Gears and Speeds !!!!!

[Makahveli]

O.K. I don't know about the second and third gen explorers but have a good question about ring and pinion gear ratios. Right now mine are stock, and I don't even know what that ratio is but with my 32" Mickey Thopsons everybody tells me to go with 4.10 or 4.11 gear ratio. Cause I'm killing my clutch with the stock gears. I know with them I'll gain alot of power but lose top speed. I wanna know what are the top speed of each gear ratio that can be installed in the explorers? I mean I'm still going to sumtimes use my Ex as a daily driver and I still want to be able to pass up slower traffic on the high ways. I can't aford the luxuy of using it for Off-Road use only yet.

 

[tac0meat]

http://www.explorerforum.com/ntrprize/Axle.htm

that link is to the axle codes, your axle code is in the door jamb of the driver side door. that will help you to find out your current ratio.

this site here:
http://www.dirtroad.com/gears.htm
will help you to calculate out your speed at given rpm and gear ratios. your top stock speed is prolly no more than 95mph, with 4.10 you should be able to reach that easily but your engine will be running at a higher rpm. with 32inch tires you might want to consider slowing down and keepin the max around 80, the bigger your tires and higher your lift, the more dangerous high speeds become.

4.10s will also help your acceleration while passing too. check your axle code and play with those claculators, then you can determine what gears to get and how high your rpms will be at a given speed.

 

[Makahveli]

so with 4.10's I can still drive pretty fast, and whats the fastest about? I don't understand that system yet. I mean some people told me I won't even see 65 MPH out of it

 

[dgibson]

Mak,

I have 4.10 gears and 35" tires and I still can get the x up to about 100. I have only done it once just to see if it would. You won't see me doing that anymore though. The x kind of starts to sway at that fast. Plus, going that fast I figure if a tire blows out that is just gauranteed death with that big a tire.

 

[Alec]

Your top speed isn't really a consideration with the Explorer, it's gonna be highway mileage due to higher RPMs. Our trucks rarely see more than 110 mph, and you should be able to do that with any reasonable gear ratio.

 

[jake the snake]

i've got 3.27 gears and i can do 70 mph at 2000 rpm all day long.

 

[Makahveli]

yeah but I have tires with very thick thread patterns, nt even made of regular tire rubber, and you should know how the torque of firing off is very poor. My Ex is 5 speed manual so it's like hell when I'm on an inclined hill at a stop light trying to accelerate on an upgrade.

 

[dgibson]

I would defintely go with either the 4.10's or the 4.56's

 

[jake the snake]

i'll buy another explorer before i change the gears in mine. i just know for next time what else to look for.
higher gear ratio, and DEFINITELY limited slip diffs
no more of this open axle business

 

[410Fortune]

skip the 4.10 ratio.

I have 4.10's with 33x12.5 and 6" lift.
Custom A4LD overdrive auto tranny

If I keep her in D on the higway 75 MPH is right at 3000 RPM

IN OD (overdrive) it;s back down to 2350 RPM at 75 MPH.

I can get my little BII up over 100 MPH if I wanted to, and I dont, not unless it's across the salt flats or dessert..

If I could go back and do it over again (I will) I would skip the 4.10's and go right to 4.56 for 33's and a overdrive tranny (or 5 speed stick)

The 4.0L makes all it's power down low, like 2250-3500 if I remeber right, and thats right where you want it.

I am now thinking 35's and I would NEED 4.56, I would prefer 4.88 but nobody makes the 4.88 for the front D35 TTB

Here's my recomendations, based on my own experience with the BII/Explorer/Ranger and the 4.0L OHV

30-31" tires = 3.73 (would even prefer 4.10)

33-35" tires = 4.56

Skip the 4.10, go 4.56, you wont regret it.
with 4.56 I would be looking at 2800-3000 RPM at 75 mph in OD, live-able

Plus I bet this baby would serisouly haul ass if I popped those 30" BFG'sback on! hahaha......my speedo would be just a "little" off

 

[Mascman]

I had 33"s with my 4.56s and a 5 speed. I drove around in 5th all the time and lost overdrive. Highway speeds I was taching 3,000, but the mpg's weren't all that bad. From a dead stop I could start in 2nd, go to 3rd and straight to 5th. The gears revved out quick, but once I was in 5th I didn't need to downshift even on a decent hill. With this combo I would estimate mileage at 18-19 mpg.

I went to 35"s and gained back some overdrive. Now I actually use 4th gear driving around town. On the highway it still tachs close to 3000 at 75MPH. I did loose a little gas mileage. I am estimating about 16 mpg. There is some mass to the 35s! I still don't have any trouble turning them and plus it looks bad as hell so I keep telling myself it's worth it!

 

[Hokie]

I've got 4.10's and 32's and it suits fine. Only on long uphills can I tell a difference, but thats compared to 4.10's and 30"s (stock) that I always thought was geared a little to low for my non-tow rig. But then again, I've got the SOHC so its a different beast.

 

[IAmTodd]

Originally posted by Mascman
plus it looks bad as hell!

I'll agree with you there, I saw you going up first street in Apollo a while back with the quad behind you and it looked awsome!

 

[Robb]

Originally posted by 410Fortune
I am now thinking 35's and I would NEED 4.56, I would prefer 4.88 but nobody makes the 4.88 for the front D35 TTB

There IS a way around that my friend!!

 

[Makahveli]

O.K. then I'll go along with the 4.10's, Now my cheap A$$ gotta come up with money for this expensive mod. Sucks so bad, but still cheaper than buying a supercharger.

 

[dgibson]

Originally posted by Mascman
I had 33"s with my 4.56s and a 5 speed. I drove around in 5th all the time and lost overdrive. Highway speeds I was taching 3,000, but the mpg's weren't all that bad. From a dead stop I could start in 2nd, go to 3rd and straight to 5th. The gears revved out quick, but once I was in 5th I didn't need to downshift even on a decent hill. With this combo I would estimate mileage at 18-19 mpg.

I went to 35"s and gained back some overdrive. Now I actually use 4th gear driving around town. On the highway it still tachs close to 3000 at 75MPH. I did loose a little gas mileage. I am estimating about 16 mpg. There is some mass to the 35s! I still don't have any trouble turning them and plus it looks bad as hell so I keep telling myself it's worth it!

You mpg must be nice. I have the 4.10 with 35's and on the highway I'm only getting 14.8. X is starting to have a hard pull, right into the gas station.