lower R&P or doubler?

[Greg72]

Maybe you should run some numbers for a 700R4 tranny also....

It's got a substantially deeper 1st Gear than a TH400 and with the overdrive, it will allow you to get away with deep axle gears and still drive on the highway when you need to.

The tranny could be swapped in first.....then as money allows, you could re-gear the axles.

It's not an ideal solution, but it's probably a pretty decent bang-for-the-buck option....especially if you can score the 700R4 for a decent price.


Avoid the temptation to just throw deep axle gears at it. When you realize how miserable the truck will be on the highway, you are really going to hate how impractical the truck has become.

 

[twoslo4five0]

Maybe you should run some numbers for a 700R4 tranny also....

It's got a substantially deeper 1st Gear than a TH400 and with the overdrive, it will allow you to get away with deep axle gears and still drive on the highway when you need to.

The tranny could be swapped in first.....then as money allows, you could re-gear the axles.

It's not an ideal solution, but it's probably a pretty decent bang-for-the-buck option....especially if you can score the 700R4 for a decent price.


now i know why im glad i bought another truck with a 700/208 ...greg helped me alot to when i was needing help with crawl ratio also...


Avoid the temptation to just throw deep axle gears at it. When you realize how miserable the truck will be on the highway, you are really going to hate how impractical the truck has become.

now i know why im glad i bought another truck with a 700/208 ...greg helped me alot to when i was needing help with crawl ratio also...with a 700/208 and 513s im not perfect at crawling but almost..

 

[twoslo4five0]

another thing about the 538s is do a serch around here...IIRC someone stepping up from a 513 when they first came out and having all kinds of set up problems with the ring gear and the carrier

 

[Chaddy]

Maybe you should run some numbers for a 700R4 tranny also....

It's got a substantially deeper 1st Gear than a TH400 and with the overdrive, it will allow you to get away with deep axle gears and still drive on the highway when you need to.

The tranny could be swapped in first.....then as money allows, you could re-gear the axles.

It's not an ideal solution, but it's probably a pretty decent bang-for-the-buck option....especially if you can score the 700R4 for a decent price.


.

I still think buying a 700 and everything else to do the swap successfully will cost more than an Atlas, Besides, the 400 is a far superior trans for offroading especially hooked to the right t-case.---Atlas--- Then you dont worry about gears in the axles or trans.

I know, I know....I keep pushing the Atlas, but I just cant see someone that is going to be spending pretty much the same grip on a thrown together set-up.

 

[Greg72]

I still think buying a 700 and everything else to do the swap successfully will cost more than an Atlas, Besides, the 400 is a far superior trans for offroading especially hooked to the right t-case.---Atlas--- Then you dont worry about gears in the axles or trans.

I know, I know....I keep pushing the Atlas, but I just cant see someone that is going to be spending pretty much the same grip on a thrown together set-up.

Well yeah.....you're preaching to the choir about the Atlas, but I think mine cost something like $3100 by the time I had it delivered with the shifters, cables and flanges.... not exactly a "budget-friendly" item but it is a simple and effective solution for DEEP gearing and highway friendly RPMs.

 

[bowtiepower00]

Whats wrong with your rig right now? If nothing, then do nothing until your done with school because all your doing right now is wasting money.

If you plan on getting what you want in the future, then dont waste your money now on stuff you will have to TRY to sell later and not get what you paid for it.

Are you having difficulty wheeling your rig as-is? Or are you becoming brainwashed by the bigger and badder attitude of CK5?

4.56's are a good setup, IMO, for a rig w/o OD. Lots of guys running a similar setup to yours w/o issue. Are you hitting the rocks in TN?

The doubler is not going to be any cheaper than an atlas after you modify driveshafts, etc. Unless you find one used.

Do you have a winch? Lockers? Low gearing would be last on my list after that stuff.

I'd throw the 700 idea out the window right now, since you said your rig is pretty much trail-only. Even if it's a DD, you're going to burn it up quickly with 4.56's and 39.5's.

If you can set up the R&P's yourself or w/o paying labor, that would be the cheapest route to go. You're still looking at $500+ though, that's a lot of coin. If you already have 1-tons, your rig is a dedicated trail rig, and you plan on keeping and wheeling it for a while, I'd do the R&P first, because you won't have to spend money twice.

If you're set on Doubler/ whatever, keep your eyes peeled in the classifieds and pick up something used.

That being said, if you're a broke college kid, spend your money on gas and wheeling, not unobtanium parts for your rig. I'd hate to see you spend so much on improvements that you end up having to sell your rig to finish school, or whatever.

 

[CDA 455]

I voted 'other'.

If you have the money for a reduction gear, go for it.

I really like the KluneV (pic taken from Google of FJ40 install):

 

[twoslo4five0]

I voted 'other'.

If you have the money for a reduction gear, go for it.

I really like the KluneV (pic taken from Google of FJ40 install):

smart man right there except i would get the black box...same thing just cheaper and he is a vendor on here..

 

[CDA 455]

That being said, if you're a broke college kid, spend your money on gas and wheeling, not unobtanium parts for your rig. I'd hate to see you spend so much on improvements that you end up having to sell your rig to finish school, or whatever.

Excellent, excellent point!!

There are several examples of this in various forms on this website.

Be it school loans, daycare afford ablilty, family crisis, etc.

Unless you have a six months money reserve, live poor until you graduate.

 

[4X4HIGH]

If money is an issue then follow my thoughts.

If it ain't broke then don't fix it.

 

[twoslo4five0]

If money is an issue then follow my thoughts.

If it ain't broke then don't fix it.

well put...now if i could only fallow that!!!my truck would still be stock!!

 

[josh86k10]

Are you having difficulty wheeling your rig as-is? Or are you becoming brainwashed by the bigger and badder attitude of CK5?

No, not really, she does pretty good all in all. I definitely tend to get my mind set on something and get a little carried away. I think I am actually as into modifying my rig as I am into wheeling it... it's a vicious circle. I never seem to be satisfied .

4.56's are a good setup, IMO, for a rig w/o OD. Lots of guys running a similar setup to yours w/o issue. Are you hitting the rocks in TN?

When I can.... In fact, I just got back from Windrock again a few minutes ago. Had a blast. Truthfully, it wasn't my gears holding me back, it was my carburetor. I'll probably get obsessed with propane or fuel injection now .

Do you have a winch? Lockers? Low gearing would be last on my list after that stuff.

Yeah, I have a front mounted Ramsey Patriot 9500 and I'm locked front and rear (cheap Lock Rights but they seem to work well so far). My problem is my list of stuff I want to add/improve never seems to end.

That being said, if you're a broke college kid, spend your money on gas and wheeling, not unobtanium parts for your rig. I'd hate to see you spend so much on improvements that you end up having to sell your rig to finish school, or whatever.

If money is an issue then follow my thoughts.

If it ain't broke then don't fix it.

Definitely good advice. I do tend to stretch myself thin, but I promise, my truck will sit in the driveway long before anything comes between me and school. I do have some loans, but the assistantship is paying for my PhD and I have a pretty good university position lined up for when I graduate to pay off what debt I do end up with from the DVM.

Even though it seems like I am getting way ahead of myself, in reality I start talking about/ asking questions on here long before I actually do anything. Mostly because I am not in a position to just charge into anything wallets-a-blazing.

Lower gears, in one form or another, are definitely still on my list. I have still not quite decided on which way I will go, please keep the opinions/ ideas coming, they are all definitely appreciated and are good food for thought. The R&P swap is still very appealing though, my 305 certainly needs some help on the highway and the benefits in 4lo would be equally welcomed. That said, I like the options playing with the T-case would give (hi, low, super-low).

Of course, I'll be poking around for cheap/used propane set-ups, etc too.

But more immediately, I'll be changing my diff fluids, and replacing my power steering hose that blew today (I presume as a result of my hyd assist/ pump mods).

Thanks again for all of the advice and also for looking out for me.

 

[bowtiepower00]

Sounds like you need to invest in a quality Q-jet, or go through the one you have. When properly setup, you will have no issues with one offroad or on. What kind of condition is your 305 in? With a decent RV cam, Performer manifold, and headers, you should be able to make a reasonable amount of power.

Propane and FI are nice when they're working right, but lots of guys, myself included, run Q-jets w/o issue. On a trail rig, I put simplicity above all else. I wouldn't want to troubleshoot FI on the trail, or run out of propane somewhere.

If it wheels well, and drives well, and doesn't break all the time, I'd leave it alone and enjoy it. Sounds like you've already got a capable rig. Plus, watching your rig sit in your driveway but not being able to drive it will drive a man to insanity.

 

[6.2Blazer]

Are you having difficulty wheeling your rig as-is? Or are you becoming brainwashed by the bigger and badder attitude of CK5?

I was reading through the previous posts thinking the exact same thing when I read the above quote. A buddy of mine has been wheeling a rig with a 19:1 low range (C6, 205, 4.10's) for years, started with 38's and now has 42's, all on a 7k lb. truck. Granted he does have a mildly built 460, but still... If we were in rockcrawling country it may be different, but in the midwest/east coast type of terrain he rarely ever has problems because of a lack of gearing. He regularly outperforms vehicles with super low craw ratios, like guys with doublers and Atlas t-cases because of the big tires and overall beefiness of the rig.

 

[the general]

manual

my opinion:

Go manual! okay its got a clutch so what! her,s mine
sm 465x np205x 4.88 diffs
6.55x 1.96 x 4.88=62.6 and full control (engine-braking downhill) an automatic tranny is depending on its starter and not toweble and a manual you can always pull/push too start

The Netherlands

 

[RGV72BLAZER]

WhY not run a divorced 205? Or do a 208/241 doubler. There's a couple of guys over on pirate doing the 241 doubler. But your cheapest bet would probably be to run a divorced 205.


5.86*6*3.06=108:1*2=

 

[4X4HIGH]

WhY not run a divorced 205? Or do a 208/241 doubler. There's a couple of guys over on pirate doing the 241 doubler. But your cheapest bet would probably be to run a divorced 205.


5.86*6*3.06=108:1*2=

Where did that math come from? First off he has a 400 which is 2.48 low gear and the 208 is 2.62:1 and a 241 is 2.72:1 and with 4.56 gears and the convertor correction he's looking at 2.48 x 2.62 x 2.72 x 4.56 x 2 = 161:1 crawl ratio.

 

[RGV72BLAZER]

5.86*6*3.06=108:1*2=

I forgot to mention that's my final crawl ratio... ...my bad