Towing/transmission question (don't laugh please)

[Mr Miami]

DO NOT MAKE THIS CHANGE as it will only result in being dissatisfied with your gear ratio while you watch the transmission shift while towing and result in spending money on a gear change.

sometimes ignorance is bliss…

I think my middle name is Bliss ...

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[Mr Miami]

I want to know mostly for the "I never see 8th" guys. 4.10s and 37s for 30k+ miles and no desire to regear. See 8th often, but not obsessed with it like some get. Couldn't care less if I'm driving across the desert into a headwind and it stays in 7th for hours.

I also don't see the problem with the 8th gear thing. If it likes 7th gear when towing, use 7th. If I'm driving on a gravel road at 25 mph and it wants 3rd or 4th gear, what's the problem? Would it be better to have an old 3 speed automatic that will simply shift into "H" or 3rd and in most cases stay there most of the time? Isn't that the purpose of the higher number of transmission speeds/shift points, to get the most optimum performance under the given driving conditions?

 

[Zachanadandy]

I also don't see the problem with the 8th gear thing. If it likes 7th gear when towing, use 7th. If I'm driving on a gravel road at 25 mph and it wants 3rd or 4th gear, what's the problem? Would it be better to have an old 3 speed automatic that will simply shift into "H" or 3rd and in most cases stay there most of the time? Isn't that the purpose of the higher number of transmission speeds/shift points, to get the most optimum performance under the given driving conditions?

I went down that road with our 1st JLUR. Figured if I was spending the money to regear I'd go all the way. Since we were on 38s I went 5.38s. Biggest waste of money ever spent on a Jeep. Picked up 1 mpg around town, lost 2-3mpg on the freeway. 0-60 didn't improve at all. It was in 8th a lot more alright. Any speed over 40mph. What's the point of an 8 speed of you're in top gear by half the legal speed limit?

 

[professorkx]

I went down that road with our 1st JLUR. Figured if I was spending the money to regear I'd go all the way. Since we were on 38s I went 5.38s. Biggest waste of money ever spent on a Jeep. Picked up 1 mpg around town, lost 2-3mpg on the freeway. 0-60 didn't improve at all. It was in 8th a lot more alright. Any speed over 40mph. What's the point of an 8 speed of you're in top gear by half the legal speed limit?

I swapped the gears in a friends Gladiator to 5.38s and he was not as happy as anticipated. Fortunately it only cost him parts since I did the work…and I have a complete set of low mileage 4:10 gears on a shelf in the second floor of the shop in case they are ever needed.

 

[WILDHOBO]

DO NOT MAKE THIS CHANGE as it will only result in being dissatisfied with your gear ratio while you watch the transmission shift while towing and result in spending money on a gear change.

sometimes ignorance is bliss…

Solid.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I want to know mostly for the "I never see 8th" guys. 4.10s and 37s for 30k+ miles and no desire to regear. See 8th often, but not obsessed with it like some get. Couldn't care less if I'm driving across the desert into a headwind and it stays in 7th for hours.

I see 8th a ton, in 4low at 7mph.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I went down that road with our 1st JLUR. Figured if I was spending the money to regear I'd go all the way. Since we were on 38s I went 5.38s. Biggest waste of money ever spent on a Jeep. Picked up 1 mpg around town, lost 2-3mpg on the freeway. 0-60 didn't improve at all. It was in 8th a lot more alright. Any speed over 40mph. What's the point of an 8 speed of you're in top gear by half the legal speed limit?

5.38’s are deep as hell.

 

[Zachanadandy]

5.38’s are deep as hell.

Closer to 4.88s than 4.10s are. Yes it's deep, but not extreme. Barely deeper than the 5.13s many recommend for 37s. Especially considering we were on 38s. That's basically the same as running 4.56s with 33s which I've seen many on here suggest. Hell there was one thread saying that the mojave should come with 4.56s as the 4.10s weren't sufficient for the stock 33s. Hindsight and experience tells me I prefer the taller side for my use. 4.56s and 37s has been my favorite combo with the 8 speed. But even there it's not enough of a difference for me to drop $3k on it.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Closer to 4.88s than 4.10s are. Yes it's deep, but not extreme. Barely deeper than the 5.13s many recommend for 37s. Especially considering we were on 38s. That's basically the same as running 4.56s with 33s which I've seen many on here suggest. Hell there was one thread saying that the mojave should come with 4.56s as the 4.10s weren't sufficient for the stock 33s. Hindsight and experience tells me I prefer the taller side for my use. 4.56s and 37s has been my favorite combo with the 8 speed. But even there it's not enough of a difference for me to drop $3k on it.

I can’t disagree. I would have gone with 4.88’s but I tow. But I must say I love that crawl ratio in 4 low first. So I’ll deal with its shortcomings on the road for that.

 

[Stan H]

5.38’s are deep as hell.

A heinous percentage its a good thing ya didn't go with 6.66

 

[Zachanadandy]

I can’t disagree. I would have gone with 4.88’s but I tow. But I must say I love that crawl ratio in 4 low first. So I’ll deal with its shortcomings on the road for that.

I still tow on occasion but the mojave sees more 70+ off road than it ever sees 4LO. We have the JLUR with it's 4.56 gears and 85:1 crawl ratio if I'm headed out rock crawling.

 

[Thunderspud]

I also don't see the problem with the 8th gear thing. If it likes 7th gear when towing, use 7th. If I'm driving on a gravel road at 25 mph and it wants 3rd or 4th gear, what's the problem?

I suppose it's a bit of a different scenario for me currently with the 6-speed truck, but I agree with all this.

I also feel like I spend about 90 percent of my non-highway drives in 4th gear these days. Sure, it technically has two more overdrive gears, but why bother if the truck is perfectly happy with my old ass putting around the mountains in that 1:1 gear, lol.

 

[Mr Miami]

By the way, thanks to all for the comments on how to "see" what gear I am in with the automatic trans. Honestly, I would still probably be looking around to see where that magic button/icon is to display it. Maybe for me it's worthless information (I tow my boat home from the marina maybe 3 or 4 times a year to do any maintenance or other stuff) and each way is about 4 miles on a totally flat road with a speed limit of 50MPH (Florida Keys). The entire boat/motor/trailer and stuff do come to about 6.000 lbs. and the Rubicon handles it very nicely. But it is still fun to watch the transmission numbers change.

 

[kevman65]

I am a nut

The rest of Y'all may have skimmed over this, I'm not passing up the opportunity.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The rest of Y'all may have skimmed over this, I'm not passing up the opportunity.

Just like MSNBC and CBS - edit to fit an agenda - take things out of context.
You work for the media?

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