Drivetrain Tech General discussion of drivetrain for the Ford Ranger.

4.88 with 33's?

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Old 01-14-2009
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4.88 with 33's?

How would that be? I do mostly city driving, very little highway and when I do do highway it's only for like 15 mins tops. I've got a 3.sl0w and plan on going to 35's eventually anyway so I know it'll be good for 35's just not sure if its too much gearing for 33's...
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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I'm planning on 4.88s with 35s on my 3.0 as well but with 33s, I think that's a little much. I know of a couple guys on the forum running 35s with stock 4.10s just fine. I'd wait to regear until you have the 35s ready to go on, just my opinion.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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I found an axle with 4.88's in it for a decent price, I'm not regearing an existing axle otherwise I'd just wait. If I buy it now it'll cost me a third the price then if I bought one with 4.10's and regeared after I got 35's. I don't care about MPG as long as I get over 10mpg lol.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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Very good city. Not so good highway.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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Originally Posted by korey89
I found an axle with 4.88's in it for a decent price, I'm not regearing an existing axle otherwise I'd just wait. If I buy it now it'll cost me a third the price then if I bought one with 4.10's and regeared after I got 35's. I don't care about MPG as long as I get over 10mpg lol.
If that is the one on chuckstrucks I would get it.

I thiink 35's and 4.88's are way too high of gearing...but thats just me. You'll be fine for a while with 33's and 4.88's...although you'll want 37's...trust me it's the exact opposite of what you have now.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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i think that's perfect for a 3.0. i even think my 4.88s and 35's and 4.0 is geared sometimtes a little high.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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4.56 is still to high with 33's for 35's it will be good
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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4.88s should be fine in town, you'll be wrapping the motor up on the highway.

With 4.88s and 35s i was doing ~3200 RPMs at ~70 in *5th*
now
with 3.55s and 35s i do ~2200 rpms at ~65 in *4th* and ~3,000 at 65 in 3rd...

I haven't even been into 5th and stayed there its just too much of a dog.. ~1700rpms at 65


5.13s are gonna suckkkkkkkk especially for the road trip to MO.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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Originally Posted by Fx4wannabe01
i think that's perfect for a 3.0. i even think my 4.88s and 35's and 4.0 is geared sometimtes a little high.
I don't like how mine revs up so much. When I tow the trailer I have to shut o/d off, and I'm at 2900-3000rpms at 60...it sucks, before it was 3000rpms for 65-67....it is THAT much of a difference.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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Originally Posted by 99ranger4x4
With 4.88s and 35s i was doing ~3200 RPMs at ~70 in *5th*
now

what? dude...i pull 3000rpms going 80 in 5th w/ 4.88's 4.0L sohc and 35's. And that measurement is from a calibrated scan gauge.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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maybe it was 75

mine was going off the GPS and a tach that works when it feels like it.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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are we talking about a auto or a 5spd korey? my 4.56's and 33's are perfectly fine for my 3.0 auto but interstate i just stick to the slow lane no need to try to force the engine and kill the mileage or worse the engine itself...
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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I'm sorry, auto-tragic. What do you mean force the engine, not enough gear to push it on the highway in your opinion?
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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Originally Posted by korey89
I found an axle with 4.88's in it for a decent price, I'm not regearing an existing axle otherwise I'd just wait. If I buy it now it'll cost me a third the price then if I bought one with 4.10's and regeared after I got 35's. I don't care about MPG as long as I get over 10mpg lol.
buy it. sit it in garage. get 35's. install new axle.
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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i say go for it if you dont do much highway driving just do 60 or so when you are out there should still do decent on gas ... my dads buddy has a jeep on 33s with 5.38s i think .... he wont even take it on the freeway it screams even trying to do 55 lol (he has a daily, 95 f150 i6 xcab longbed manual)
 
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Old 01-14-2009
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the gears just cause it to get a higher rpm i dont have a tach so i wouldnt know exactly the rpms it's running but i just try to baby it on the interstate but yea 4.88's will be fine with 35's and will be insane with 33's i can spin my 33's np with my 3.sl0000w and 4.56's
 
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Old 01-15-2009
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Do it, it will be fine.
I ran 4.88's in my sport trac (was an auto) with 33's for quite a while. It was fine on the highway. In O/D with a calibrated speedo, I was pulling around 2850 at 65 or 70. I forget, I'll have to look it up. On the highway, in town, everywhere I got 14mpg. But I also had a big roof rack with a spare on top, programmer, and drove with a heavy foot.
If I did it again with plans only for 33's, I would go for 4.56 (with a 4.0L). I went with 4.88's because I got a used front diff with 4.88's and aussie installed for a good price.
You likely won't need to lock out O/D with 4.88's when you tow, unless you're moving it around town.
I pulled a (very) loaded down 6x14 enclosed trailer from Oregon to Kentucky with my Sport Trac, and only locked out O/D at the bottom of the hills. It didn't hunt or shift between gears on the highway. It held solid at 65mph+ so I saw no reason to rev the **** out of the motor when it was pulling hard a steady in O/D. 10mpg average on the trip too.
 
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Old 01-15-2009
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I would do it if you are thinking 35s after the current tires.
 
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Old 01-15-2009
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Originally Posted by zabeard
I would do it if you are thinking 35s after the current tires.
Yep. Sorry, meant to emphasize that in my post. I toyed with the idea of a used suspension lift and 35's on the sport trac for a while, part of the reason why the 4.88's were as appealing.
 
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Old 01-15-2009
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Definitely do it. I think you'd be happy with it.
 
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Old 01-15-2009
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i like my 4.88s with my 35s
 




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