go that route. I take it the front and rear R&P as well as master install kits should be all I'll need for the installation?
 
The master install kit has everything needed for the pumpkin but does not contain axle seals.

Many gear installers re-use the existing axle seals if they are in good shape, particularly for the rear Dana 44 where the bearings and seals are pressed onto the axle shaft and are not normally part of the labor involved with re-gearing.

I replaced my rear axle shafts with chromoly shafts from Carbon Offroad which come with new seals, bearings and retainer plates already pressed on. With a coupon code they were the same price as the imported axle shafts from Revolution Gear & Axle but came with the wheel studs already pressed in and with a longer warranty. For the front we used new Dana Spicer P/N 54381 seals. The corresponding Mopar part number for the Dana 44 Rubicon front axle seal is 5014852AB.

Ref: https://carbonoffroad.com/t/jeep-tj-/-yj-/-xj-axle-kits
 
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The master install kit has everything needed for the pumpkin but does not contain axle seals.

Many gear installers re-use the existing axle seals if they are in good shape, particularly for the rear Dana 44 where the bearings and seals are pressed onto the axle shaft and are not normally part of the labor involved with re-gearing.

I replaced my rear axle shafts with chromoly shafts from Carbon Offroad which come with new seals, bearings and retainer plates already pressed on. With a coupon code they were the same price as the imported axle shafts from Revolution Gear & Axle but came with the wheel studs already pressed in and with a longer warranty. For the front we used new Dana Spicer P/N 54381 seals. The corresponding Mopar part number for the Dana 44 Rubicon front axle seal is 5014852AB.

Ref: https://carbonoffroad.com/t/jeep-tj-/-yj-/-xj-axle-kits

Interesting that you mention Carbon Offroad as I was looking at their Dana 44 axle shaft options and thought they looked pretty impressive for the money and their prior reputation with Superior Axle and Gear seemed solid as well.
 
With the Memorial Day sale going on over at Revolution I'm tempted to go ahead and order a set of 5.38 gears for my '06 Auto LJR. I'll be running 35s and after reading the recommendations here and there for this gear ratio I'm pretty set on it. As I've not gone through regearing before, is there a recommendation between the Koyo or Timken master install kits? I have a local person who is a retired mechanic that will eventually be doing the regear once we have a good bit of other work completed so I'll be taking everything to him instead of him ordering parts.
Nothing wrong with Koyo. They are oe for many foreign makes. We used Timken primarily but had no issues using Koyo when needed. The factory Toyota gears used to come with a full Koyo bearing set. When I did mine, the Koyo was a good amount cheaper than Timken so that's the way I went.
 
@FireJeep did you ever figure out what ratio for your 35" tires with your 6-speed? I just noticed your question above.
I have decided to stay with 285s, the reality is I don't spend as much time off road as I would like to think and it does well enough, the 4:1 low range in the 241 helps tremendously. We are taking a road/off road trip out to Colorado next month and doing Black Bear Pass and Imogene, I think it will be fine and descents will be 1st gear low range....... thanks for the reply though!!