Gears and lockers

[tristan6555]

I have stock 30/35 axles. Of course I want to keep the cost as low as possible but trusted to be reliable. I want to go up to 4.10 gears with a locker in the front. Mostly highway driven but i want to be able to hang with all the other crawlers. What all do I need?

 

[L J]

I have stock 30/35 axles. Of course I want to keep the cost as low as possible but trusted to be reliable. I want to go up to 4.10 gears with a locker in the front. Mostly highway driven but i want to be able to hang with all the other crawlers. What all do I need?

Powertrax No-slip Dana 30 locker for the front, a Super 35 kit for the rear and a set of gears with a master install kit.

 

[macleanflood]

33 inch tires? Sure you don't want 4.88s?

I love my super 30/35s and e-lockers front and rear.

-Mac

 

[CMBD]

...What all do I need?

Selectable 30 spline locker and chromos with Spicer joints up front, 30 spline auto locker and 1541 shafts in the rear.

Lots of opinions here regarding auto vs. selectable lockers in a front axle. But if I couldn't afford a selectable, I would save up till I could.

 

[tristan6555]

33 inch tires? Sure you don't want 4.88s?

I love my super 30/35s and e-lockers front and rear.

-Mac

Definitely dont want to go to 4.88 I might consider 4.56. I daily drive it. The only reason I want to change it is so its not as rough jumping around gears while going down the highway. I want to able to hit 5th gear and be able to hold it at 55mph. Right now I dont go past 4th on 2 lanes and im shifting to 3rd going up hills. In 3rd at 3k rpm im doing 50mph. If that was closer to 40mph I think it would solve my issue.

 

[tristan6555]

Selectable 30 spline locker and chromos with Spicer joints up front, 30 spline auto locker and 1541 shafts in the rear.

Lots of opinions here regarding auto vs. selectable lockers in a front axle. But if I couldn't afford a selectable, I would save up till I could.

View attachment 647871

I think im only going locker in the front. Should I really beef up the 35 or just change the gears then plan to go to an 8.8 when it breaks?

 

[Rickyd]

Definitely dont want to go to 4.88 I might consider 4.56. I daily drive it. The only reason I want to change it is so its not as rough jumping around gears while going down the highway. I want to able to hit 5th gear and be able to hold it at 55mph. Right now I dont go past 4th on 2 lanes and im shifting to 3rd going up hills. In 3rd at 3k rpm im doing 50mph. If that was closer to 40mph I think it would solve my issue.

4.56 at a minimum. 4.10 isn't enough for a 4.0l/5speed and 33s.

 

[Frankm]

I d recommend 4:56 if I did it again … I went 4:10 with my 33 s and fine in flats, etc. When at elevation or pulling hills the 4:56 would allow less downshifting.

 

[GregBelleville]

I think im only going locker in the front. Should I really beef up the 35 or just change the gears then plan to go to an 8.8 when it breaks?

I installed the previously recommended power Trax no slip in my Dana 30 in March. Stock open Dana 35 like you. I'm still on the stock axle shafts for now. The front locker is a game changer.

My Dana 35 has held up fine so far on 33s fwiw.

 

[machoheadgames]

If you do any research at all you will see that plenty of people daily drive theirs or at least drive it frequently on the highway and they have 4.88s for 33’s. 4.10s is a poor decision for 4.0/5MT/33s. 4.56 is good but not the best.

 

[CMBD]

I think im only going locker in the front. Should I really beef up the 35 or just change the gears then plan to go to an 8.8 when it breaks?

Why just a locker in the front? My wheelin here isn't like your wheelin, but if I had to pick one locker it would be in the rear.

I came from the world of 14 bolt and Dana 70 rear axles. So I was extremely skeptical of putting money in a Dana 35. But all my reading here convinced me to trust that a 30 spine Dana 35 with aftermarket shafts would be more than good enough.

Dont know if I would consider the 8.8 and upgrade.

 

[bbaldwin237]

Selectable 30 spline locker and chromos with Spicer joints up front

Just remember that a front 30 spline locker doesn't change the fact that you have 27 spline outers.

 

[GoldenGorilla]

I have a Rubicon 5spd on 33s. It originally came with 4.10s and I ran it that way for the first 20 years of it's life at altitudes from 5000ft-12,000ft. I've been running 4.56 for almost a year now with the same tires and remain happy with my choice 90% of the time. And the other 10% I wish I were still on 4.10.

I'd also want to be on selectable lockers front and rear if I was going to daily drive it and would save up until I could.

 

[MikeE024]

Just remember that a front 30 spline locker doesn't change the fact that you have 27 spline outers.

These 2022 Blaine posts are worth giving a read.

 

[bbaldwin237]

These 2022 Blaine posts are worth giving a read.

View attachment 647884

View attachment 647883

My point is that you still have 27 spline outers and the weak link will lie in the joint (as he says). The inner splines are rarely the issue, and certainly won't be if the OP is running 33's and only doing things possible with a single locker. Keeping a 27 spline locker/carrier allows the use of stock shafts as emergency backups if needed. You can find 27 spline Dana 30 shafts in any junkyard in a pinch.

 

[srimes]

I have stock 30/35 axles. Of course I want to keep the cost as low as possible but trusted to be reliable. I want to go up to 4.10 gears with a locker in the front. Mostly highway driven but i want to be able to hang with all the other crawlers. What all do I need?

1st you need to define "hang with all the other crawlers." You can do that now as long as they're hanging at the dairy queen. 4.10s and 1 locker isn't going to hang with a fully-locked and properly-geared TJ.

Mine has 4.88s and runs 35s in the winter and 33 ATs in the summer for better street manners. 4.88s isn't too low at all for 33s.
4.10s would be a waste of money unless you're going to smaller tires.

 

[BlueC]

I want to go up to 4.10 gears

As someone with 4.10s and 33s, I want lower. I live in a relatively flat area and 5th is used, but any hill of size I'm down to 4th. If I get into our mountains, 5th no longer exist. I'm in no hurry, but when my time come to re-gear, I'll be heading to 4.88s. If you're having to do a full re-gear anyway, do like everybody else is saying and go lower than 4.10.

I also have a Super 35 setup with e-locker, and I do recommend it.

 

[jjvw]

Definitely dont want to go to 4.88 I might consider 4.56. I daily drive it. The only reason I want to change it is so its not as rough jumping around gears while going down the highway. I want to able to hit 5th gear and be able to hold it at 55mph. Right now I dont go past 4th on 2 lanes and im shifting to 3rd going up hills. In 3rd at 3k rpm im doing 50mph. If that was closer to 40mph I think it would solve my issue.

You want 488 precisely because you are daily driving it.

 

[AWayne]

I just had 4.88's + TrueTrac LSD put in my 2000/4.0/NV3550.

The 4.88's are great for around town/under 60MPH. 1st gear is pretty useless on pavement. It's essentially a 4 speed with a granny low gear now. Around 2200 at 60MPH.

If you're doing A LOT of interstate cruising (70MPH+) 4.56 might be better for keeping RPM's a hair lower. It all depends on your usage though. If you have to drive an hour + to get to where you usually wheel it at versus 5 minutes down the road.

 

[jjvw]

I just had 4.88's + TrueTrac LSD put in my 2000/4.0/NV3550.

The 4.88's are great for around town/under 60MPH. 1st gear is pretty useless on pavement. It's essentially a 4 speed with a granny low gear now. Around 2200 at 60MPH.

If you're doing A LOT of interstate cruising (70MPH+) 4.56 might be better for keeping RPM's a hair lower. It all depends on your usage though. If you have to drive an hour + to get to where you usually wheel it at versus 5 minutes down the road.

No. He still wants 488, even for cruising at 75mph at 3krpm.