Yahoo... New Gears!!

[AZ Outlaws]

I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas!!

I finally did it.... the JK goes in for a re gear next Thursday, the 20th. I'm going from the crappy stock 3.21 gears to Yukon 4.56 gears, new front carrier and bearing kits. A very reputable 4x4 shop here in Phoenix is doing the install... $1,200 out the door.

Hmmm... I wonder if I can convince Beth that the JK also needs the Rubicon 4:1 transfer case?? I think I'll stop while I'm ahead....arty36:epper:arty36:

 

[kickitandholdit]

haha sweet. well do a review when its done

 

[JKMudder]

Nice. Thatll make a huge difference.

 

[AZ Outlaws]

I'm excited!! The new Yukon 4.56 gears go in tomorrow!! Then Friday a buddy and me are doing a trail run to check them out. You gotta love Jeeps and the Southwest with all of it's trails!!

:big_banana_Dance::big_banana_Dance:
:big_banana_Dance::big_banana_Dance:​

 

[kickitandholdit]

doing a trail run... better be some pics of this

 

[AZ Outlaws]

We always take pics!!

 

[Shaggy]

Will the guy putting them in take pics of the work being done? I would like to see that.

 

[AZ Outlaws]

Will the guy putting them in take pics of the work being done? I would like to see that.

No, but I wish. Shops don't have time to document an install unless they're doing it for a reason. I was lucky enough they let me go in the shop to snap a few pictures. Most shops don't allow customers in the working area.

I have a strict break in period for the first 250 miles... no highway driving and vary the speed on surface streets. Also, I can't put it into 4wd. No wheeling until after 500 miles when I have to go back so they can pop the differentials open to check the gears out and change the gear oil. I had to drive 35 miles on city surface streets to get home tonight. I did notice an improvement in gearing... can't wait to check it all out at higher speed and in 4wd.

Here are a few pics with the Jeep in disarray... it's scary to see the whole front end torn apart. The back end wasn't as scary looking.

Hmmm... those look like my tires and wheels, the axles must be mine too....

The right front torn apart....

The left front....

The front end up close and personal....

The back end gutted....

The old carrier on the left, the new one with gears on the right. The new carrier looks a lot more beefy....

So.... it looks like my build is "almost" complete!!

'08 Jeep Wrangler JK X 6-speed

Completed:

- Debadged (only club decals, got groceries? sticker, and USAF emblems remain)
- Yukon 4.56 gears (replaced the crappy stock 3.21 gears)
- BFG M/T KM2 285/75-16 tires (33x11.5)
- Eagle Alloy 16" brushed aluminum wheels
- Rubicon Express 2.0" coil spacer lift w/RE monotube shocks
- JKS sway bar quick disconnects
- TeraFlex heavy duty steering stabilizer
- Optima red top battery
- Mopar Rubicon rock rails
- Mopar door sill guards
- Mopar gas cap cover
- Mopar heavy duty slush mats
- MasterCraft grab handles
- DayStar spare tire bump stops
- DayStar hood latches
- Shorty radio antenna
- Front and rear axle vent tubes extended
- Cargo stop installed behind the front seats
- Vanity mirrors permanently installed on the sun visors
- Geri 4 gallon fuel pack (2)
- Hydraulic 8 ton bottle jack
- AEV extended jack base for stock jack
- MV50 SuperFlow 12 volt air compressor
- Staun tire deflators
- ARB tire repair kit
- 30' tow strap (no metal hooks)
- First aid kit
- Snake bite kit
- 2.5lb fire extinguisher
- Cobra 29 LTD Classic CB radio peaked and tuned
- Road King heavy duty noise canceling mic
- 3' FireStik antenna
- Garmin 60CSx GPS w/Garmin 24k Southwest topo maps
- Compaq laptop w/Garmin 24k Southwest topo maps

To do list:

- Front and rear off road bumpers
- Power Tank 10# Co2 system
- 4 KC Hi Lite off road lights
- Oil pan skid plate
- Evaporator skid plate (or relocate it)
- Relocate muffler

J - Just
E - Empty
E - Every
P - Pocket

 

[02liberty]

WOW you have done alot to your JK alreadyit really looks good and congrats on the new gears.

 

[AZ Outlaws]

WOW you have done alot to your JK alreadyit really looks good and congrats on the new gears.

Thank you very much!! So far I have a little over $4,000 in upgrades and my wish list comes to a tad over $3,000

 

[narleycarley]

How's the gas mileage in city and highway mileage difference? How is the driving at highway speeds and going over hills difference?

 

[AZ Outlaws]

How's the gas mileage in city and highway mileage difference? How is the driving at highway speeds and going over hills difference?

9~11 on the trail, 14~15 city and 16~17 highway. RPM is right at 2400 at 65 and closer to 2800 at 75. The engine runs good at the higher RPM, right were it should be in my opinion. I think the reason Jeep geared the stock JK so low was to help raise their MPG average for the entire brand.

The difference is as different as day and night. With 3.21 gears I had to down shift 1 gear going over a highway overpass to maintain 65mph. Going up 6% grades or driving in a strong headwind I had to drop down to 4th. My buddy in a Liberty with 3.73 gears could run circles around me on the highway and the trail. With the 4.56 gears, I move right along now. When driving 65 I can feel the extra torque and speed when I step on the gas. When driving on a two lane I drop it into 5th to get around another vehicle quickly, on the highway where I have more room, I can now stay in 6th.

Top end speed may be affected, but the speed limit here in AZ is 75, which I have no problem driving at all day long. Anything higher than 75 or 80, the JK starts getting squirrely anyway.

Off road is a great improvement over stock. The guys I run with used to laugh at how easy I stalled the 6 speed on the slightest obstacle even tho I've driven a stick all my life, including 18 wheelers for 19 years after I retired from the Air Force. On the trail I had to ride the clutch way too much, and had to run in 4lo when they were in 4hi. Now it's as it should be... geared just right for highway and trail. 4.10 for my tire size would helped only a little and 4.88 would of been overkill and bad on the highway. The 4.56 gears are the perfect choice for me and do what I want. My JK is still a slug, put at least it crawls better on the trail and i don't have to struggle up the slightest hill.

In a nutshell... it's the best $1,200 I ever spent on a vehicle, but it's sad I had to spend that much for something it should of come from the factory with. I will never have anything good to say about the crappy 3.21 gears Jeep saw fit to put in the JK X. LOL... have you ever heard me say my Liberty KJ Sport came stock with 3.76 gears??

 

[Dave]

Sounds like the 4:56s are working out good. Sounds like money well spent and you are not losing much in fuel economy.

I know that my Son's JK is getting 18 highway with Dana 44 and 4:11 gearing as it came from the factory. (07 Sahara he special ordered in 07) and the 33" Duratracs. He now has a 2 1/2" lift on it. I don't know what his city mileage is. I have driven it a lot both on and off-road and I think the 4:11 aren't bad but the 4:56 should be awesome.

Dave

 

[narleycarley]

33's and you gotta run 4.56s?? man, what's up with Jeep?

 

[AZ Outlaws]

33's and you gotta run 4.56s?? man, what's up with Jeep?

What gears are in your '10 unlimited?? They gotta be 4.10 or you wouldn't be asking that question. My X came with 3.21 and it was a slug with 32 and 33s. Check around on the JK forums, many people will agree with me and have also re geared....

 

[narleycarley]

What gears are in your '10 unlimited?? They gotta be 4.10 or you wouldn't be asking that question. My X came with 3.21 and it was a slug with 32 and 33s. Check around on the JK forums, many people will agree with me and have also re geared....

I have 3.73s

Oh I wasn't arguing on what you did. I think it's silly that Jeep owners have to regear on so many jeeps. It's a requirement for any kind of tire up-size seems like.

 

[AZ Outlaws]

^^^^ In reality, you need to re gear even if you stick with stock 32/17" tires and wheels. It's a real slug losing power just going over a highway overpass. Forget climbing a 6% grade on the highway or driving in a strong headwind. From day 1 I hated the gearing. Stalling out on the trail every time a rock the size of a softball jumped in front of me was the final straw. It was a hard thing to justify the $1,200 but well worth it in the end.

I guess it's3.21 gears is Jeep's way of getting their EPA gas mileage up for the entire brand.

 

[narleycarley]

^^^^ In reality, you need to re gear even if you stick with stock 32/17" tires and wheels. It's a real slug losing power just going over a highway overpass. Forget climbing a 6% grade on the highway or driving in a strong headwind. From day 1 I hated the gearing. Stalling out on the trail every time a rock the size of a softball jumped in front of me was the final straw. It was a hard thing to justify the $1,200 but well worth it in the end.

I guess it's3.21 gears is Jeep's way of getting their EPA gas mileage up for the entire brand.

:word:

 

[narleycarley]

I just thought, my pickup has 3.23 gears in it. And it doesn't have issues that my jeep does. But that's due to the HP that makes up for it. Jeep could put some more HP in these motors as well. Doesn't have to be crazy, but 20 or 30 HP could go along way.