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gear ratio advice

8

89k5350

1/2 ton status
Joined
Mar 14, 2011
Posts
432
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Location
springwater ny
ok i just found out my 87 k10 has 3.08 gears and ive got 35s on it and wanna keep that size. i was shocked!! because the truck has decent amount of power but i wanna change the gears its a 87 k10 stepside stock 350tbi and 700r4 and im looking for some good acceleration and torque but still be able to go 70 down the highway. i cant decide if i should do 4.56 or 4.10, the only thing im worried bout with 4.56 is reving high at 65-70. if you guys could recomend what gears or tell me what setup you have and what you think of it that would be MUCH APPRECIATED:bow:
 
Consider finding 3/4 ton axles that already have 4.10's, much cheaper than re-gearing and they're a direct swap (well, brakelines will be different for '78 and older but that's it). You'd need new wheels, but you'd get a bullet proof rear end and bigger brakes as well, typically for a few hundred $$.

If you're going to swap gears in what you have, I'd go 4.56 and not look back unless it sees highway time only.
 
THANKS ill look for some axels locally but i can buy a front and rear 4.56 gear and installation kit for 430 bucks i will take the axels into consideration
 
89k5350 said:
THANKS ill look for some axels locally but i can buy a front and rear 4.56 gear and installation kit for 430 bucks i will take the axels into consideration
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New? What brand? How much to install?

That's a smoking price if it's decent stuff but it's cheap enough it smells suspicious.
 
ive got 4 .56s and 36s with a 4 speed manual. my 4th gear cruise is right at 55ish. on the highway she definantly revs too high and its a pain. my reccomendation is 3.73s or 4.10s
 
I've got an 88 with a 700R4, 35s, and 4.10s. This is actually overcompensating a little from the factory ratio and tire size (i.e. the speedometer will read faster than actual), but I can cruise on the interstate at 70-75 @2200-ish rpms. Power feels good, but I don't use OD except on the interstate.

edit: I also started with 3.08s
 
well looks like ill be ordering those gears soon because me my brother and my buddys are always talkin crap bout whose truck is faster and were always drag racing so that settles it. thanks for the advice i really appreciate it
 
89k5350 said:
your the person ive been looking for lol but hows your acceleration or take off power?
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I have no complaints. I can bark the tires at will from a stop, pulls good through the gears, and can still pass people on the interstate if I want to.

If I remember correctly, your 10 bolt has a '3-series' carrier so if you go to 4.10s or 4.56s you'll need either 1)ring gear spacer, 2) 4-series carrier, or 3) thick cut gears for a 3-series carrier.

This was not an issue for me as I replaced my Bull!@# Gov-Lok exploding diff with a Detroit True-Trac. Don't hear about em much these days, but it's basically a geared posi with no clutches. Mine's been really good to me:waytogo:
 
rebelgregory said:
If I remember correctly, your 10 bolt has a '3-series' carrier so if you go to 4.10s or 4.56s you'll need either 1)ring gear spacer, 2) 4-series carrier, or 3) thick cut gears for a 3-series carrier.
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The 2.56:1 carrier is the only special one (rare!), anything deeper than that uses the same carrier for any ratio.

Most diffs have a carrier split (usually 4.10/4.56) but not the 10 bolt, most anything fits the stock carrier unless you have the rarest, crappiest gear ever!
 
ok first i have a 2.73:1 carrier and im pretty positive it will take 4.56s and see i like to some times drive out of state to see family or trips to 4x4 events and 70 at 2200 rpms sounds decent but i want to be able beat the average truck in a acceleration race
 
89k5350 said:
ok first i have a 2.73:1 carrier and im pretty positive it will take 4.56s and see i like to some times drive out of state to see family or trips to 4x4 events and 70 at 2200 rpms sounds decent but i want to be able beat the average truck in a acceleration race
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Your first post says 3.08's, assuming those are the gears you have you can upgrade with just ring/pinion/shims/bearings. Average shop install cost is ~$500-800 for both, keep that in mind.

That's why I mentioned the 3/4 ton axles: cheap, easy, and already geared way deeper than what you have.

As far as drag racing other trucks, you haven't given us much...
 
89k5350 said:
ok first i have a 2.73:1 carrier and im pretty positive it will take 4.56s and see i like to some times drive out of state to see family or trips to 4x4 events and 70 at 2200 rpms sounds decent but i want to be able beat the average truck in a acceleration race
Click to expand...

My truck will get up and go, but If you want to race, I would go with 4.56s. However, I would question the ability of the 10 bolt to handle 35s, the torque of 4.56s AND a heavy foot.

I should mention that I threw my 10 bolt in the trash after blowing 2 gov-loks, before I got 4.10s, but it it wasn't pertinent to the gear ratio questions.
 
89k5350 said:
well looks like ill be ordering those gears soon because me my brother and my buddys are always talkin crap bout whose truck is faster and were always drag racing so that settles it. thanks for the advice i really appreciate it
Click to expand...
I ran 4:56s with 35" tires and the 700R4 and at 65 2160 RPM. I also went from 3:08 to the 4:56s didn't like being passed by an old 40 horse Volkswagen Beetle going to Tahoe.:eek1::eek1::eek1::eek1:
 
i dont make much money but i think im going to take a chance on putting 4:56s in my 10 bolts and then take it easy until i save up enough for a detroit locker in the rear
 
Cool beans. I say go for it. You'll be glad you did.

However, before you buy a detroit for it and all that, you really might want to look for a 3/4 or 1 ton axle (like 38377k5 suggested). Whole axle is about as much as a detroit in some cases and can be found in your desired ratio.

Take burnout pictures.
 
im excited cause ive raced a 95 silverado 350tbi 5 speed 35s no lift and a 2001 dodge ram 318 5 speed 300,000miles 285s no lift and beat them both i was only a little faster than ram but i walked the other one pretty good ikeand my truck only weighs like 4500 lbs because stepside bed is lighter but i appreciate all the opinions suggestions and advice
 
for all that cash in 10 bolts i got a set of 1tons with 4.10 gears. then just buy rims.

the rear is from a 3/4 ton also so bolt in and go.

drop me a pm if you wana talk.

and 10 bolts / 44 front dont like big tires and power over 4.10 gears as much . thay tend to rip teeth off the ring gear . had a few do it to me till dana 60 install. friend had a few also over the years.
 
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