well i wasn't planning on buying a new set of tires until i had enough to get marlin's 4.7 t-case gears but today i was offered a deal i couldn't refuse on a set of brand new 33x10.50 BFG AT tires so i bought them. i have a 3.0L V6, a 5 speed, and 4.56 gears and i was curious how much of a difference in gas mileage and power i will experience. anyone with this set up or experience in this area? thanks in advance.

A while back when i was having my locker installed i was considering re-gearing to 4.88s but was convinced not to do it by the shop because they said i would not notice a difference between 4.56 and 4.88s. so... will i not notice that difference if my tires are 2" bigger?

another unrelated question i had was about the Ball Joint Spacers. when i put them on i got an alignment and everything was good to go. roughly a year later and a few more wheeling trips under my belt i can SEE my alignment is no longer straight. given that i have taken it wheeling a few times, although i haven't jumped it or knocked it hard it is def. out of whack. my question is, is that it normal? does the lift cause alignment to be knocked out easily? i just want to know for future trips and if it is something i need to keep my eye on.
thanks
Byron

 

wheeling an IFS is hard on an alignment - esp with OEM springs which bottom out easier...

IMHO 4.56 with 33" is like OEM 4.10 with 31"...
5th gear wont work very well - esp on the hills ya have out there.

Im not a big fan of BJ spacers but thats just my opinion.

 

Honestly I thought the 4.56 were perfect for my 33's and they are 12.5's. The statement about 5th gear is correct though when on a hill.

 

i run the 33x10.50's with 4:10 and it moves pretty good (i have some engine mods though) any time you wheel a IFS you will need to get it aligned more often ( i do mine once a month here at the shop)

 

For once and for all - BULL☺☺☺☺ on the "you won't notice going from 4.56 to 4.88". You will DEFINITELY notice.

4.88 is the gearing you want for 33's with a manual transmission.

4.56 is OK, but you will like 4.88's better (I like the 4.88/33 combo MUCH better than either 4.56/31 or 4.56/33)

 

thanks for the comments! i never even thought of the fact that the IFS was weak and prone to getting knocked out of alignment when wheeling but now it makes sense... DUH . i guess i will have to check it more often. would an IFS truss and stiffer torsion bars help at all?

5th gear really doesnt show much love on the hills out here on 31's at this elevation anyway so i guess the 33's will teach me to anticipate a lot more. will the speedo be affected enough to raise concern? gas mileage?

 

I can't really comment on the power loss since I have 4.88's and an auto, but the difference on the speedo really isn't that bad. there's a website out there (i think its actually on 4crawlers site) that will calculate the change at whatever speed you put in, but I know that at 60 on the speedo, you're really going around 64. so its really not that bad until you get into the higher speeds.

 

If you have an NTB (National Tire & Battery) nearby, they have a 6 month policy with their alignments. If it goes out of whack, take it back for realignment FREE!.

 

the total choas brace will deff. help out

 

The alignment is held in place by the 4 bolts on the lower control arms. IF the alignment shop does not torque these down enough, they will move on your first wheeling trip.

You could have the alignment set, and then record the cam settings for future reference. If you think the alignment went out after a wheeling trip, you could check the cams to verify they have/not moved. You may even be able to reset the cams to the previous settings and be ready for more wheeling.

Alignment changes with articulation of the front suspension. If you adjust the torsion bars, up/down to a new ride height, the alignment will be a bit off.

Once you rig is at the height you want, and the alignment is done, everything should remain stable, until the bushings start to wear out. Since it should be stable, you should be able to return the cams to the settings from the alignment shop, and tighten them up good.

Toe-in is easy; but does not usually change, as long as the rest of the alignment does not change.

 

I suggest realigning your truck yourself. It will only be a little bit off which will be easy to diagnose. Search on it and you'll find a fair amount of info I have posted.

IFS will need occasional tweaking. A rear truss will help though.

If you had a bracket style lift you would be hitting the alignment shop in many cases every time you wheel. That it is taking so long to drift out of alignment is pretty good.

Frank

 

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i have'nt gone up there yet but bigger hills i'm in 3rd and on the freeway i'n usally in 4th i do have some power mods though
(RV street head/w cam, intake, lce header, flowmaster,)
it's not my DD so i dont mind it as much (i'm saving for a aussie locker and 4:88's)- chris

 

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