1.44 low range with 4.11 or 1.59 with 3.9

[chumpjunk]

As the title suggests: Would a 1.44 low range with 4.11 ratios (ie forester) be equivalent to 1.59 low range with 3.9 ratios (ie liberty with L series low range).

I'm thinking there wouldn't be much difference? Do the lower 4.11 ratios make up for the higher 1.44 low range?

I am leaning towards the first option so i can have 4.11 gears all the time which will help with the 215/75.15's on my liberty and its tired ej22.

And i would prefer not to crack open the gear box for L series swap.

[El_Freddo]

The low range really depends on the size of the tyres and the ratio of the first gear - which are all pretty much the same at 3.545:1.

1.44 low range with 4.11 diffs and the stock L series 23 inch tyre is going to have a much better crawl ratio than the same tyre with 3.7 diff ratio and the 1.59:1 low range.

Gearing is complicated and you have to look at the whole picture to get a better understanding of what's going on.

And to split an EJ gearbox is a pot load easier than an EA gearbox!

Cheers

Bennie

[taza]

I have 1.44 low range with 4.11 diff in my 2001 Forester. With 27.5"All Terrains. Goes quite well for the most part but power is sometimes and issue with my EJ20, 92Kw and 184Nm of torque. If it were powered by an EJ25 or H6 (EZ30) or even EJ20T then it would go extremely well.
I have found that the gearing isn't an ussue, even with hard rock crawling like the Mundaring Powerlines in Perth. I have only once found that my 1st gear low range wasn't good enough and I burnt my clutch quite badly, to the point where there was white smoke coming out the engine bay. But as I said for the most part does well.
The 1.59 low range with 4.11 diff and EJ25, EZ30 or EJ20T would be a absolute beast but costly.

Cheers
Taza

[2nd Hand Yank]

^^

I wonder if it would be worth it to swap 4.11 (or deeper) gears into an L Series.
Mine has the 185/70R-14, so 1" taller tyre diameter than stock.

[El_Freddo]

I wonder if it would be worth it to swap 4.11 (or deeper) gears into an L Series.
Mine has the 185/70R-14, so 1" taller tyre diameter than stock.

It would be worth it. An L series with 27 inch tyres and 4.11 diffs should pull the gearing back to stock or very near to it.

Only problem is that swapping diffs in the EA gearbox is like smashing your head against a brick wall in hope that you'll become smarter. Kind of anyway.
The EJ gearboxes are a straight swap with the main complication being the diff pre-load and back lash being setup correctly. The L series would need to have the pinion gear cut off and replaced with a unit from the 4.11 diff ratio set. That is expensive to begin with - I'm not entirely sure about the EA's pinion shaft being married to the lower gearsets or if the lower gearsets are independent of the pinion shaft like they are in the EJ gearboxes. If the EA pinion shaft is independent of the lower gearset then it will be easier to do once you've got that pinion gear swapped onto the EA's pinion shaft.

The EA's pinion shaft (from the elusive EA AWD gearboxes) is physically longer than the EJ's - this is why the cut and shut is needed.

Cheers

Bennie

[daza]

...Would a 1.44 low range with 4.11 ratios (ie forester) be equivalent to 1.59 low range with 3.9 ratios...

1.44 x 4.11 = 5.92
1.59 x 3.9 = 6.20
= less than 5% difference
Daza.

[2nd Hand Yank]

It would be worth it. An L series with 27 inch tyres and 4.11 diffs should pull the gearing back to stock or very near to it.

Only problem is that swapping diffs in the EA gearbox is like smashing your head against a brick wall in hope that you'll become smarter. Kind of anyway.
The EJ gearboxes are a straight swap with the main complication being the diff pre-load and back lash being setup correctly. The L series would need to have the pinion gear cut off and replaced with a unit from the 4.11 diff ratio set. That is expensive to begin with - I'm not entirely sure about the EA's pinion shaft being married to the lower gearsets or if the lower gearsets are independent of the pinion shaft like they are in the EJ gearboxes. If the EA pinion shaft is independent of the lower gearset then it will be easier to do once you've got that pinion gear swapped onto the EA's pinion shaft.

The EA's pinion shaft (from the elusive EA AWD gearboxes) is physically longer than the EJ's - this is why the cut and shut is needed.

Cheers

Bennie

Sounds like you are suggesting it would involve more than a simple ring and pinion swap (+ set up, backlash etc.) but like swapping in a new axle.

My tyres are only 24.2" tall vs. the stock 23.2" tall.
My speedo is nearly 10% falsely slow though.

[El_Freddo]

Sounds like you are suggesting it would involve more than a simple ring and pinion swap (+ set up, backlash etc.) but like swapping in a new axle.

For the EA it is difficult. The EJ gearbox is as simple as finding the R&P gearset you want to run with and swapping with the current one

Cheers

Bennie

[gosurfun]

Have a look at this,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OzK-oRPCbs