What gear ratio will work best for me!!!

[buckmtn]

I have a dana 60 I'm in the process of rebuilding and need some opinions on what ratio to go with. My 89 k5 has the stock 350, sm465,205, and I'm currently running 38's but may run anywhere from a 38-42 inch tire in the future. 14 bolt rear is geared 4.10 but my dana 60 is 3.73. Only driven on street to nearest wheeling spot. Trail crawling ocasional mud bog.

-keep 4.10 in rear and pickup used set for front
-pickup used set of 4.56 take outs
-rear gear both to 5.38(new cost $400+-)

Thanks

 

[Chevy305]

I say then if its only very short street drives then go for 5.38s

 

[u2slow]

4.10 and lock the front at the same time. Gearset should be almost free.

You don't need a super deep gear with the 465 trans. If you do, you'll be cursing it anytime you hit the highway.

 

[buckmtn]

Well I know with out a doubt picking up a set of used 4.10 for the dana 60 will be the easiest and cheapest but I only want to do this once. It does crawl pretty good with granny low and 4-low. Will the motor run at very high rpm on the street with the 5.38 gear and this tire combo. Everyone seems to always want deeper gear than they have. Any more opinions?

 

[5trucks]

Do they make 5.38 gears for the 14 bolt? I thought they only went as low as 5.13.
Wow they do, wish i would have known that before i posted, now i look we todd ed.

 

[bigblazer87]

I'd go with 5.13's, but if not, do the 4.56's. If you use the 4.10's and swap on anything over a 39.5" tire, you'll kick yourself in the butt.

 

[Chevy305]

Do they make 5.38 gears for the 14 bolt? I thought they only went as low as 5.13.
Wow they do, wish i would have known that before i posted, now i look we todd ed.

ya sofa king we todd did...

 

[buckmtn]

The 4.56 option is a good one because you can pick up a set of used gears fairly cheap for a hundred bucks or so. The question is, is it worth the extra money to put either 5.13 or a 5.38 in it. I want to keep my low end grunt but still be able to spin the pee out of them in the deep mud with out over revving the motor. On road manners do not really matter to me much at all. 80% trail 20% road.

 

[RootBreaker]

im running 4.56's with my 40" hawgs.. .(38.8") true measurement on 16.5x12 rims.... and they work good for me.... a guy that lives a street over from me has a k5 on 44's with a 400hp 350... he said he has no problems spinning his tsl's with 4.10's!!!!!! I think you are good with 4.56's, 4.88's or 5.13's.... I may think you would be better for 4.88's....
I knew a guy that had 42's with 4.88's and loved it....
someday I will be on mogs so 6.something for me!!!!! unless I could find the rare 1988 5:08's in a mog....

 

[muddybuddy]

i dont think the 5.38s are direct in swap for the 14b. id just stick with 4.56 or 5.13's

 

[crazyhole812]

i have the same drivetrain in my truck. i am also running 42's. i went with 5.13's

 

[cbbr]

I'm running 37's and going to 4.56. That should be plenty with your setup.

 

[buckmtn]

Yea I have read somewhere that the 5.38 gear was a bi*%h to put in the 14 bolt. If I pickup a set of used 4.56 gears I probably have to have the carrier also for the front and rear since I have 4.10 now. In the long run I would just as well of to get the 5.13 gears that will fit the carrier that I have. Thanks everyone for their ideas!!!