5 speed std vs tires - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"®

MARTY196 · 03-04-2003, 09:42 PM

after the arizona run my wife wants me to get bigger tire for the X. I currently have 31 on with a 5 speed standered tranny and 3.55 gears. well I read somewhere in a thread that if I go bigger on tires say to a 32 or a 33 that I won't like that power loss with a standered. so I would have to change the gears. I know you don't know if I'll like it or not, but are we talking major power loss or what . this is an everyday driver and also drive it to any 4x4 runs and pull a small pop up camper.

thanks for you help

**Alec** · 03-04-2003, 09:54 PM

You will want to change your diff gears to 4.10 or 4.56 if you go with 32s or larger.

How does it feel now? You may be able to live with 3.55 and 32s, but if you go with 33s you should definately regear IMO.

MARTY196 · 03-04-2003, 09:57 PM

right now it has great power can't really tell a difference from stock tire to 31. ( don't know if i should ) but it has great take off and highway speed.

**Doug** · 03-04-2003, 10:49 PM

Ive run 33s with 3.27 gears and a friend of mine with an explorer runs 3.27s and 33s offroad. its not the best but its doable.

NH25 · 03-04-2003, 10:54 PM

I ran 33's with the stock 3.73 gears and a 5 spd for about a year before I re-geared it to 4.56. You will notice a BIG power loss and 5th gear will become a thing of the past. My advice would be to re-gear your Explorer when you get the bigger tires, especially if you tow a trailer!

MARTY196 · 03-04-2003, 11:34 PM

okay thanks guys, I guess I'll start checking into gears to.

anyone else run 32 or 33 with 3:55 gears or lower?

*Josh S.* · 03-06-2003, 02:48 PM

Yep I'm runnin 3.55's in the rear and 3.27's in the front on 33's. I have a manual transmission as well. I dont even use fifth gear on the freeway at all. Occasionally when I'm going down a long hill and I want to get some speed I will go into 5th, but my truck doesnt like to go fast anyways, so I just kick it in fourth and go like 65-70mph or so. Off the line it sucks ceeock. Its not too bad when its just me, but driving around with 2 other 150lb dudes last night kinda sucked. Definitely I will regear, but I have done plenty of runs with this setup. You definitely can't crawl as slow as you want to, and 2wd is pretty worthless unless youre hauling ass.

You definitely wont be using 4wd high at all. The only time I shift into 4wd high is when I am shifting between 2wd and 4wd low.

So basically, forget about any pickup off the line, forget about 5th gear like that dude said, and forget about 4wd high.

Good luck

03-04-2003, 09:42 PM	#1
MARTY196 Wannabe Elite Explorer Albuquerque,New Mexico 1992 XLT Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 298 Vehicle Specs	5 speed std vs tires after the arizona run my wife wants me to get bigger tire for the X. I currently have 31 on with a 5 speed standered tranny and 3.55 gears. well I read somewhere in a thread that if I go bigger on tires say to a 32 or a 33 that I won't like that power loss with a standered. so I would have to change the gears. I know you don't know if I'll like it or not, but are we talking major power loss or what . this is an everyday driver and also drive it to any 4x4 runs and pull a small pop up camper. thanks for you help __________________ Marty Albuquerque N.M 1992 XLT 4X4 4.0L 5 speed std trans shackles, f-150 spacers, 2in body lift 32x11.50x15 BFG ko, mile marker hubs,smittybilt bumper. http://community.webshots.com/user/marty1973

03-04-2003, 09:54 PM	#2
Alec Mod Emeritus Houston, Texas 2008 JK Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 16,056 Vehicle Specs	You will want to change your diff gears to 4.10 or 4.56 if you go with 32s or larger. How does it feel now? You may be able to live with 3.55 and 32s, but if you go with 33s you should definately regear IMO. __________________ Alec "Dr. Candlepower" Rosenbaum Daily: 2008 JK Gone: EE "Splat", 2003 VW GTI VR6, 85 Bronco project

03-04-2003, 09:57 PM	#3
MARTY196 Wannabe Elite Explorer Albuquerque,New Mexico 1992 XLT Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 298 Vehicle Specs	right now it has great power can't really tell a difference from stock tire to 31. ( don't know if i should ) but it has great take off and highway speed. __________________ Marty Albuquerque N.M 1992 XLT 4X4 4.0L 5 speed std trans shackles, f-150 spacers, 2in body lift 32x11.50x15 BFG ko, mile marker hubs,smittybilt bumper. http://community.webshots.com/user/marty1973

03-04-2003, 10:49 PM	#4
Doug Combat Sexy Fort Meade, MD 97 Sport Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 5,754 Vehicle Specs	Ive run 33s with 3.27 gears and a friend of mine with an explorer runs 3.27s and 33s offroad. its not the best but its doable. __________________ 97 Explorer Life's hard. Wear a helmet.

03-04-2003, 10:54 PM	#5
NH25 Wannabe Elite Explorer Salt Lake City, UT '98 Sport 4WD Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 111 Vehicle Specs	I ran 33's with the stock 3.73 gears and a 5 spd for about a year before I re-geared it to 4.56. You will notice a BIG power loss and 5th gear will become a thing of the past. My advice would be to re-gear your Explorer when you get the bigger tires, especially if you tow a trailer! __________________ Mike 98 Sport 2DR 4WD No mods, yet!

03-04-2003, 11:34 PM	#6
MARTY196 Wannabe Elite Explorer Albuquerque,New Mexico 1992 XLT Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 298 Vehicle Specs	okay thanks guys, I guess I'll start checking into gears to. anyone else run 32 or 33 with 3:55 gears or lower? __________________ Marty Albuquerque N.M 1992 XLT 4X4 4.0L 5 speed std trans shackles, f-150 spacers, 2in body lift 32x11.50x15 BFG ko, mile marker hubs,smittybilt bumper. http://community.webshots.com/user/marty1973

03-06-2003, 02:48 PM	#7
Josh S. can't kick the habit Seabeck, WA '93 sport 4x4 Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,770 Vehicle Specs	Yep I'm runnin 3.55's in the rear and 3.27's in the front on 33's. I have a manual transmission as well. I dont even use fifth gear on the freeway at all. Occasionally when I'm going down a long hill and I want to get some speed I will go into 5th, but my truck doesnt like to go fast anyways, so I just kick it in fourth and go like 65-70mph or so. Off the line it sucks ceeock. Its not too bad when its just me, but driving around with 2 other 150lb dudes last night kinda sucked. Definitely I will regear, but I have done plenty of runs with this setup. You definitely can't crawl as slow as you want to, and 2wd is pretty worthless unless youre hauling ass. You definitely wont be using 4wd high at all. The only time I shift into 4wd high is when I am shifting between 2wd and 4wd low. So basically, forget about any pickup off the line, forget about 5th gear like that dude said, and forget about 4wd high. Good luck __________________ 93' Explorer Sport 4x4 Race Explorer Build Prerunner Ranger Build Seabeck 4x4 and Fab