89 k5 gear swap

[89 beast]

Hey ya'll i'm sure there is plenty of posts out there on this topic but i need some advice on a gear swap in my blazer. I have 10 bolt front and rear with the stock 3.42 gears. It has a fairly strong 350 with 700r4 running 35"x12.5's buckshots. The rig just doesn't have the power i want with the stock gears. It is just a hunting rig (no rock crawling just occasionally bad mud hole). I would like to know what gear ratio to move up to where i will still have plenty of rpms for the mud. I would like to go ahead and install some lockers as well but nothing too aggressive. Any advice would be a great help!

thanks

 

[blazinzuk]

http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

You can play with whatever gear ratios and rpms you want till your hearts content there.

As far as lockers go, all automatic lockers basically do the same thing, some do it a bit louder. But there is not a more or less aggressive locker out there.

Limited slips can be more or less aggressive and might be a better choice for you in the front and a locker out back

 

[89 beast]

Thanks for the link, i will check that out. I would like to hear what other people are running in their rigs that might be similar to mine. Also, any suggestions on the a good place to order parts online? I would assume that i have 28 spline axles but not for sure. What is a good way to determine that i order the correct parts? suggestions on good brands would be a great help too.

thanks

 

[blazinzuk]

As far as gears go setup is more important then brand.

I have setup almost every brand out there. Some are easier to setup, some are harder. Our trucks are typically loud enough anyway so that a little gear whine goes unnoticed. Although on even cheaper brands I have never noticed much gear whine.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Thanks for the link, i will check that out. I would like to hear what other people are running in their rigs that might be similar to mine. Also, any suggestions on the a good place to order parts online? I would assume that i have 28 spline axles but not for sure. What is a good way to determine that i order the correct parts? suggestions on good brands would be a great help too.

thanks

I'm running 35" tires and 4.56 gears although I am running a D60/14FF combo (doesn't matter for comparison in this situation though). I wish I had gone with 5.13's.

You have 30 spline axles IF they are original.

 

[89 beast]

Ok thanks. This maybe a dumb question but how do I determine if I have 28 or 30 spline axles? I really don't know anything about differentials.

Thanks

 

[89 beast]

Ok thank you 4X4HIGH

 

[unik5]

Hey ya'll i'm sure there is plenty of posts out there on this topic but i need some advice on a gear swap in my blazer. I have 10 bolt front and rear with the stock 3.42 gears. It has a fairly strong 350 with 700r4 running 35"x12.5's buckshots. The rig just doesn't have the power i want with the stock gears. It is just a hunting rig (no rock crawling just occasionally bad mud hole). I would like to know what gear ratio to move up to where i will still have plenty of rpms for the mud. I would like to go ahead and install some lockers as well but nothing too aggressive. Any advice would be a great help!

thanks

I have an '87 with 350/700r4 as well running 37" tires and 10bolt front/14boltff rear(3.73 gearing). Because of the overdrive I will be going with 5.13 gears and a mini spool in the rear since my rig does not see a lot of highway. Hope that helps ya.

 

[89 beast]

Thanks for the ideas guys!