And Now, Todays stupid question!
05-30-2003, 03:03 PM
#1
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Oklahoma city
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And Now, Todays stupid question!
If you change the gears in the rear, do you have to change them up front too?
If not, in 4wheel drive, wouldn't the wheels be going at different speeds.
If so, how do you change the front ratio
If not, in 4wheel drive, wouldn't the wheels be going at different speeds.
If so, how do you change the front ratio
05-30-2003, 03:16 PM
#3
Contributing Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That is far from a stupid question! [scrambles and looks for his physics books]
Makes sense to change both out. But how come no one does that? You always hear about people changing the gearing in the rear.
Makes sense to change both out. But how come no one does that? You always hear about people changing the gearing in the rear.
05-30-2003, 04:02 PM
#4
Registered User
If you are a 4x4 you MUST regear both. You will have a plague of one thousand locusts thrust upon you if you don't do both 
You vehicle will be very unpredictable with different gearing front vs rear. Not to mention possible breakage of stuff.
You vehicle will be very unpredictable with different gearing front vs rear. Not to mention possible breakage of stuff.
I think most will agree.
05-30-2003, 04:08 PM
#6
Contributing Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Wandering around Phoenix
Posts: 6,033
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Originally posted by <96 Runner>
But how come no one does that? You always hear about people changing the gearing in the rear.
But how come no one does that? You always hear about people changing the gearing in the rear.
Trending Topics
05-30-2003, 05:25 PM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: El Paso, TX
Posts: 1,705
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you don't regear both then the tires will try to turn at different speeds. That wil trash your transfer case and cause a surging as one axle tries to catch up with the forward movement of the other axle. It is a recipe to wreck a lot of stuff.
Some mud specific vehicles that run different size tires front/rear do run different gear ratios but there the theory is that if the front tires spin faster then the truck is less likely to sink.
Some mud specific vehicles that run different size tires front/rear do run different gear ratios but there the theory is that if the front tires spin faster then the truck is less likely to sink.
05-30-2003, 06:51 PM
#10
Registered User
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Green Mountain, Colorado
Posts: 479
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Victor
If you don't regear both then the tires will try to turn at different speeds. That wil trash your transfer case and cause a surging as one axle tries to catch up with the forward movement of the other axle. It is a recipe to wreck a lot of stuff.
Some mud specific vehicles that run different size tires front/rear do run different gear ratios but there the theory is that if the front tires spin faster then the truck is less likely to sink.
If you don't regear both then the tires will try to turn at different speeds. That wil trash your transfer case and cause a surging as one axle tries to catch up with the forward movement of the other axle. It is a recipe to wreck a lot of stuff.
Some mud specific vehicles that run different size tires front/rear do run different gear ratios but there the theory is that if the front tires spin faster then the truck is less likely to sink.
C
05-30-2003, 07:43 PM
#12
Contributing Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: portland oregon
Posts: 705
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
mud boggers can get away with it because theyre never getting good traction. if you were in mud or ice youd be okay, plenty of slipping, but put it on the pavement and ill bet you start breaking stuff. im not going to let you guys prove this on my truck . sometimes guys can only afford one end at a time and theyll actually take out the front driveshaft just in case the hit 4wd by accident!
. sometimes guys can only afford one end at a time and theyll actually take out the front driveshaft just in case the hit 4wd by accident!
05-30-2003, 07:50 PM
#13
Contributing Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 5,278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes both diffs have to match. One of my main issues with the Dana44 is the 5.38 & 5.29 gear difference.
If Dana could run a 5.29..................... It would be done.
05-30-2003, 07:50 PM
#14
Registered User
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Green Mountain, Colorado
Posts: 479
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm pretty sure if you geared different front-to -rear you'd break down w/ in a mile or two. Maybe a couple more miles on grippy dirt. You wouldn't get far, that's for sure!
05-31-2003, 03:54 AM
#15
Registered User
Join Date: May 2003
Location: northern N.J.
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ratios
Earlier fords used to run 4.09:1 in the front and 4:10 in the rear the theory being that the front will pull a little faster in loose stuff(when you really need 4x4, before rock climbing became popular) and it accually worked pretty well, of coarse the disclaimer told you not to operate in 4x4 on hard surfaces 
05-31-2003, 04:51 AM
#16
Contributing Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 5,377
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: And Now, Todays stupid question!
Originally posted by livelarg
If you change the gears in the rear, do you have to change them up front too?
If not, in 4wheel drive, wouldn't the wheels be going at different speeds.
If so, how do you change the front ratio
If you change the gears in the rear, do you have to change them up front too?
If not, in 4wheel drive, wouldn't the wheels be going at different speeds.
If so, how do you change the front ratio
05-31-2003, 06:44 AM
#19
Contributing Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Urbandale, IA
Posts: 7,112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm not speaking from experience b/c I'm still on stock rubber, but from what I've heard people go to 33's without regearing all the time. You'll probably notice a power loss, but most just live with it. To fix that, you would want to regear.
