I'm putting 33" tires on my 1994 F-150 4X4. Right now I have 3.55 gears. I also have an M5OD tranny.

What gears should I get? Would 4.56's be too much? Would 4.10's not be enough?


Thanks.

 

Personally I would go with 4.56's since you have OD as it will make your truck move out with stye with 33's and beable to handle 35's too if sprit moves you. Below is a tire size/axle ratio calculator link.

Click Here

 

4.10 is a good all around with 33's and the M5OD. If you have want a little extra power, have a 302, or if you do a lot of driving in the mountains get the 4.56's. You will still have a very drivable truck with the 4.56 gears and 33's because of the overdrive.

 

Thanks, Do I need reverse rotation gears for my Dana 44 up front?

 

Not on a 94

 

Yeah you do.

And its not really a reverse rotation, its a reverse cut. It still rotates the same way, just a high pinion

 

According to my calculations:

33" tires, 4.11 gears, and M50D/300-6 combo = 2650-2700rpm at 75mph in 5th/OD. Which means you'll be the one doing 50mph on the 70mph highway :P

Personally, I'm used to have 2.73 gears and 29" tires on my F-150 (M5OD/300-6). I can do 75mph at 2000rpm (approx). According to my calculations, if I had 3.55 gears and 33" tires, I'd be doing 2285rpm at 75mph. So It'd more than make up purely for the tire change, and account for the additional rolling mass/resistance.

 

Your would be right, but I believe he has the 302. Or at least thats what it says in his gallery. If he really has the 302, that RPM is exactally where the engine needs to be at that speed. When you are at 70 MPH the wind restance is really lugging the engine down, ao it needs to be in its powerband.

For example I remember when I had 4.10s in my truck I could only hit about 85 MPH if I was in 4th gear, and about 80 in 5th because the engine was not in in the right RPM to fight the wind restance. I could, however, get up to 90+ MPH very easilly in 3rd gear, but the engine was at about 4500 RPM's to do that. After going to 4.88 gears I can now get up to 100 in 4th and 5th gear. ...........Just an exaple of how proper gearing, based on the engine, is important with something as arrow dynamic as a truck.

 

Yeah, if he has the 302, then definately go with a higher gears (>3.55). It sounds as if the world is coming to end when I hit 3000rpm (extremely rare), I can't imagine revving it to 4500!$!@
The low torque generated by the 300 makes up for having low gears.

I guess I just assumed he had a 300 :P

 

My 89 2WD F150 with a 300 I had could lug around all day on the highway at 1800 rpm's. My current 302 in the 94? Bah! Not a chance.

33's and 4.56 are TOO high. 4.56's are for 35's. If you are a trail guy then sure you go with 4.56. 33's....4.10 is just a tad too low, and 4.30 are a tad too high. If you are on the highway alot, go 4.10. If you rarely do highway and mostly just put around town or enjoy yourself off the street, go 4.30. If you're into offroading and plan to go bigger next time, then do 4.56 and suck up the high rpm's.

I personally will be running 4.56's with 35" BFG-made offbrand AT's for the street after my SAS, and 34" LTB's or 34x9.50 Super Swampers in the pits. I'm looking forward to the extra gearing in the pits, I'm just worried I might have to shift a second time with too low gears. My reason for going 4.56 is that it will basically put me back to stock. We all know how high-geared the M5OD is, it'll be nice not to torture my clutch to get moving like I currently do with 3.55's and 31's. Bald...31's. I want to be able to start out in first easier..and if I sacrifice a mpg or two on the highway then so be it. You have to sacrifice somewhere.

Btw..high pinion, reverse cut, reverse rotation are all slang terms. The technical name from Spicer is reverse spiral.

 

I have a 302 with an M5OD not a 300. Anyways I ordered up some Richmen Sportsmen 4.10 gears and a Lock Right Locker for the rear end. I'm going to try and find a locker or posi for my front end on ebay? My friends were telling me to get a mini spool up front but I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to turn in 4WD.