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Time to jump in as these are ideas I have been kicking around. I’m tired of getting into top gear (T-18 ) at 35 mph and having to scream down the freeway just to try and keep up with traffic; like looking for a gear that’s not there. I’m not sure replacing my 4.56s with 2.73 gears is as tall as I want to go but I am interested in how well it works.
Kane - yes I know about swapping knuckles. It is the package that drew my attention.
I have a passing interest in going with disk brakes, but not enough to just do it.
Most of the cost associated with changing the Dana 30 gears for me is getting the right carrier and the labor in fitting the gears to the differential. This axle has the gear/carrier already installed. Labor alone can cost more that the price of the entire axle.
My front end is showing signs of needing ball joints. If I purchase this complete axle I can rebuild it at my leisure and install it myself.
It sounds like I've got my mind set on purchasing the axle, in reality the whole project is balanced toward leaving my Jeep as it is until another day.
Saddle Tramp - 4.56 gears certainly would take all top end out of any vehicle. In a perfect world we would have 2 speed rear ends suitable vehicles like a Jeep or pickup. Life would be so much simpler to have both road gears, say 2.73's and 4.56's available at the flick of a switch like they have in 18 wheelers and dump trucks.
It does surprise me to see how much resistance the idea of having roadable gears in a Jeep has. I can see how slow gears are a great help on the truck crushing trails like the Rubicon, and mud grinding off roading like in parts of the south, or in the slow twisty wood land trails. Unfortunately those road type are rare out here where dust and ranch two tracks with LONG stretches or highway between are the rule.
I don't know what axles you have in the rear, in a Dana 30 front 3.73's are as low as you can go without a carrier change. I'd push for 3.54's, but the extra cost of new carriers might make the project to expensive.
I don't know what axles you have in the rear, in a Dana 30 front 3.73's are as low as you can go without a carrier change. I'd push for 3.54's, but the extra cost of new carriers might make the project to expensive.
I think along the same lines as you do with gearing. I have run 3.54 most of my life with 33 inch tire and feel it is a perfect dual purpose gear with a four speed. I don't listen to the internet hype much since all of my experience was formed before forums got popular. I just did what worked for me and my budget. My scrambler i am building has 3.73 gears with a five speed and 33 inch tires. If i need lower then i will spring for the 4.1 kits in the Transfer Case . M
It had the Dana 30 /Dana 20 but i never drove it and they had 2.73s. I bought a basket case. I put scout dana 44s in it but the project is no where near finished. My CJ5 had 3.07s and now 3.54 gears. I drove the CJ5 from Utah to CT with that combo and it ran at 70mph for hours on end with no issues at all. When i lived in Utah i went to Moab twice a year and ran most of the hard trails without any issues.
