Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Hello Guest, we are proud to now have our Wiki online that is completely compiled and written by our members. Feel free to browse our Jeep-CJ Wiki or click on any orange keyword when looking at posts in the forum.
I've been looking at getting a jeep and their a lot of three speed tranies out there. What's the top end limitations of those. I want to be able to drive it on the roads and highways. Getting to and from off road locations. Will it cruise at 55 or will it be winding out.
1980 Cj5, 350 chevy (i built myself), T176, Dana 300, stock narrow trac 3.54 axles, locked in the rear, power steering, power brakes, tilt steering, Warn lockouts, 31x10.50x15 AT's, hi lift jack mounted on the front, bed lined tub, firestick cb setup, 5 in hella lights, NO RUST!!
my dads has a 3 speed and it runs down the highway just fine. my has a 4 speed and its not any different for rpm vs cruising speed. it all depends on the gear ratio in the differentials. ours are 3.54. dads is a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l inline 6 and mine is the 4cyl iron duke.
1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
cass has it right. Top gear for any 3 speed is the same as any 4 speed. They are all 1 to 1 in top gear. The only Overdrive to go into a CJ has been the T-5 and you would want to avoid that POS tranny.
As Cass said the gearing in the axle and the tire size will dictate how it drives on the highway (RPMs).
The big difference in driving a 3 speed is their is a bigger separation between each gear. In other words if you are on the highway and want to downshift to pass someone and you have a 3 speed then when you downshift your engine will SCREAM! You really won't be able to downshift a 3 speed on the highway. You could redline.
1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
You must register or login to view hidden content on this page.
In the '70s a lot of CJs came with very strong transmissions but they were often 3 speeds.
In the '80s a lot of CJs came with 4 or 5 speeds but they were often very weak transmissions.
As the others have stated the top gear in a Jeep 3 speed or 4 speed is 1:1 regardless of flavor and the main factor becomes the gearing in the axles. My stock 1972 CJ5 with an AMC 304, 3 speed T15 transmission, and what I suspect were 3.73 axle gears, would dance down the freeway at 80 mph without strain. (Of course the speed limit in my then neck of the woods use to be 75 mph.) This jeep was my daily driver at the time.
Last edited:
Register now
You must register or login to view hidden content on this page.
