gear questions (sorry if this has been beat to death)

[weekend 4 wheelers]

im sure this has been beat to death. and sorry to shoot a dead horse. but i need clear answers before i drop 600 bucks.
few questions.
1. where is the best place to buy? (think cheap but new) i need ring and pinions, carriers, and install kits
2. with the 258, 3 speed tranny, what is the best ratio for 35s? 4.10s or 4.56s. i do like to cruse down the highway at 70. i think grimm jeeper said 4.10s what the way to go. just wondering what yall think. (yes im a texan)

[Stuka]

Personally I think 4.10's and 35's with a 258 would suck. I have 4.56's with 33's and a 4sp and its just where I want it. But it will not cruise the HWY at 70.

With a 258, you are on the low end of power to push 35's. 4.10's would work if you have no hills. For me there are no flat roads, so 4.56's work better.

With 4.10's and 35's you are looking at 2755rpm at 70MPH, and 3064rpm at 70MPH with 4.56's. Not a huge difference. Neither one is really freeway friendly for a 258. That 3:1 first gear is where things will suck on hills. But if texas is as flat as I have heard (Only been to Houston myself), then that may not be an issue at all.

[weekend 4 wheelers]

Yeah flat as a pancake round here.
Thanks for the reply. I got another question though. I know I need new carriers. But will my spider gears work out of my amc 20 carrier? Or will I need to get a loaded carrier??

[csuengr]

For the AMC 20, it depends on what you got now. The case break is 2.73 down and 3.08 up. So if you have 3.08 gears or lower, you can keep the carrier. Otherwise, the spider gears, side gears, and cross pin will fit. I guess you are looking for an unloaded carrier. You could put a want add out on the board. Since you are lacking hills, and I got lots off big ones, I gather we are a fair piece apart geographically.

[Stuka]

Do you have 2.73 gears now? If you have 3.31's, you don't need a carrier. Same carrier for 3.07-4.56. As far the spider gears go, I am not real sure. I put a detroit in back, so I tossed the old carrier. But as far as I know, they should be the same. Really comes down to wear on your old set.

[weekend 4 wheelers]

I have 2.72s now. I was thinking about running a lunch box front and rear. That would solve the problem but would cost me more money.........

[Stuka]

It would also be advised to buy hardened cross shafts to go with the lunch box lockers.

[weekend 4 wheelers]

??? What is that??

[Stuka]

??? What is that??

The cross shaft is what the spider gears ride on. A lunch box locker replaces the side gears and spider gears, but still uses the cross shaft. A hardened cross shaft is better for use with a locker as there is a less chance of it breaking. And an unloaded carrier wont have a cross shaft in it anyway, so you need one no matter what.

[jeep ranch]

Personally I think 4.10's and 35's with a 258 would suck. I have 4.56's with 33's and a 4sp and its just where I want it. But it will not cruise the HWY at 70.

With a 258, you are on the low end of power to push 35's. 4.10's would work if you have no hills. For me there are no flat roads, so 4.56's work better.

With 4.10's and 35's you are looking at 2755rpm at 70MPH, and 3064rpm at 70MPH with 4.56's. Not a huge difference. Neither one is really freeway friendly for a 258. That 3:1 first gear is where things will suck on hills. But if texas is as flat as I have heard (Only been to Houston myself), then that may not be an issue at all.

I have a 258 in a heavier than stock truck (7k) with 34s and a 435 tranny with 410 gears, and it sux on the hiway, good around the farm

on another note I was up at the pick and pull today and there were 5 1 ton vans, 3 with the wide 14 bolt and 2 with the super 60s, so with with full floaters common, why use a semi float?

[carnuck]

4.56 gears at 70 mph and 35" tires will give you 3100 RPM in final drive. first will be okay to take off in.

4.10 gears at 70 mph and 35" tires will give you 2800 RPM in final drive, but first with 6:1 ratio will be stall worthy on any hills.

[weekend 4 wheelers]

^ so you say go with the 4.56s? (thanks for the input)

the hardened shaft will be on the list of things to get. thanks for the input

as for the dana 60 conversation. that will never happen. i have no desire to do all that work and spend all that cash just to have one tons with 35s. i will never go over that tire size. i hear this all the time on other forums about how i should go with 60s and "some day you will want to go bigger"....... well i have been wheelin for a pretty long time and i know that i like 35s. a full floater would not have enough clearance on the diff with 35s. not to mention i have been in bigger rigs and i enjoy it, but i have a family. so cheap and fun is my way of doing things. (thanks for the input) sorry if i seem rude. every rig i have ever had (this is #6) people say the same thing. "put one tons"

[Stuka]

^ so you say go with the 4.56s? (thanks for the input)

the hardened shaft will be on the list of things to get. thanks for the input

as for the dana 60 conversation. that will never happen. i have no desire to do all that work and spend all that cash just to have one tons with 35s. i will never go over that tire size. i hear this all the time on other forums about how i should go with 60s and "some day you will want to go bigger"....... well i have been wheelin for a pretty long time and i know that i like 35s. a full floater would not have enough clearance on the diff with 35s. not to mention i have been in bigger rigs and i enjoy it, but i have a family. so cheap and fun is my way of doing things. (thanks for the input) sorry if i seem rude. every rig i have ever had (this is #6) people say the same thing. "put one tons"

Your front axle is fine. A D60 rear is technically a 3/4 ton axle. The main advantage is that you get a full float setup. If you were going to do hauling and towing I would say go for it. Or offroading in the rocks. But with having a locker I am assuming you will be doing no hauling or towing. Although if that is your plan, you do not want an automatic locker.

[pcoplin]

And techincally, both full float and semi float D60s use the same 1.31 shaft size D44s do. Some came with 1.5in 35 splines however. The R$P is where the D60 really shines.


I wouldn't use a lunchbox locker in ANY rear. I did it once, and it was a popping, banging PITA. I run a Detroit Softlocker in my wheeler, and it's much more predictable and quiet than the two different lunchbox lockers I tried before. Slow turning into a parking spot the whole drivetrain would bang front to back.

However, in the front I've had a D30 Lockright for around 8 years. It was meant to be a quick upgrade, but has never failed me. I've broken 2-3 alloy Yukon shafts and a couple Spicer joints, and it's been in front of a Dodge 5.9 and auto since 2008 with no failures. Hardened shaft of course. Lucky I guess...

[weekend 4 wheelers]

So I got the cash. Help me get this strait. I need new carriers. front and rear. I would need install kits with shims. And I would need to get a lock right locker for the front. The rear, no one knows if the spider gears will work out of my old carrier?