Another question on Gears (Attn: Warrlord)

[Jcmichalik2]

OK so I'm looking around online at all the companies that make gears, and I have a question regarding using different companies for the same ratio front and back.

Like I told you earlier, I'm looking to do 4.10 front and back (or 4.11, whichever is more common in-between gear companies)

I found that Motive Gear has a Dana 35 IFS Reverse cut 4.10:1 gear set, but when I looked for the Ford 8.8" rear gears, the 4.10 only applied to 90-92 4.0L Rangers, so I go to another gear site (Richmond Gear) and found a 4.10 ratio gear set that applies to my Ranger.

Now the question is, is it wise to have one company supply the 4.10 front axle gears, and the other company supply the 4.10 back axle gears?

I figured I'd ask you Warrlord, since you've done numerous gears, and I'm sure you would know best as to which gear company is good, which is bad, and you might know if there are any issues that I would run into by getting 2 different companies' gear sets.

You said you got your gears from a shop around here, but I meant to ask which company the shop you went to received their gear sets from (i.e. Richmond, Precision, Dana, Motive, etc.)

Hope you can clear that up for me. I ask a lot of questions if that weren't apparent already :P. Better safe than sorry though....

John

[Warrlord]

OK so I'm looking around online at all the companies that make gears, and I have a question regarding using different companies for the same ratio front and back.

Like I told you earlier, I'm looking to do 4.10 front and back (or 4.11, whichever is more common in-between gear companies)

I found that Motive Gear has a Dana 35 IFS Reverse cut 4.10:1 gear set, but when I looked for the Ford 8.8" rear gears, the 4.10 only applied to 90-92 4.0L Rangers, so I go to another gear site (Richmond Gear) and found a 4.10 ratio gear set that applies to my Ranger.

Now the question is, is it wise to have one company supply the 4.10 front axle gears, and the other company supply the 4.10 back axle gears?

I figured I'd ask you Warrlord, since you've done numerous gears, and I'm sure you would know best as to which gear company is good, which is bad, and you might know if there are any issues that I would run into by getting 2 different companies' gear sets.

You said you got your gears from a shop around here, but I meant to ask which company the shop you went to received their gear sets from (i.e. Richmond, Precision, Dana, Motive, etc.)

Hope you can clear that up for me. I ask a lot of questions if that weren't apparent already :P. Better safe than sorry though....

John

Hi ya John. What I ended up with on mine is Richmond gears in the rear & Dana gears in the front. There's absolutley no problem using two different brands as long as the brands are decent. I've set up three sets of Motive Gears & didn't have the slightest problem with them. Correct pattern, backlash........It was all good. What I'm saying is, go with your best price that includes shipping.

On the 8.8 4.10 for 90-92 Rangers, Their listing/catalog must be screwed up. You could order 4.10's for a '86 Mustang GT or a '04 Crown Vic & those gears would work in your 8.8.

No problem on the questions John, hope it helps ya out. :)

[Jcmichalik2]

Ok good to know that. Wasn't sure if there were any major differences in between the different companies.

Well, once I get some dough together (i.e. enough to get a 4" lift, the gears, and 33s), and can find some excellent deals on said stuff. I'll probably come to you for help with the gears, and possibly the lift as well (since you practically have to take the whole front end apart from the looks of it to do the gears, so may as well install a lift in the midst).

Thanks again. I appreciate the information.

-John

[Warrlord]

:thumbup: Right on John, let me know when you're ready.

[mattadams]

Warrlord, I know we talked about this a while ago, but are you able to install gears in the F-150's? It's a little more complicated because of the suspension setup, etc. but I dont know how hard it will be. I already have the gears, they are yukon gears from randys r&p, 4.56:1. The front axle is the 8.8, the rear is 9.75... supposedly the kit I have has everything it needs like the master install kit, etc. but Im not sure on bearings...

[UrbanCowboy]

Hey, Jcmichalik2

I'm right over in Westminster, so if you're doing this work yourself, I'd be more than happy to help out. I've done a body lift on my truck, no suspension, and I also did my own gears in the rear.

I used Genuine Gear because nobody was around to tell me that was a dumb idea. No brekage yet though. Knock on Wood

[rino351]

I used Genuine Gear because nobody was around to tell me that was a dumb idea. No brekage yet though. Knock on Wood

That's what I have too. I didn't realize it was a bad company until Warrlord spoke up about it, and by that time I already had them in. I have Dana Spicer gears for the front.
Hey Warrlord, what would be your price to install some 4.10s in the D35 TTB for my explorer? email me offroadx@mho.com
Thanks,
Ryan

[Jcmichalik2]

UrbanCowboy: That would be excellent! The more help, the merrier (and faster) I could get everything done.

Like I told Warrlord, I'm waiting until I get 33" tires, a 4" lift (should be enough to clear 33s), and the 4.10 gears with master install kits, that way, I can get everything knocked out right then and there. I could even use my shop (I work at John Elway Dodge on Arapahoe), that is, if my boss will be cool with it, or if Warrlord can, use his shop (he works at a Chevy dealer [I think?]). If none of those go through, well, good old fashioned backyard tinkering never hurts :P.

I'll definately let you know, and warrlord as well when I'm ready (it may be quite a while, unless I can find some smoking deals)

[Warrlord]

I used Genuine Gear because nobody was around to tell me that was a dumb idea. No brekage yet though. Knock on Wood

It's not a dumb idea at all. The only way I found out about them is by installing other brands before I ever tried a genuine gear set. I actually know several people who have genuine gears & have had them for years now without a problem. It's just a "personal" hangup I have. It's not a jab at genuine gear, it's just that I don't prefer them (one of my little quirks). However, they're the only gears I know of that have a "No Questions Asked" breakage warranty, so at least they back up their product very well.

The last time I set up genuine gears was in my brothers Cherokee. That was over three years ago & it's still going strong. The setup took a while on the rear diff but the front set up like a set of Richmonds.

Please don't think I'm "busting" on genuine gear. I'm not. I just prefer different brands. Kinda like.........Most of us here prefer Ford Trucks but that doesn't mean the other brands won't work. :)

I ran genuine gears in my ole '86 Ranger. The rear set up easy. The front was a different story. The pattern was sooooooo irregular. I had a Dana TrakLoc for the front so I thought maybe something was wrong with it but I sent the gears back & had them replaced. (this was before 4Wheel Parts was in town). They sent a new set without a problem. This time, they set up right. By remembering this & a couple others after that, that's my only reasoning behind my personal hangup about genuine.

:oops: I am by no means a gear guru (so to speak) so please don't take my personal hangup as written in stone. :)

[Warrlord]

Ryan, email sent.

Matt, PM sent. :) :)

[rino351]

Hey Larry, I think I am gonna put a LS in the front, like you suggested. :P
I am not sure as to how long it would ship, do you have a preference on dates as to when I could get you the pig with the gears/LS?
Do you have any hook-ups on those Trac-Lok's? :)
Thanks,
Ryan

[Warrlord]

Sorry Ryan, no hookups on goodies like that. I wish I did have a hookup for items like that, it wouldn't have cost as much to build my truck.

As for a time frame, that's up to you. Whenever you can get me the pig, It'll be two working days........tops. I plan on staying late or going in on a Saturday to get it done so it's whenever you can get it to me. Let me know when you're ready :D

[rino351]

okay, will do :headbang:
I can't wait!

[2000 xlt]

Got a question for you all. After upgrading tire size, I thinking i need to change out my gears, i have stock on still. Wondering how much it would total costs would be to have 4.10s or 4.56s installed. Any info would help.

Thanks,

John

[mattadams]

I am going from 3.55 to 4.56. The gears were about $700, and labor will be about $700. If I'd had gears done at the same time the lift, the labor would've been about $250, but they have to take apart a lot of the suspension for that, and I didn't have time to do gears when we were doing the lift, since I had to get it ready for SEMA.

If you've got the 5.4L with the 9.75 rear, you can use the same gears I got. Let me know if your looking to buy them and maybe I'll sell you mine. I have to finance a possible doggy bladder surgery soon :(.

[rino351]

What is stock gearing on a F150?
I couldn't imagine 4.56's with a V8!! :wow:

[mitchmcse]

Most of the trucks come with either 3.55 or 3.73 gears limited and non-limited...so really both are stock.

[2000 xlt]

MATT- i do have a 5.4 L with 9.75 rear. What size gears are you offering me, are they in your truck now. Would i need to change for front and back or get by doing rear only.. I check my MPG after putting my tires on and got 12mpg. Hoping gears would increase gas MPG.

Let me know

john

[Warrlord]

MATT- i do have a 5.4 L with 9.75 rear. What size gears are you offering me, are they in your truck now. Would i need to change for front and back or get by doing rear only.. I check my MPG after putting my tires on and got 12mpg. Hoping gears would increase gas MPG.

Let me know

john

If you're gonna change gear ratios, Yes you do have to change both diffs to the same ratio. You can do the rear or the front first but you must NEVER put it in 4wd until BOTH diffs have the same ratio gears installed. Carnage will occur otherwise.

What was your mileage before the tire swap? I assumed you had around 31" tires? That 315-70R17 equals out to 34". If you have 3.55 gears, that is around a 3.19 final drive ratio according to the calculator I used online. It came up with a 4.10 ratio to be used with your current tire size to get it back to near stock final drive ratio. But the calculators are programmed for a 1:1 ratio..........That means if you had an old 3 speed auto trans in 3rd gear or a standard trans running in 4th gear the ratio would be 1:1. Since you have overdrive in your trans & with the extra rolling resistance of the larger tires creating more drag on & effort from the engine, 4.56's would be my choice for your setup. Overdrive will reduce the rpm's when driving on the highway. Your mileage may not improve significantly whether you use 4.10's or 4.56's but it should improve a little. While driving in town, your foot won't be as far into the pedal to get the truck moving as it is now. By that I mean, the less the the throttle is opened, the less gas you use. You're rpm's will be a tad higher than they are now, but your engine will be back in it's torque band so it won't be trying so hard (like it is now) to get the truck moving. Meaning less effort required from the engine.

There were quite a few folks on The Ranger Station that were running 31" tires with 3.27's & 3.45's & getting horrible mileage. They put 4.56's in their diffs & are now back in the high teens/low 20's for mileage where they were before when they ran 27/28" tires. Contrary to popular belief, 4.10's & 4.56's are not steep gear ratios. It's all about getting your truck moving with the engine in it's optimum torque producing range in relation to tire size, vehicle weight, engine output.

With my tire size & my wimpy engine, I should be running 5.88's. If they made 'em for my diffs, I'd have 'em in there.

Hope this helps you out some. :)

[mattadams]

yeah the gears are 4.56 and does include the fronts and rears... as well as the master install kit. I plan to re-gear at some point, because I'm sure it will increase my mileage, but right now, gotta have priorities... $700 more to install the gears, or $1500 doggie surgery...

[Burg460]

What is stock gearing on a F150?
I couldn't imagine 4.56's with a V8!! :wow:

I am running 4.56's in mine and I have the 351w. :mrgreen:

I am also running Genuine Gear's in mine. 4 wheel parts had a weekend only sale a year ago for front and rear ring and pinions with master install kits for like $379 and I couldn't resist that deal as at the time I was running my 38's on 3.55's and that killed my mileage (9mpg) and power, overdrive was non existant. LOL I set mine up with no problems as it was my first time tackeling something like this (suprised they are still going too!). I found that reading tips and tricks on the net helped greatly. I have not had any problems with mine, especially being my first time doing it. LOL

Although I wish I would have went with 4.88's though but Genuine Gear didn't make them any bigger then 4.56's a year ago and it is still a little doggy on a hill on the highway but any other time I can bury the speedo, so I made by with what I could get with the $$ I had. I may redo them in the future and go with some 5.13's.... :mrgreen: