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Firebirdjones · 11-22-2012, 03:27 PM

If you keep trashing 12 bolts I think that's the issue that needs to be addressed first. You need to find a good 14 bolt to swap in like mentioned above.

3.73's are pretty common in them, and frankly I find 3.73's a very friendly highway gear, with a 28" tire you can cruise at 65mph at only 2800 rpms. Add an inch to the tire and drop 200 rpms. So going with a 30" tire would knock the rpm down to the 2500 range, which is very acceptable.

If it were me I'd stick with a 3.73 and fine tune the tire height to your needs so you get a good compromise between take off and highway. Then you don't have to worry about swapping transmissions as a bandaid, and you'll have a rearend you would be hard pressed to break.

11-22-2012, 03:27 PM	#3
Firebirdjones Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Prescott, Arizona Posts: 2,396	Re: new gears or sm465? If you keep trashing 12 bolts I think that's the issue that needs to be addressed first. You need to find a good 14 bolt to swap in like mentioned above. 3.73's are pretty common in them, and frankly I find 3.73's a very friendly highway gear, with a 28" tire you can cruise at 65mph at only 2800 rpms. Add an inch to the tire and drop 200 rpms. So going with a 30" tire would knock the rpm down to the 2500 range, which is very acceptable. If it were me I'd stick with a 3.73 and fine tune the tire height to your needs so you get a good compromise between take off and highway. Then you don't have to worry about swapping transmissions as a bandaid, and you'll have a rearend you would be hard pressed to break.