Topic: Choosing the right gear

[JErsland]

Hey guys, Im getting ready to start my build and im trying to determine what size gears im going to run. My truck is a 3.0 v6 and im going to run 36's maybe 37's. Any idea on gears? I was thinking 4.88.

[CTENG in KS]

5.29's...don't bother with anything else...the 4.88's won't be enough.

[whiteman]

 ............no pun intended CTENG   

[BigMike]

Is this a daily driver? What type of landscape will it be mainly driven on? Do you live near any mountains?

If you are certain about 37s, then I would go 5.29s. But if you are thinking about going 35 or 36, then maybe 4.88s would be better for you (and gas mileage, life of engine and parts, etc.).

I wouldn't know what to say about 36s. It is right on the border line between 4.88s and 5.29s. If I were to run 35" then I wouldn't even hesitate to get 4.88s, and if I were to run 37s, then it would be the same for 5.29s.

[CTENG in KS]

I have 35's right now with 5.29's and they were a perfect match back to stock...with a little more power of the v6 the 4.88's would allow for a bit better mileage as BigMike said...I'ma stick with my fisrt inclination though, 36-37 you will be kicking yourself later when you are changing up to the 5.29's...just go with them first off.  Besides, you always have that itch for bigger tires, no one ever goes smaller.

[JErsland [OP]]

Thanks for the reply guys.... I live in tallahassee FL, This will be my daily driver and trail rig, with your replys to this post I think im going to go with the 5.29s I live pretty close to GA and AL and I want to do some crawling but this is going to see pavement and trails as well. Also what about lockers for daily drivers? Is it a good idea to lock the front end?


 Thanks
 

[CTENG in KS]

You don't drive around in 4wd so the front diff won't matter on the road.  The real question is your preference off road...in that case, a locker and a set of longfield joints in the front will make you wedy wedy happy.

[79coyotefrg]

i'd go with 4.88's  and a elocker in the rear     you know you'll get the dual case bug later 

[whiteman]

But once you get the dual cases, you'll get the crawl bug, and then want more, so you will get 5.29s eventually.  And then 4.7's, and then tripple cases and then...................

[79coyotefrg]

i have to admit  i just got my dual cases in and already wondering in my mind how nice  a 4.7  gearset would be

[yotacrawler4]

Hey ill tell you what, im not going to say get this or that, my truck i drive a couple times around town to show, off but mostly a trail rigg, and i have duals with just the 4.7's in the back, i just got my 36 iroks and i have 4.88s because i have broke 529s and my truck drives perfect so im jsut telling you that, what i have works to perfection.