Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator

$2400 and the Alabama High Step for a re-gear?

He was one of the most loved celebrity athletes ever.

He had polio I think as a child and told one of the freatest runningbacks of the time “I’m gonna break every record you set.”

He did.

The Bronco chase was heard by my first daughter months before her birth. I grew up in the age of the NFL when your Running Back was the star of the show.

My two favorite running backs were Earl Campbell and John Riggins.

My guy who I loved the most all time was Joe Jacoby. Best left tackle in the game at the time.

I wore the #66 in youth sports because of him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper
What they are doing is a painless way of screening -

“This is what it cost”. This weeds out hopeful kids working at Target and tightwads-

I’d print it and schedule a quick visit with questions to ask- or respond that you feel good and ask if they will call - and even outline the questions in the email so they have time to think about them too.

Remember they are also likely gauging how you will be to work for - too many gyrations or showing too much distrust turn off a seasoned business person because it displays a difficult personality type - same you see in your business I bet.

Just giving you a perspective- good luck, you will LOVE proper gears.


All said with the best of intentions-
Andy G
Of course…. I test a potential clients commitment to fixing the issues we uncover, whether with me or someone else like me.

The suggestion was made as to what else I might consider doing ‘while I am in there’ and everything was reasonable. Shafts, diff covers and LSD. I asked for more about LSD (have diff covers and don’t need shafts) and I received the My Cousin Vinny clip with Marisa Tomei explaining the benefits of positraction. Classic move on their part. I want to do business with them if only because of that move.

Still waiting for the second shop to respond..

Need to decide 4.56 or 4.88 and yay or nay on the LSD.

Now that I contemplating the entirety of the job, I may go to 35’s at the same time. Buy Once, Cry Once

This was my direction from the shop yesterday. 500 miles at no faster than 45mph, and no longer than 30 minutes at a time.

Boy is that slow, even in a TJ. 😂
That there can be a show stopper…. This is my daily driver. I have 20 miles to and from work, mostly highway. Only way I can do what you describe is to pick up the jeep on a Friday morning and spend the next three days trying to book 500 miles…. Gotta do the math on that, it might be un-possible!
 
Good to read this. My 05 X 6-speed will be out of the shop next week w 4.56 gears (from 3.07), a Tru Track in the rear (Dana 35), and an E-locker up front. 32” tires on Moab wheels for now. Not a DD.

One potential regear guy told me I wouldn’t be able to go over 50. But it’s only 200 rpm difference at 70 mph over a factory Rubi on 245 75R16’s. Experts!

I will probably go to 33’s at some point in the near future. The lift is already there

I just did the same set up, minus lockers. I had no issue going 70+ on 3.07 with 35’s
Of course…. I test a potential clients commitment to fixing the issues we uncover, whether with me or someone else like me.

The suggestion was made as to what else I might consider doing ‘while I am in there’ and everything was reasonable. Shafts, diff covers and LSD. I asked for more about LSD (have diff covers and don’t need shafts) and I received the My Cousin Vinny clip with Marisa Tomei explaining the benefits of positraction. Classic move on their part. I want to do business with them if only because of that move.

Still waiting for the second shop to respond..

Need to decide 4.56 or 4.88 and yay or nay on the LSD.

Now that I contemplating the entirety of the job, I may go to 35’s at the same time. Buy Once, Cry Once


That there can be a show stopper…. This is my daily driver. I have 20 miles to and from work, mostly highway. Only way I can do what you describe is to pick up the jeep on a Friday morning and spend the next three days trying to book 500 miles…. Gotta do the math on that, it might be un-possible!

yeah 500 in a weekend with cooling may be really tough!! I’m on day three and have logged 80 miles, feel pretty good about it. My neighbor is going to start taking it to the gym each morning to support the team! 😂
 
I just did the same set up, minus lockers. I had no issue going 70+ on 3.07 with 35’s


yeah 500 in a weekend with cooling may be really tough!! I’m on day three and have logged 80 miles, feel pretty good about it. My neighbor is going to start taking it to the gym each morning to support the team! 😂

I can see 70+ in 4th with 33’s & 3.73s.. My hope, assuming I stay with 33’s is do 70 in 5th. Everything else is a bonus.

I may have take a week or two and commute using side roads. That’s a PITA..
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper
Good to read this. My 05 X 6-speed will be out of the shop next week w 4.56 gears (from 3.07), a Tru Track in the rear (Dana 35), and an E-locker up front. 32” tires on Moab wheels for now. Not a DD.

One potential regear guy told me I wouldn’t be able to go over 50. But it’s only 200 rpm difference at 70 mph over a factory Rubi on 245 75R16’s. Experts!

I will probably go to 33’s at some point in the near future. The lift is already there

‘Sounds like a really good plan to me. I bought my ‘06 with the 4 liter & 6 speed manual transmission a couple of years ago. It already had the lift & 33”/12.50R15 tires & it was awful with those 3.07 gears. Here’s some “before & after” data about my gear change. I’ve also attached a chart showing you which speedometer drive gear you need when you get 33” tires. (39 tooth).
You’re going to love your 4.56 gears.

71962528-9BE7-48EC-84F1-957718551AAC.png


F3D7B0E7-D9CB-41B5-8166-849E5AC187A3.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikekiM
Of course…. I test a potential clients commitment to fixing the issues we uncover, whether with me or someone else like me.

The suggestion was made as to what else I might consider doing ‘while I am in there’ and everything was reasonable. Shafts, diff covers and LSD. I asked for more about LSD (have diff covers and don’t need shafts) and I received the My Cousin Vinny clip with Marisa Tomei explaining the benefits of positraction. Classic move on their part. I want to do business with them if only because of that move.

Still waiting for the second shop to respond..

Need to decide 4.56 or 4.88 and yay or nay on the LSD.

Now that I contemplating the entirety of the job, I may go to 35’s at the same time. Buy Once, Cry Once


That there can be a show stopper…. This is my daily driver. I have 20 miles to and from work, mostly highway. Only way I can do what you describe is to pick up the jeep on a Friday morning and spend the next three days trying to book 500 miles…. Gotta do the math on that, it might be un-possible!

My brother tried LSD once- I personally don’t recommend it. Flashbacks, etc.

Not sure 45 mph is death on one, just driving it easy seems to be the idea- but I’d defer to others on that.
 
Ohh yes, 500 mile break in, i remember that fun.
To get anywhere i had to leave 2-3 hours earlier to not overcook the gears, and where i lived had everything right next to me withing walking distance. I was always in between no driving at all or whole lot of driving.
Luckily my regear was done during winter, and i had a long stretch of coastal road next to me with 55 speed limit. Every night starting at 1 to like 3 o'clock when it was coldest and no one outside, i would drive 40 to 60 miles at 45mph and make few stops at gas stations for cool off and to buy ice. A bag of ice on the dif to help with cooling while driving and another while cooling off.

Guys working at the gas stations told me that they used to seeing plenty of weird shit at nigh shift, but someone buying ice during winter to put it under their car every night at around the same time, was definitely the strangest phenomenon they have seen so far.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dunkut88TJ
My brother tried LSD once- I personally don’t recommend it. Flashbacks, etc.

Not sure 45 mph is death on one, just driving it easy seems to be the idea- but I’d defer to others on that.
It's the flash-forwards and flash-sideways you have to worried about...

Ohh yes, 500 mile break in, i remember that fun.
To get anywhere i had to leave 2-3 hours earlier to not overcook the gears, and where i lived had everything right next to me withing walking distance. I was always in between no driving at all or whole lot of driving.
Luckily my regear was done during winter, and i had a long stretch of coastal road next to me with 55 speed limit. Every night starting at 1 to like 3 o'clock when it was coldest and no one outside, i would drive 40 to 60 miles at 45mph and make few stops at gas stations for cool off and to buy ice. A bag of ice on the dif to help with cooling while driving and another while cooling off.

Guys working at the gas stations told me that they used to seeing plenty of weird shit at nigh shift, but someone buying ice during winter to put it under their car every night at around the same time, was definitely the strangest phenomenon they have seen so far.

I am running scenarios over and over and nothing I come up with as a break-in strategy seems like fun. This is a tough road-block to get around...
 
  • Like
Reactions: AndyG
‘Sounds like a really good plan to me. I bought my ‘06 with the 4 liter & 6 speed manual transmission a couple of years ago. It already had the lift & 33”/12.50R15 tires & it was awful with those 3.07 gears. Here’s some “before & after” data about my gear change. I’ve also attached a chart showing you which speedometer drive gear you need when you get 33” tires. (39 tooth).
You’re going to love your 4.56 gears.

View attachment 352710

View attachment 352711

This was in 6th gear? Though I have a 5 speed, the relative information is still useful. Thank you
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper
This was in 6th gear? Though I have a 5 speed, the relative information is still useful. Thank you

The overdrive ratio in your 5spd. is actually higher than the 6 spd. Daimler seemed to be trying not to buy someone else's transmissions and have closer ratio drops between gears starting in 05 -06 getting ready for the V-6 world in the JK.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikekiM
This was in 6th gear? Though I have a 5 speed, the relative information is still useful. Thank you

Yes. These figures were for 6th gear. Your 5th gear will be close to my 6th gear. It’s so much better with the 4.56 gears.
While the gears are being changed it’s a good time to add lockers or limited slips as well as chromoly axles. Since they’re already in there changing gears it will save you a lot of money in labor costs.

10D09E7C-9483-44DD-8BC1-2EA76C10CF40.jpeg
 
Yes. These figures were for 6th gear. Your 5th gear will be close to my 6th gear. It’s so much better with the 4.56 gears.
While the gears are being changed it’s a good time to add lockers or limited slips as well as chromoly axles. Since they’re already in there changing gears it will save you a lot of money in labor costs.

View attachment 353048

Agree on the limited slip. First shop is recommending a Yukon DuraGrip.

I started another post to gather more info on the DuraGrip versus other options..
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper
The place I got mine done recommended 3 short trips (15-20 miles) with cooling inbetween, then the rest of the 500 mile brake in just driving at under 60mph - with no hard acceleration and no 4x4 use. I knocked that out over a weekend with a slow trip to the beach. Backroads and 55mph - I think I even got 16mpg. But yes, the trip is usually 4.5hrs and it took me closer to 6hrs doing the back roads.
 
The place I got mine done recommended 3 short trips (15-20 miles) with cooling inbetween, then the rest of the 500 mile brake in just driving at under 60mph - with no hard acceleration and no 4x4 use. I knocked that out over a weekend with a slow trip to the beach. Backroads and 55mph - I think I even got 16mpg. But yes, the trip is usually 4.5hrs and it took me closer to 6hrs doing the back roads.

That’s doable..
 
The 3 short trips were the shops test drive, and a drive to lunch. The only hard thing I did was trailering my Jeep home. I picked it up in the morning, did a lunch run, and then headed to the beach. I finished up the brake in period driving back to the shop for the oil change on the gears. Only depressing thing was the Jeep was only at my house for a couple days before it went back to a different shop for more work. Hopefully will be getting it back tomorrow with new steering and a new lift. Then I can start installing electronics. The brake in drive was enough for me I needed a better stereo.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: John Cooper
My advise is find an differential shop. One that specializes in them and only does that work if you can.

There are some guys at 4x4 shops who do good work. But there are a lot of clowns who mostly do lifts and led lightbars.

In my area the axle shops are cheaper and do better work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper
My advise is find an differential shop. One that specializes in them and only does that work if you can.

There are some guys at 4x4 shops who do good work. But there are a lot of clowns who mostly do lifts and led lightbars.

In my area the axle shops are cheaper and do better work.

The two shops mentioned early in this post are likely in the top three shops on Long Island. The first shop I visited, is off my radar for anything other than accessories that are hanging on the lobby pegboard..
 
Last edited:
There are two places I would recommend on LI:

Evans 4x4 Evan is a personal friend of mine. You can tell him Andy from Hudson Valley 4 Wheelers sent you.

or

Goonies Garage

Both are owner/operators of their business and do wheel. They are honest and will steer you straight.

Spoke with Evan today... that guy talks at 700 words per minute with gusts of 800-850! LOL!! I called him unexpectedly and he gave me about twenty minutes on the call. Nice guy. Said to tell you hello.

He confirmed my thoughts that 4.56's would be best given my intended use. He is a fan of TrueTrac limited slip rather than DuraGrip, which I am happy about and which seems to be the more popular option here. Really didn't want to have to be worried about maintaining the clutch pack in the DuraGrip.

He priced it the same as quoted by Goonies, which is interesting given the TrueTrac seems to run a bit more expensive than Yukon DuraGrip. $2600 for Motive 4.56's, TrueTrac in the rear and the correct speedometer gear.

He said he handles a good portion of the break-in miles and he's a bit easier to get to for me as well.

Advantage Evan's 4x4
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper
Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator