I don't care what gearing you run, it should downshift when you punch it. Who cares if it downshifts to 7th with 5.13s or 6th with 4.10s? Final drive ratio is all that matters and the same power gets to the wheels from the engine either way.
Except for the much higer rpm when you're shifting down one gear lower at 75-80. I don't really enjoying the sound of my motor screaming.
Since math is hard, FINAL DRIVE RATIO 5.13s in 7th gear...4.41 and 4.10s in 6th gear...4.1 not only were you turning higher rpms under light loads where both were in 8th gear, you turn higher rpms in 7th than 4.10s in 6th. 5.13s in 8th is identical to 7th with 4.10s (3.44 and 3.52 but you get the point). Aside from 1st gear there's nowhere that 5.13s have an actual advantage. It's the same reason a JLU non-rubicon can run 32s with its stock 3.45 gears no problem. The 8 speed will shift where needed and put the engine rpms where they are needed for the given load. So many think of this in old school wide ratio 3-4 speed auto parameters. You have plenty of gears to run basically whatever you want. The double overdrive transmission isn't supposed to hold 8th under load. That's the whole point of 2 overdrives, so it can use that top gear under light loads and run low rpms. 4.56s are a much better pairing for 37s. 5.13s is so low you're in 8th gear at any speed over 40mph. There's no point of an 8 speed if you're out of gears by half the speed limit.
Maybe 4.56 with 37s is a better pairing for you, but it is not for everyone. After all, gearing is subjective.
But there's no more upshifts from 8th. Half the legal speed limit and no more upshifts? No matter how light the load? Downhill with a tailwind? Congratulations you've geared your 8 speed so that it drives like an old 4 speed. And as for the math, I'd say Jeep agrees. Stock tires 32.8 paired with 4.10s is equal to 36.5" tires paired with 4.56s but over gear to your hearts content.
Objectively speaking, how is it better?
Just more fun to drive with the added torque feels like a diesel
If only there was added torque...final drive ratio. You only gained torque in 1st gear. I'm not sure where or how you drive but I'm almost never in 1st gear and it will still break the tires lose from a stop with 4.10s and 37s so it's argue your can't use any more torque from a stop? And I don't care if you drive around in low range, the 3.6L will never feel like a diesel.
Gearing changes torque multiplication and it’s across the board in all gears.
And so do downshifts, that's my point. There's 0 difference between 4.10s in 7th and 5.13s in 8th. No magic diesel like torque that you can't get from a downshift. Now in a wide ratio 3-4 speed axle gearing was important as there were certain speeds that you simply couldn't get the rpm/power output at a given speed. Math is math. There's no speed at which you cannot get the same torque multiplication via final drive ratio with the 8 speed. Anyone who compares the pentastar with its 150ftlbs to the wheels at 2200 rpm and power peak pushing 6k rpm to a diesel has never driven even a modern gas v8 let alone a diesel to understand what off idle torque actually feels like. Again, if gearing was so magical you would just drive around in low range.
Do you understand how axle gearing works? Quit bending words to make your argument right.
