Another 4.88 or 5.13 decision help request.

[Maniak]

I've been going back and forth trying to figure out which ratio I want to put in the X.

Stats..
Currently its running 4.10 gears with a detroit in the rear, open in the front
33" tires
700r4 trans. 3.06:1 1st gear and .70:1 OD
bw 1354 transfer case (2.48 in case you forgot).
There is a "chance" I may switch to 35's BUT I just don't know.. Normally my limiting factor when wheeling is the X is too short BUT I really want to get my LSD in the front and I'd hate to put it in now with the 4.10's.

Its not a DD but I do drive it at least every month, more like every couple weeks at least. Driving pretty much always includes freeway driving (75mph speed limit) but I drive 60-65mph in the X.

I ran the #'s through the gear ratio calculator on 4lo.com and here is what I came up with for the 33" tires (I used 32.5 as the size since 33's are rarely ever 33")

4.10 gears (current setup)
65mph is 1928 rpms
crawl ratio is 31.1:1

4.88 gear
65mph is 2295 rpms
crawl ratio is 37.0:1

5.13 gear
65mph is 2413 rpms
crawl ratio is 38.9:1

As I see it, the crawl ratio change from 4.88 to 5.13 really isn't that much, especially since its an auto trans with a somewhat high stall.

Currently, 60-65 mph is out of my power band. That means if the X even see's a hill it will slow down if I'm at 60-65mph (<1900 rpms). The 4.88 would get be in the bottom of the power band and the 5.13 would get me higher into it.

However, 5.13's are expensive. I found a few places that have them, and its almost $60 more for the 5.13 gear over the 4.88, just for the front r&p.

Also, do the 5.13's really fit in our TTB front ends? I just took a TTB apart last night and there isn't that much room in there. That pinion must be really small for it to be a 5.13 AND it still looks like its must be a tight fit (if it fits) for the ring gear. I also have a LSD that will go into the front (doubt it really matters though)..

Also, from what I've read and have been told, I will have to change my rear diff cover to put in the 5.13s (have a rockcrusher now). I haven't seen that stated anywhere for the 4.88's though.

One last thing.. is the 5.13 going to put me over the edge for snapping u-joints with that extra torque or is the 4.88 already going to put me there anyway?

Soo.. with all that info, what everyone's opinion (and why of course).. I just can't decide..

Looking forward to some opinions...

~Mark

 

[Maniak]

Bump for the night crew...

 

[Rick]

The small pinion on 5:13s is a disadvantage. Fewer teeth have less area to spread the load across. That's the only down side I can think of. For wheelin' it would definitely be an advantage to have lower gears.

 

[cybergasm]

Think you also need to give consideration to the future availability of parts. If you happen to break the 5.13 gear sets will you be to get replacements later?

 

[minelson17]

I don't think you'll be disapointed at all with the 4.88's. Especially if you plan on sticking with the 33's and have an automatic. For me, it would be nice to "say" I have the 5.13's with my '92 manual when I'm offroad, but I'd still like to go 70 on the freeway without the rpm's being at 3k, (that's why I'm given her another lift and 35's . The 4.88's fit perfect in the stock diffs, and I'm yet to have an issue on the trail when I wished I had lower gears or caused any drivetrain damage. Keep in mind....you always have 4 low to turn to in times of need, I like to call it "tank mode".....good luck with the choice!

 

[Stic-o]

Love my 5.13's Takes time to get moving on the street, but run fine on the freeway. It does get horriable milage, about 10mpg, but thats not what it's built for:

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

knowin how my x runs on the highway with the 4.88s i think i made the right choice for me when i came to the same decision.

the 5.13s would be better off the highway, but the pinion has to be mad small (never had a set in my hands, but i know how much smaller the 4.88 is)

the 4.88s seem to be a bit better for an all around truck.

 

[Elessar65]

I have been debating this myself. With 35" tires I really want to go 5.13+, but with a c6 (no overdrive) highway travel will suck. The only time it will get driven is to/from the trails, but I want to be able to drive it several hudred miles without running 4k rpms. I am thinking 4.88, and building a 203/205 doubler down the road.

 

[gmanpaint]

Because you take it on the road, I would choose the 4.88. If it never seen the road, 5.13.

Carnage band with the stock 4.0 is 4.56 & up, LS will save parts more so than a locker, so your good there.

4.88= stock covers
5.13= larger covers

Regardless if you go 35" 4.88 will still work just fine.
Your MPG is going to be the big suck either way. LOL

 

[techieman33]

Your GPM is going to be the big suck either way. LOL

fixed that for you Gregg

 

[Maniak]

Seems like the 5.13's only advantage is really going to be getting me into the power band better at 60-65 and a little steeper gear off-road..

My mileage already sucks.. and I think partly because I'm under powered and under geared. at 60 mph I get 15mpg and I'm definably out of the power band.

The tiny pinion on the 5.13 worries me...
Finding replacements if I ever need them again (they are pretty hard to find already)..
the crawl ratio only goes up by 2:1 when off-road
The 5.13 pulls the truck 400 rpms higher into the power band but its sounding like that gain just doesn't justify being able to "say" I have 5.13's

~Mark

 

[Stic-o]

I only went to 5.13's becasuse I new I would go to 37's. If I didn't have OD, it would be almost undrivable on the highway

 

[4x4junkie]

If 5.13s continue to remain popular (and popular they are... Remember a few years ago there was almost always the weekly "Where are all the 5.13s!???" posts when Precision Gear went under?) I see no issue with them being available with Nitro Gear having been producing them for some time now, and Nitro Gear products seem to be getting good reviews from what I've seen too, so I feel confident they're decent. If Nitro should ever go under too, someone else I'm sure will be there to pick it up (Nitro I think is the only actual manufacturer making the 4.88s too IIRC).

Having a 0.70 overdrive, I think that makes all the more reason to go with 5.13s, especially if 35s are even remotely possible in the future. I suspect you'll be hatin' it with 4.88s, a .70 OD and 35s.

Yes, pinions do get smaller as you go deeper, but is anyone actually breaking them? All the worries about broken pinions yet I haven't seen any myself yet...

And 5.13s do fit the D35 100%. Nothing else has to be done to make them fit vs. with a taller ratio. I highly doubt there would be an issue with the rear 8.8 cover either (it's usually on 28-spline Ranger 8.8s the covers hits the gear). 5.13s cleared the stock steel cover on my '99 Ex axle fine, same for the girdle-style cover I have now.

 

[90gsplx]

I have been wondering this same thing. I have 8.5 in of lift with 35s and want to go to 13 in of lift and run 38s or 40s. i was thinking of running 5.13s with my stock motor and trans. Which is a 4.0 and a 5 sped in a 94 ranger. I also don't know if the front bearings will hold that big of a tire. Later i want to go to a 5.0 with a aod trans.

 

[Elessar65]

38s or 40s are D60 and 14 bolt territory. You will be destroying axle shafts left and right if you do anything other than mall crawl.

 

[4x4junkie]

I'd be looking at 5.38 gears with tires that size (again, this is gonna require 1-ton stuff).

37s is about the absolute max the stock axles can be reliable with (and even that's pushing it on heavier trucks such as 4-door Ex's and Ranger Supercabs)

 

[inh]

Hey Mark, I made a spreadsheet a while back because I was wondering the same things. Here are some screen shots for your setup:

If you, or anyone else wants the spreadsheet (in .xls or .odf format) just shoot me a PM with your email.