Can you guys help me out with a rumor I heard?

[mountaindew]

What I heard was that if you really want performance out of your rig, then instead of replacing your motor you need to replace your tranny or get different gearing for it. Is any of that true?

[broughy84]

your gearing maybe....in the rear end

why would you replace the trans if the one you have is good??

If you are going to add that much $$$ I would bore and stroke the motor and cam it up!!!

[rpreston]

Well, sorta. Depends on what your after. Different differential ratios will certainly change the performance for better or worse. Your stock diffs in conjuction with your engine/torque output and tranny is sort of the happy median. You can go to a different diff ratio and get better low end torque (or high end) but your going to pay for it on the opposite end. In other words, if you wanted more or quicker power from a dead stop and changed your diff ratios to achieve it, your gonna kill your high end power... be like like driving on the interstate in 3rd gear... Same thing but the opposite if you went the other way. You can get some change with closer ratio tranny, but again it depends on what your after. The only real ratio you can change for overall performance gain is the horsepower to weight ratio...

[Cadillakin'98]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! If you do decide to xhange your tranny for God knows whatever reason, the I would advise to COMPLETELY TRUST the source you pick it up from. Seen all but 1 person ever be happy after buing and/or overhaulin their tranny.... I would lean towrds differential if your after the perfomance I think your after.

[mountaindew]

Would it be easier and cheaper if just upgrade to a bigger motor with a manual behind it and leave everything else stock?

[Erik_The_Red]

What do you want to do. Do you want quicker take offs? If so change the rear axle. If you do that you need to get the speedometer calibrated. You just want to be able to take off quicker get a manual. Mine had plenty get up and go. You need to post what year the truck is to get real help.

[rpreston]

No way would it be cheaper but if it's 4 wheel drive, you'll have to change BOTH front and rear differentials...Like Erik said, post what your after...

[Pewter'01SS]

I think he just heard "different gearing" and wasn't quite sure where. Yes, you can change the rear end like every one said. This is probably what you would want to do. You can get in the transmissions and change their gears also. It's more common for sticks. An example, the T-56 6 speed is a double overdrive trans. 4th gear is 1:1, 5th is .74:1, 6th is .5:1 . Alot of people change the gears so 6th is .74:1 and the other 5 are closer to each other.

[Rbraczyk]

I have 3.73's on my blazer now, but at 281k does it make sense to get a better rear end like a dana 60?

[chebby uno ton]

What type of performance r u looking for? Is this for the 84 cherokee?
If you got the straight six engine than I would'nt change that unless you r looking for mad power (who isn't). The trannys in the jeep cher. r suspect, to me, anyway. My mother had an 89 with auto and we replaced the tranny twice. She delivered mail so it was stop and go everyday but than again its not 4-wheelin'. Swapping your tranny is for either more gears or the ability to handle the torque of your new rat motor. Like from a T 350 to a T400. You can also look into torque converters with a higher stall speed than stock. If you want to get better mpg do like the big rigs. They split gears to run a not so thirsty motor and still get crazy pulling power. Check out Gearvenders if this is the case. I think the Cher. auto is the same as a toyota auto. What r you working on????

[mountaindew]

1976 3/4 ton Chevy, auto , 327 that was supposedly rebuilt 17,000 ago when I bought it (3 months ago) thats a load of crap, maybe 117,000 miles ago, brand new Edelbrock 1405 carburetor (manual choke), 2 wheel drive (for now). I would like to have better bottom end, but other than that I guess I would just like to have better overall performance (better gas mileage and take off). Right now I have auto tranny but looking to get a 5 spd. What kinda gears would you guys suggest for a manual and an auto tranny if I can't find a manual. Thanks for the help and interest.

[chebby uno ton]

As for the better bottom end. What rearend does your truck have? For bottom end (motorwise) you could change the cam, maybe 260* Adv. Duration 427" G. lift Or 266*-440". The carb sounds good. Don,t get to big unless you run WFO. If you want a man. tran. The chevy truck 4-speed with granny low (1st gear) is just a junkyard away. Theey grow on trees. It would give you about the same highway as your 3sp auto. Also a 5-speed chevy man. from truck in junkyard or classified. Check into gearvender on internet search. They bolt to the rear of your tranny and give you a high and low in every gear that you already have. I'm putting one in my crewcab (83 1-ton 3+3) after this winter Boiler season I had a 1973 1-ton with 350, truck 4-speed. The 350 was stock, like 170 some horse but the low first gear made it a haws. It's a workin'mans tranny though, like shifting a tractor. You can pull off from a stoplight in 2nd gear if you want though, 1st gear is real short unless you are pulling. I've driven the 5-speed before and seen a friend tear one up. they don't seem as tough. With that year truck, you can do pretty much what you feel like. Research pro's and con's on diffrent setups. God bless the internet. Also check on the front of your heads. See if there is a Mark that looks like the two humps (^^) on a camels back. These heads have bigger valves than the others. Worth more ect. PS, don't know what you've done allready but run through everything an replace poor wornout stuff; plugs, wires, points, filters oil-tranny, oil, air filter, all the stuff mister 17,000 said he did. I'm struggling with my brakes and steering because the last owner just put gas in the fu$$er.