50K miles on 4:88 was 100% perfect. My wife bought a new Gladiator and was complaining the new on did not have enough power. That was comparing a stock one to one with 37's and 4:88s.
Either way the 4:88 was the right choice for the 8 speed and 37s. restored back to factory shift patterns and on road RPM. The shop that I took this to was just doing the install as I was buying the gears elsewhere so it did not matter to them. Just took the advice of this jeep shop that does 2...
I for sure am no expert. I do almost all my own work but not the gears. I went to a shop to get 5:13 put in and he said if I want that to go some place else he would not do those on stock housings. He stated he does 2 a week on the regears and to go 4:88. I put over 40k miles on 4:88 and 37s and...
Not 100% clear on this but it was explained to me when I regeared mine that in order to do 5:13 gearing it needs to be made thinner in order to fit into the stock housing and they are very prone to breakage.
I ran 4:88's and it was perfect. I gained power and fuel economy due to putting the trans in the right gear. 5:13 are too big for the Dana 44 housings anyway.