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Gear ratio for running in the dirt


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I need some input on what gear ratio to use pulling a sidedump in the dirt, I currently have 3.86 and keep tearing the front one up and the price for rebuilt or used seems to have doubled over the last year and a half!! Please help me out with some ideas.

Thanks

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I run 4.17 gears w/ 11R24.5 rubber...basically like having 3.73's & LP22.5's...and that's about as "fast" as I'd even THINK about gearing a truck that spends any time off-road. I've replaced the front carrier twice now, and snapped the through shaft once. If I had the money, I would've swapped 'em both out for 4.42 or even 4.64, but money was tight and I could only afford to do the one that broke. Unless it breaks again, I probably won't do anything until I can upgrade to full lockers with the lower gearing...or better yet find a cut-off with 44-46K rears (mine are 38K) with a walking beam suspension, then upgrade that to a Raydan Air-Link or Hendrickson AR2 when I put it under my truck. If I could get the stouter axles on the air-walking beam with the lower gearing & full lockers, I'll have me a decent truck. Then I'll just have the steer axle beam left to upgrade (looking for a 16-18K axle to replace the 12.8K...already sprung for 16K, but tires are only good to 14.3K). I'm thinking maybe I ought to win the lottery...

When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way!
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We use to run a 78 R model with 3.86 gears on camelback. Had a 237, 5 speed. We used it for hauling into a landfill with 28 or 30 ton on every load. the 5 speed didn't like the landfill with it being a mountain so we put a 6 speed in and that truack ha d a air power divider and would spin the tires in first gear loaded. Was a little beast. Ran up until we retired it with a newer 350 put in and the same 6 speed and rears. truck also had 22.5s on it

Matt

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Wow a 9 spd doesn't have a very steep low gear, I'd run some 4.17 or 4.42's.

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