Time to regear

[SmokeEater829]

I've been on the forum for a while learning about the B2 I picked up about a year and a half ago. It's an 88 4x4. The previous owner had done the axle swaps before I got it. It has a Dana 35 front and an 8.8 rear. Since I've gotten it, I've dropped in a reman 2.9L, rebuilt FM 146 tranny, and fixed many smaller items the previous owner/owners had messed up. It's mainly my hunting truck and so far it has served me well. I noticed last hunting season that when I put a utility trailer behind it with my 4 wheeler on it that she is WAY low on power.

Got it home from the lease and began to dig around some more. Found out that I have 3.55 gears front and rear. Combine the 2.9L, 3.55 gears, and the 29x12.5 swampers that came on the truck and no wonder that it is sluggish. I'm gonna re-gear both axles. Thinking 4.56's will be good, but I'd like to hear some other opinions.

I plan to change tires before next hunting season. I'll be putting some 31x10.5's on it. I do very little highway driving with the truck so rpm's at highway speeds aren't that important. Mostly looking for a little more grunt when towing my trailer and climbing hills.

Also, the truck is lifted but I don't know which kit it has. I think it's a 4", but not sure. While I'm tearing into the axles. I'd like to address the pinion angle. Does anyone make a tapered rear lift block that would help, or is cutting and relocating the spring perches my only option. The angle isn't too bad, but it could definitely be better. My rear driveshaft is showing a little too much of the splines for my liking. But maybe I'm ok. Not sure really.

Thanks for y'all's input!!!!!

 

[4x4junkie]

4.56:1 is normally the perfect gear for 31" tires, though if you don't care too much about highway, you could also even go 4.88:1 (if you don't care at all about highway, then there's 5.13:1 too).

Angled shims that go in between the leaf spring and your axle's spring perch are available in various angle amounts to correct a pinion angle issue.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/brand/skyjacker-suspensions/product-line/skyjacker-leaf-spring-axle-shims

 

[SmokeEater829]

I had found the angled shims, but I was looking for a lift block that was tapered. If I put the angled shim, the back go the truck is gonna sit too low I believe.

 

[Frank The Tank]

I really think 4.10's would be closer to what you want especially if it took a trailer to realize your underpowered and under geared. Plus your tires are pretty small comparitively.

 

[4x4junkie]

The shims go on the bottom of the leaf spring pack (and are captured by the spring's centerpin bolt). Your existing blocks shouldn't be affected by them.

4.10 would be fine if keeping the 29" Swampers, but 31s will demand 4.56 minimum, especially if towing.

 

[SmokeEater829]

Thanks 4x4. Wasn't thinking about the location of the shims. I was stuck think it would be like stacking lift blocks. And that's never a good idea!