35" tires with 3.07 gears

[phil8165]

I have to regear my 01 wrangler. I bought it online at copart as being totaled due to flood damage in the last hurricane. It turned out to be a great purchase the water only damaged the carpet and got in the manual transmission. The problem is the 3.07 gears. I like the big tires they are 35/12.5/20 they should be great in the sand which is everywhere here in Florida. The gear ratio is terrible for highway 5th gear is useless.
I ran some numbers and 3.73 ratio seems to be about stock, and I have been told 4.11 gears may be better off-road and worse but acceptable on highway. I do not plan on any cross-country trips in it but things can change. I live in Florida and travel to Michigan several times a year sometimes in winter. Does anyone have 35"s and 3.73 gears that thinks it's been a good match?

 

[lBasket]

Wayyy to low (numerically) for 35s

 

[lBasket]

I don't know why anyone would say 4.10s would be "worse but acceptable" on the street. Trucks come stock with 4.10s and have tires smaller than 35s.

Look at this website to see what RPM you're gonna be at with different ratios and tire sizes:
http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

34" nominal tire, ax-15 (that's what trans you have?) and 3.73s puts you below 2k RPM at 70mph. You'll end up in the same situation I am in, you will now be driving a 4 speed manual.

 

[jjvw]

You want 5.13 which will put 75mph at about 3k rpm.

 

[OldBuzzard]

For both highway and offroad, 3.73 and 4.10 are too high. On 35s 4.56 is still to high. You'll need at least 4.88 or 5.13.

There are a zillion threads on here discussing it. Google: site:wranglertjforum.com gearing

 

[macleanflood]

I did 4.88s on my 97 and wish I had done 5.13s.

-Mac

 

[Rickyd]

I have to regear my 01 wrangler. I bought it online at copart as being totaled due to flood damage in the last hurricane. It turned out to be a great purchase the water only damaged the carpet and got in the manual transmission. The problem is the 3.07 gears. I like the big tires they are 35/12.5/20 they should be great in the sand which is everywhere here in Florida. The gear ratio is terrible for highway 5th gear is useless.
I ran some numbers and 3.73 ratio seems to be about stock, and I have been told 4.11 gears may be better off-road and worse but acceptable on highway. I do not plan on any cross-country trips in it but things can change. I live in Florida and travel to Michigan several times a year sometimes in winter. Does anyone have 35"s and 3.73 gears that thinks it's been a good match?

4.88-5.13 gears for 35's. nothing else will be better on the street or offroad in any environment

 

[KennethS]

My Jeep has 3.73 gears and 32” tires and it’s barely acceptable. With 35” tires you need gears in the 4.xx range.

 

[jjvw]

4.88 is not enough gear for the highway

 

[97TJNM]

I did 4.88s on my 97 and wish I had done 5.13s.

-Mac

Same. Go 5.13

 

[phil8165]

I don't know why anyone would say 4.10s would be "worse but acceptable" on the street. Trucks come stock with 4.10s and have tires smaller than 35s.

Look at this website to see what RPM you're gonna be at with different ratios and tire sizes:
http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

34" nominal tire, ax-15 (that's what trans you have?) and 3.73s puts you below 2k RPM at 70mph. You'll end up in the same situation I am in, you will now be driving a 4 speed manual.

I believe the transmission is the nv3550 . The formula to compare ratios in gear patterns to tire size to find a pattern equal to stock is. New tire size (35 x 3.07) current ratio . Divided by stock tire size (107.45÷ 28.4) which were 225/70/16. It comes to 3.78 gear ratio so to match stock performance 3.73 is the closest with 4.11 being slightly higher rpms at high speed and quicker acceleration. I never had a stock wrangler so I have nothing to compare it to. From all the responses stock sounds like it is slow and lacking power on take off like my Harley.

 

[jjvw]

.... From all the responses stock sounds like it is slow and lacking power on take off like my Harley.

Stock is all over the place because of all the different transmissions, gear ratios and tire sizes offered from the factory.

All I know is that the best tire and gear combo mine ever had with the nv3550 was 33s and 4.88. That added up to the 3k rpm at 75mph that I have been pushing for a very long time. When I moved to 35s, the 4.88 was not enough and the Jeep was worse. 513 would get it back to 3k rpm at 75mph.

Then things happened and I now have the 42rle, 5.38 gears and a supercharger pushing 35s. This adds up to 2750rpm at 75rpm and I still wish for 3k rpm.

Understand that the early TJ with the 32rh rolled off the assembly line doing 3186rpm at 75mph. Everything else was a lower rpm.

 

[JMT]

I believe the transmission is the nv3550 . The formula to compare ratios in gear patterns to tire size to find a pattern equal to stock is. New tire size (35 x 3.07) current ratio . Divided by stock tire size (107.45÷ 28.4) which were 225/70/16. It comes to 3.78 gear ratio so to match stock performance 3.73 is the closest with 4.11 being slightly higher rpms at high speed and quicker acceleration. I never had a stock wrangler so I have nothing to compare it to. From all the responses stock sounds like it is slow and lacking power on take off like my Harley.

What it was stock is irrelevant. Jeep put a variety of transmissions with a variety of final drive ratios, so which one is right? The 4.0 wants at least 2800rpm’s to accelerate at highway speeds. Any encumbrance slows it down underneath that rpm and you have to downshift. The 4.0 loves 3000+rpm’s all day long. You’re gas mileage may actually improve, but it won’t get worse.

Regearing to 3.73’s would be an abysmal defeat. 4.10’s a sad retreat. 4.56 wouldn’t even be a draw. 4.88’s might get you a paw. 5.13’s for the win.

 

[Rickyd]

I believe the transmission is the nv3550 . The formula to compare ratios in gear patterns to tire size to find a pattern equal to stock is. New tire size (35 x 3.07) current ratio . Divided by stock tire size (107.45÷ 28.4) which were 225/70/16. It comes to 3.78 gear ratio so to match stock performance 3.73 is the closest with 4.11 being slightly higher rpms at high speed and quicker acceleration. I never had a stock wrangler so I have nothing to compare it to. From all the responses stock sounds like it is slow and lacking power on take off like my Harley.

That logic doesn't take into account extra mass,rolling resistance and leverage the 35s have compared to stock. Not to mention 3.07 wasn't a good ratio with stock tires.

 

[Wildman]

I believe the transmission is the nv3550 . The formula to compare ratios in gear patterns to tire size to find a pattern equal to stock is. New tire size (35 x 3.07) current ratio . Divided by stock tire size (107.45÷ 28.4) which were 225/70/16. It comes to 3.78 gear ratio so to match stock performance 3.73 is the closest with 4.11 being slightly higher rpms at high speed and quicker acceleration. I never had a stock wrangler so I have nothing to compare it to. From all the responses stock sounds like it is slow and lacking power on take off like my Harley.

You're missing the fact that Jeep used those 3.07 gears to get thru the EPA & their MPG requirement. My daughter had a 02 TJ with 3.07 gears & 31" tires and that thing was slower than my 4 cyl TJ...

You came on here asking for advice and you've gotten it, now it's your choice to listen to what everyone is saying or not. Look at the GrimmJeeper gear calculator and see what your RPM's are going to be with the different gears. Many people on here are running 35" tires so they do know what they're talking about.
I had 4.88 gears with 33" tires and the 4 cyl & could barely use 5th gears again. Then had 35" tires with the 4.88 gears so I'm telling you that you will be happier with 5.13 gears and 35" tires.

To run 35" tires in the sand you're going to be eating up a lot of power trying to push those tires.

 

[L J]

I ran some numbers and 3.73 ratio seems to be about stock, and I have been told 4.11 gears may be better off-road and worse but acceptable on highway.

You need to run the numbers again. The TJ Rubicon came with 4.10 gears and a 30.5" tire.

Does anyone have 35"s and 3.73 gears that thinks it's been a good match?

I have a LJ Rubicon and when I jumped from the stock 30.5" tires to 35" tires the gearing and resulting drivability was severely lacking. I regeared to 5.13s and all was well again. Running 3.73 and 35" tires would be even more pathetic than what I experienced with 4.10/35".

 

[TheBoogieman]

I have the nv3550 trans. Go with 5.13. My old Jeep had 3.73 gears and 35s. Toooooooooo sloooooooooow. I did win a head to head race against this guy though. In his defense, he was hauling his house on his back.

 

[MikekiM]

I have to regear my 01 wrangler. I bought it online at copart as being totaled due to flood damage in the last hurricane. It turned out to be a great purchase the water only damaged the carpet and got in the manual transmission. The problem is the 3.07 gears. I like the big tires they are 35/12.5/20 they should be great in the sand which is everywhere here in Florida. The gear ratio is terrible for highway 5th gear is useless.
I ran some numbers and 3.73 ratio seems to be about stock, and I have been told 4.11 gears may be better off-road and worse but acceptable on highway. I do not plan on any cross-country trips in it but things can change. I live in Florida and travel to Michigan several times a year sometimes in winter. Does anyone have 35"s and 3.73 gears that thinks it's been a good match?

Is that a typo?
20's?

 

[bbaldwin237]

Is that a typo?
20's?
View attachment 588641

I was starting to wonder if I was the only one that saw 20's, but it's Florida. I mean, I run 35s on 20s on my truck but not flashy and it still gets beat on.

 

[phil8165]

Thanks for your help everyone. I got the answers I needed. Stock ratio especially my current ratio should never have been put in my jeep. Some companies do that deliberately to get us to spend a bunch of money to make it right. Which is fine I just want to pay once and have it be correct. Sounds like 5.13 would be best for me. Currently my top speed is 60 at 1300 rpms. I find it crazy someone would lift their jeep and put on 35's and not change the gears. I bought a 2001 Sahara with 116k at the junk auction for $4350. Which gave me some room to make some changes for the best. I usually do all my own mechanics but I am paying someone to change my gears and did not want to get the wrong ratio. I did not know the 4.0 likes high rpms .I was under the impression 2200-2500 would be a better rpm on the highway . In reality everyone seems to like 3000.