Ring gear question..

[Radar12158]

Hi guys. I've put 235/75R/15s on my 97 Ranger 2.3 5spd manual. It originally had 225/70R/14 tires. I cant decide if i should put a 4.56 or a 5.13 gear set in the rear end to get a bit of performance back. I have a small boat that i pull with this truck. Anybody have any input? Thanks!

 

[4.0B2]

i don't see why you'd need that low of a gear.. what gears are in it?

 

[Surrey]

I would want 4.10 gears for those tires/engine.... Even 3.73 wouldn't be bad... You have a 4-cylinder, its never going to be a race car no matter the gears you get.

 

[Radar12158]

It's got a 4.10 gear in it now. I definitely need a lower (numerically higher) gear set but i dont know if a 5.13 would be over doing it. With the 14 inch tires on it, I still needed a bit more low end. With the 15's. Forget it...

 

[Surrey]

You need a tune up then. If thats still not enough, you need a bigger engine. All the gears are going to do is give you worse gas mileage.

 

[Radar12158]

yea, I know I need a bigger engine and probably 4wd. for the low low gear. I didn't know i was ever going to pull anything when i bought the truck so i got the 4cyl,5 spd. It seems to run great & gets pretty good mpg. abt 20 in town.

 

[4.0B2]

i know a guy that has a 2.3, 5 speed, 4.10's, and 29's and he doesn't have issues hauling his boat.. idk why you'd need lower gears. if you do go 4.56's or 4.88's but its gonna hurt that 20 mpgs, and gas is EXPENSIVE (in case you aint looked lol)

 

[Captain Ledd]

I have the exact thing you have.

1997, 2.3L, 5 speed, and did the same jump in tire size.

4.56 can work well IF you keep the speed reasonable.

Going from a 3.73 ratio (mine) to a 4.56 would essentially turn 5th gear into what 4th is currently. Which is a-ok for me because I rarely, RARELY get to use 5th anymore anyways. If you keep your top speed 60mph, and occasionally 70, you'd be good in the hood.

With 235/75R15 & 4.56 gear:

60mph = ~2500rpm
70mph = ~3000rpm

If you like driving faster than that, keep what you have.

I just ordered a set of 4.56 gears for mine BTW

But then again, I'm ok with driving slow and find myself hauling all kinds of crap across the state. I could use the extra low end grunt.

If I could ever get a good weekend in order I plan to do a build thread, I have some other neat mods I'm doing to it as well

 

[Radar12158]

Thanks for getting back to me so quick Capt! you guys have been lots of help now and in the past! Maybe I better verify I really do have a 4.10 in there. That's what the tag on the diff says anyhow....