Matching front & rear gear ratios?
 

OK. . .stupid question!

I'm new to modifying 4WD's. . .I haven't messed with axle gears in a 4WD before so I figured I'd better ask just to make sure I know.

Do your front and rear axle ratios need to match?

If they don't, what would be the advantage/disadvantage of this?

Thanks for cluing me in on this.

they dont have to match, but if you wanted to use 4x4 youd need to run 2 different tire sizes with the different axle ratios

Yes they must match. Picture your rear axle doing 50 and your front doing 40 or 60. Your transfer case will not last long.

you are wrong.

with 2 different tire sizes it can be dooable..

That's what I figured. . .I just wanted to double check.

Like I said. . .stupid question, but. . .

Just change both and be done with it. If not for you, then for the next guy that buys it and runs the same size tires. GRENADE!!!!!!!

I never thought of installing 2 different tire sizes. Seems like a lot of hassle and I am not sure what the benifit would be. But yes in that case you are right b-uno, it is possible.

I definitely don't want to have two different size tires. . .that would look DUMB!!!

I'm swapping both the front and the rear axles. . .I just wanted to make sure about that before I bought any axles. . .

. . .guess I'll start looking for the D60 front first. . .seems to be a little harder to find so it will probaby be easier to find a rear to match the front than vice versa since I don't want to have to buy gears and set them up in addition to the axle swap

Hundreths don't matter much:

3.50/3.55
4.11/4.10
4.11/4.09 all ok.

Tenths, hhm, now you are in the worry zone:

3.25/3.50 is a no-go for example.
3.73/3.91 I don't think so.

yes it does look stupid but in a pinch, it works..

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/8...ford121708.jpg

Hey. . .I hear you on the "in a pinch"!!!

Thanks for the tip on the hundredths!

my pinch was all last winter!! hhehehehe! i still need to swap in the new front axle after i re gear it!

Don't forget,
you need to buy revers cut gears for the front diff and regular for the back!

:-X22

I was good on that, but thanks for the reminder. . .after seeing the price for a D60 front vs. a 14-bolt rear, I'm thinking about doing a front steer conversion on a 14-bolt like they did on Xtreme 4x4. . .

This came up some time back when a feller was balking at the $1200 or so price for a D60 front axle. He was going to convert. IIRC, the "no" comments were 3 or 4 to 1 against.

You got a lathe? Foundry? Broaching tool?

By the time you buy the parts you can't cut/weld/hammer at home, you might as well buy the real thing.

You LIFE depends on that axle. Why try to cut corners for a few bucks?