I've posted in a few gearing threads but would like to get some more opinions based upon my sort of unique scenario.

I live in a beach resort town in Mexico and spend 100% of the time in congested city driving where I rarely ever exceed 40 mph and usually am lucky to be doing 25. Then once or twice a year we take a road trip back up to Arizona or California to visit friends/family but this is the only time all year that I do any type of highway driving.

I ordered an '08 Sahara Unlimited auto which will have 3.73 gears and I'll be putting 35" tires on it. Several people have said that I'll probably be able get away with the 3.73 around town since the speeds will be low. What I'm debating right now is to keep the 3.73 gears, use the 35's in town and then throw the stock 32" tires on for the road trips (which might be doable), or try to sell my stock sahara tires and wheels and then regear and keep the 35's on all the time.

1. If I decide to use the 35's in town and then swap out the 32's when I go on the road trips is there a better gearing that would give me better mileage and performance with the 35's and the 32's or is the 3.73 the happy medium for the tire sizes?

2. If I decide to sell the 32's and keep the 35's on all the time what gearing is going to give me the best around town mileage since that's what I'll be driving 95% of the time?

3. I know guys are saying 4.88 or 5.13 but almost all of them are talking about highway driving which I won't do much of. For the low speed I drive daily (25-35mph) is there a gearing that will give me much better mileage than the 3.73 the jeep will come with?

I'm going to try the jeep out the week I'll be in the States but I really have to make a decision if I'm going to regear so that I can get the gears before heading back to Mexico.

Thanks!

 

Is it too late to request the tow package? ...for another $300 you'd get 4.1's and a hitch.

 

I did order the tow package but the 4.10 is no longer an option except for rubicons. I'd bet the 4.10 would be pretty darn good for my scenario. Since so many guys are swapping to huge gear numbers how hard would it be to pick up 4.10 gears for cheap or do I want to wait until something like 4.2 or 4.5 come out?

 

You wouldn't be able to get gears from someone swapping them out of a Rubi because you don't have a D44 front axle.

I'd say try it with the 3.73's for a while before deciding to re-gear. That ratio could have a negative impact on off roading, as well, but if 95% of your driving is under 45 mph the gears you have will be fine.

 

That's good to here. What it really comes down to for me is whether or not regearing will have any impact on improving my mpg at low speeds. If not then there is no need.

The other question I have is will the lower gearing work my transmission that much harder in the sand? I don't really understand how gearing works at lower speeds. Couldn't I just down shift (it's an automatic so say from drive to 2nd) and run at a little higher RPM in the sand and it would be like having higher gears in the next gear up (drive)? I know sand robs power due to tire spin but by down shifting or even driving in 4low could I reduce how hard the transmission has to work by choosing a lower gear and running a little higher RPMs? If someone could explain this to me I would really appreciate it!