# Get Out And Explore! > Tech Section >  Gear ratio

## oaklane

Sad to say but my 2007 JK will be traded in the near future.  I am looking at a four door preferably not a Rubicon what gear ratio do I need to look at so I can have 285.  Buy 2007 JK at the moment has four 10s and I am running 3.15.  thank you in advance!  Carol

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## bob

285, and 315, are really only a third of the equation as they are only a measurement of width.
That said, likely you are looking to go to 33" tires, but still need more info, like pre 2012 (3.8) or 2012 to present (3.6). Also important, transmission. Especially for pre 2012. The auto (4spd) was a dog. I had one in my 2008 Rubicon. I had 4.10's on 285/70r117, or basically 33"x11.5" tires. It was not an awful combination, but it really hated hills.
My 2012 Sahara has 3.21's, and the new auto trans (5spd) and running 275/70r18, or 33"x11" and it has no issues anywhere. 
No experience with the 6spd manual except to say if you buy one, make sure the fluid is full. But the 6spd will have even less trouble with the same gearing no matter the year (all the same from...started 03 maybe, up until the 2018 JK) as it has more range than the autos.

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## Rubicon

Hello Gerry & Carol! It's Shawn that worked at Poulin when you bought that 2007 ;)
Try and get the 3.73's. My girlfriend Erin has them on her Pentastar equipped 2012(first year for both I think in the JK)
My friend had 3.21's in his first generation(3.8L) JK and they were horrible. He upgrade to 4.88's for his 33's ;)




> ...But the 6spd will have even less trouble with the same gearing no matter the year (all the same from...started 03 maybe, up until the 2018 JK) as it has more range than the autos.


Manual is almost always more reliable. And I think it was actually 2004 for the NSG370 in the Wrangler ;)

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## bob

> Manual is almost always more reliable. And I think it was actually 2004 for the NSG370 in the Wrangler ;)


Nice she got the 3.73's. 
Wasn't sure the year, thought it might have started with the Rubicon. 
As to reliability, the wa580 vs nsg370 is where the auto wins out fot once. I love my nv3550 in my tj, and when I drove a JK with the nsg370, it was the worst shifting thing ever, or at least the worst since I drove my sister's Pontiac Sunfire manual. And for autos, the wa580 is the best auto trans I have ever driven; solid, strong, great shifting and shift management. I would have loved this trans in my 08.


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## Rubicon

> Nice she got the 3.73's. 
> Wasn't sure the year, thought it might have started with the Rubicon. 
> As to reliability, the wa580 vs nsg370 is where the auto wins out fot once. I love my nv3550 in my tj, and when I drove a JK with the nsg370, it was the worst shifting thing ever, or at least the worst since I drove my sister's Pontiac Sunfire manual. And for autos, the wa580 is the best auto trans I have ever driven; solid, strong, great shifting and shift management. I would have loved this trans in my 08.Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk


I didn't like how they shifted either and the early ones in the first gen JK had some issues with either second or sixth gear(I can't remember), as we had some warranty claims when I was at the dealership.

The NV3550(started in 2000) is the strongest Wrangler transmission in my opinion, and what my 1997 has been upgraded to from the original AX-15.

As for the new automatic, you know I don't like slush boxes, but they are indeed way better than the 42RLE that plague the 1st generation JK.

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## jpcamb

Look for the factory tow package to get the 3.73s  I had a 6 speed 08 and now drive a 12 with the 6 speed as well and have 3.73s and am running 35s  It still does fine on the highway (although I almost never hit 6th except for long flat stretches) and it works great on back-roads.   I would love to regear and toss in lockers but I cant justify the cost of a re-gear as its still quite driveable and lockers will just make me do dumber stuff. ;)

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## FreakinJeep

> ... lockers will just make me do dumber stuff. ;)


You speak the truth.  :Rolling:

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## Flash!

Mine is a 6 speed and on 35s even with 4.10s it drove me crazy. Felt like I was shifting all the time. I'm much happier with 4.56s.

Of course, my last stickshift was a supercharged Mustang, so maybe I'm just spoiled and can't drive.   :Crushed:

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## NotThePainter

SM465, just saying...

Oh, JK? Never mind. Oopsie!

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## oaklane

> Hello Gerry & Carol! It's Shawn that worked at Poulin when you bought that 2007 ;)
> Try and get the 3.73's. My girlfriend Erin has them on her Pentastar equipped 2012(first year for both I think in the JK)
> My friend had 3.21's in his first generation(3.8L) JK and they were horrible. He upgrade to 4.88's for his 33's ;)
> 
> Manual is almost always more reliable. And I think it was actually 2004 for the NSG370 in the Wrangler ;)


Hi Shawn/Hutch!  The highest I'm see is 3.45's.  One of us in the house says I should get a Rubicon - I don't want one - and I thought if I went back to 285/75/17's if the 3.45's would be fine.  We haven't, unfortunately, had time to off road much lately, at all with the 315's.

Great to "talk" to you again!

Carol

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## oaklane

> 285, and 315, are really only a third of the equation as they are only a measurement of width.
> That said, likely you are looking to go to 33" tires, but still need more info, like pre 2012 (3.8) or 2012 to present (3.6). Also important, transmission. Especially for pre 2012. The auto (4spd) was a dog. I had one in my 2008 Rubicon. I had 4.10's on 285/70r117, or basically 33"x11.5" tires. It was not an awful combination, but it really hated hills.
> My 2012 Sahara has 3.21's, and the new auto trans (5spd) and running 275/70r18, or 33"x11" and it has no issues anywhere. 
> No experience with the 6spd manual except to say if you buy one, make sure the fluid is full. But the 6spd will have even less trouble with the same gearing no matter the year (all the same from...started 03 maybe, up until the 2018 JK) as it has more range than the autos.


It will be an automatic probably Sahara.

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## Rubicon

> ...Great to "talk" to you again!
> Carol


 :Thumbsup:

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## bob

> It will be an automatic probably Sahara.


I am a huge fan of the 5 speed auto in the 12 to 18 JK. Like Shawn I would prefer a manual, but not the nsg370. The main thing I like about manual is I can fill it with water, run it home, drain and refill several times, and it is good to go. Can't do that with an auto. 
The 4 speed auto was a dog, so if you can avoid it you  have a lit more leeway for manageable tire size changes.
Just IMO of course

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## bob

Oh, also I saw Shawn had posted a gearing chart for you, but I have a couple Jeep specific ones as well. There is alsona site called grimmjeeper.com that has some interesting info
http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html


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## Rubicon

> I am a huge fan of the 5 speed auto in the 12 to 18 JK. Like Shawn I would prefer a manual, but not the nsg370. The main thing I like about manual is I can fill it with water, run it home, drain and refill several times, and it is good to go. Can't do that with an auto. 
> The 4 speed auto was a dog, so if you can avoid it you  have a lit more leeway for manageable tire size changes.
> Just IMO of course
> 
> Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk


You got it  :Thumbsup:

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## oaklane

Well we did it.  Traded my 07 for a 19 Sport S 4 door, automatic, 3.6 8 speed, dual tops, with technology.  Gear ratio is 3.45, when I get new tires I'll probably go back to the 285/75/17's.




Carol

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## Yipjeep

Looks good. Congrats on the new Jeep.

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## Rubicon

JL!!

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## oaklane

> JL!!


Yup - room for two car seats for the grandchildren and cargo.

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## mewaschuk

I just put 4.56 in my 09 JKX with 6 speed manual on 265/70-17 tires (31").  Runs 3000 at 82mph on the highway.
My previous 07 JKU with factory 4.10 and 6sp on 33s struggled to use 6th on the highway where I live.
I went with 4.56 this time to be sure i can run larger tires in the future.  It's honestly a little low right now on 31s for extended highway use but since the X has the higher trasfer case ratio, the perk of being able to walk the Jeep along in tight/bumpy situations without over clutching was a concernm for me.

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## Rubicon

> I just put 4.56 in my 09 JKX with 6 speed manual on 265/70-17 tires (31").  Runs 3000 at 82mph on the highway.
> My previous 07 JKU with factory 4.10 and 6sp on 33s struggled to use 6th on the highway where I live.
> I went with 4.56 this time to be sure i can run larger tires in the future.  It's honestly a little low right now on 31s for extended highway use but since the X has the higher trasfer case ratio, the perk of being able to walk the Jeep along in tight/bumpy situations without over clutching was a concernm for me.


If I had a JK, I would want 5.13's or lower(higher numerically), so I totally agree with what you are writing. I have 4.88 axle with 4.0 transfer case gears in my TJ, as I prefer crawl ratio over just a little higher RPM's and worry about the few times I am on the highway. Sustained "90" and the engine does not complain, so I think that whole too high of a rev is simply overrated ;)

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