When you want to have more ground clearance, it is recommended to have your tire size increased. However, bigger tires tend to limit power transmission from the engine to the ground by interfering with the vehicle’s gear ratio. This is why it is crucial to have the right gear ratio when thinking of changing your tire size.
So, what gear ratio do you need for 35-inch tires? The ideal gear ratio for 35-inch tires is 4:1. This is the case, especially if you have a 4.10 size that you intend to use for off-road adventures. The ideal manufacturer for these tire sizes is the Terra Grapplers due to its ability to limit effects on gear ratio. The shift can also work on 2dr vehicles with manual transmission. However, you must ensure the tire sizes work correctly with the preferred gear ratio.
Drivers looking to achieve maximum ground clearance are advised to upsize their tire sizes. While this helps achieve the goal, it might affect engine operations by limiting the amount of power transferred. Therefore, knowing the right gear ratio for various tire sizes is paramount.
The 4:1 ratio is the preferred gear ratio for 35-inch tires. This is ideal when you are looking to take your vehicle for off-road adventures. You can also switch the gear ratio depending on the ability of your vehicle.
If it has large tires, a smaller gear ratio will work just fine. It is also vital to consider the purpose of your vehicle before applying the gear ratio. This is because tougher roles demand specific gear ratios more than casual ones.
When a car has a bigger tire, it will feel like you have geared it higher (which is numerically lower). Such settings are ideal for highway cruising but will not deliver desired results if you intend to off-line accelerate. They also won’t work for low-end grunt and might affect the vehicle’s passing power. This will significantly affect ground clearance, making the vehicle move slower.
To fix this problem and bring the vehicle back to speed, you should regear it appropriately. This will help bring it back to stock performance and restore its ground clearance ability. You can figure out the problem by doing a simple calculation to determine which gear ratio will work best with your tire size. The calculation involves dividing the new tire diameter by the old tire diameter, then multiplying it by the old axle ratio. This will give you your new axle ratio.
If you intend to use your vehicle for performance and towing, you are encouraged to lower your current gear ratio. This means it should be numerically higher than the previous one. For example, if your vehicle has a 35-inch tire with an axle ratio of 3.74:1, the math suggests that you need a 4.104.1 gear ratio.
This rounds off to the common 4.10:1 gear ratio. The ratio is commonly applied on the 33-inch tires because they have the perfect axle ratio for this gear shift. Depending on your vehicle’s axle, the next lower ratio from 4.10:1 is 4.56:1, which will work excellently for performance and towing vehicles.
Given the additional weight that comes with off-road tires, experts advise that you go for a performance-minded gear ratio for any tires above 35 inches. As you might already know, four-wheel-drive vehicles need both rear and front differentials regeared to a common ratio. This is important because it helps fix the problem and prevent significant driveline issues.
If you don’t have the right gear ratio, you are likely to experience problems related to the speedometer error. If you are working with a gear ratio meant for stock performance, you will have to address the speedometer’s accuracy. This is because the speedo will be close, especially if you use the truck for towing. Such tasks require excessive power that could affect the gear ratio functionality.
Generally, bigger tires cause the odometer and speedometer to read slower than the actual speed. As a result, there will be an alteration in the transmission shift points, ABS functionality, and traction control.
To fix this problem, several modifications are done. One of the common ones is installing a larger set of tires and a lift kit. What most drivers forget is that the drivetrain was designed to give a balance between the top speed and torque. This mostly happens when they install a larger set of tires.
When dealing with gear ratios, the higher the number, the more times the driving member needs to turn. A good example is when the first gear on the transmission has a gear ratio of 3.86:1, with the fourth gear ratio being 0.78:1. This will, in return, affect the vehicle’s ability to clear the ground. In fact, you are likely to experience gear transmission problems.
Gears with higher numbers are referred to as shorter, while gears with lower numbers are referred to as taller. When gears are taller, they have a faster top speed and more enhanced fuel economy. On the other hand, shorter gearing provides better acceleration and more low-end torque. If you use your vehicle for daily driving, you should stick to taller gearing because it saves on fuel consumption.
This is the case if you intend to run on a highway or drive on small tires. Experts advise that you use shorter gearing for large tires because it helps increase low-end torque. Shorter gearing also helps improve acceleration and ground clearance.
Do Bigger Tires Raise or Lower Gear Ratio?
If you are unfamiliar with how axles on vehicles work or are generally new to the off-road world, you might not know why it is essential to consider changing the gear ratios in a car. This is the case because bigger tires change the gear ratio, affecting its stability.
Bigger tires raise the gear ratio. When you are altering the gears for larger tires, you are shifting to a numerically higher gear ratio. When the gear ratio is high, the pinion gear is smaller. It is helpful to avoid going too high with the aim of increasing the power supply to the wheels. This can significantly affect vehicle performance. You should also avoid going too low with the aim of relieving stress on the tires.
When you modify the gear ratios on the axle, you change the number of drive shaft revolutions per tire revolution. This will, in turn, affect the entire chain. When you go to lower gears, you get a numerically bigger ratio, hence an increase in the engine’s RPMs. As a result, there will be an interference with the power supply to the wheels.
When you install larger tires to your SUV or truck, the tires’ large circumference will allow the vehicle to travel for a long distance with the same engine rpm. This is ideal because it takes better advantage of the work being done by the engine.
As a result, you can travel further while maintaining the same engine rpm. In simpler terms, you will travel a longer distance by using the same amount of energy. While this sounds lucrative, it might not always be the case.
There are cases when the theoretical aspect of the transmission fails to carry over to reality. When you add larger tires to your vehicle, you introduce more space between the axle center point and the ground. This lengthens the leverage arm.
Consequently, there will be a significant decrease in the amount of force applied to the end of the arm. This is equal to the contact patch of the tire. To make matters worse, the vehicle needs more torque to move a heavier wheel.
Given that you installed bigger tires, your tires will have a problem with movement. In short, adding larger tires to your vehicle will not work if you intend to achieve fuel economy. It might not also work with the acceleration performance. Vehicles that run on petrol are particularly affected by this effect, but diesel trucks can be an exception.
This is because some diesel trucks have so much torque that the consequences of adding heavier or mildly taller tires are negligible. Such tires can get reasonable fuel economy and also attain significant ground clearance. Therefore, if your truck runs on diesel, installing larger tires might be a good move.
To cancel out the effects of larger tires, experts advise that you change the gears to increase the aspect ratio. This move will increase the revolutions of the vehicle’s driveshaft and how long it takes to make one full revolution.
You can also attain this by raising the engine rpm to the optimum speed. Switching to the lower gears will significantly hinder the revolutions of larger tires. As a result, it will put the engine rpm and the speed close to the factory settings. This can directly affect gear transmission.
On a positive note, the shift creates the optimum balance for the best power transmission and fuel economy. It also helps correct the speedometer in most vehicles. Besides, it realigns proper points of shifting in vehicles with automatic transmission.
Consequently, there will be reduced stress on the powertrain, making the vehicle move smoothly. Therefore, you will have a more steady vehicle with minimal transmission problems. It is ideal to have the correct gear ratio for your vehicle because it gives you a throttle response, improves acceleration, and achieves the best fuel economy. It also gives you the ability to maintain highway speeds. This goes a long way in reducing accidents.
If you intend to have a gear change, you might want to take advantage of the fact that there are little to no extra expenses. There are no additional labor charges or limited-slip differential. You will have to get rid of the old gears and set up new ones. This might actually be cheaper and less time-consuming for drivetrain specialists. Therefore, you must ensure that you have the right gear ratio in operation.
Should I Regear With 35s?
Installing size 35 tires on your vehicle comes with several effects. For instance, they might affect your vehicle’s fuel economy, significantly increasing fuel consumption. Many drivers wonder if it is ideal to regearing with 35s.
You should regear with 35s to achieve the best setting. This is because a 4.10 gear might work excellently, slowing down gear transmission. When working with JL regearing, you might be forced to use more force in gear shifts. Understanding the process of regearing is crucial in bringing out the best results in size 35 tires.
Regearing refers to the process of changing your ring gears and pinion gears to fit a different ratio. As a result, it changes the speed and torque balance. Regearing your vehicle is an important step towards adjusting the size of your tire sizes.
This is because irregular and improper gearing can result in unnecessary stress being transferred to the axle. When planning to regear your vehicle, you must ensure there is a balance between the speed and torque balance. If you have installed bigger tires on your vehicle or placed heavier tires, you are likely to experience challenges. In that case, you have to regear.
After you have decided to regear your vehicle, you need to select a reputable regear shop. How can you do so? You should start by asking how long it takes them to complete a single regear. If they take more than a day to complete the regear process, then that is not a good regear shop.
Established regear shops are very fast and efficient, taking less than a day to get the job done. This is because they have sufficient experience from doing such jobs on a daily basis. It is also vital to ask the price before making the final decision. This is essential because it helps you separate genuine valid shops from mediocre ones.
Finally
The perfect gear ratio for 35-inch tires is 4:1. Using this ratio is ideal, especially if you use a 4.10 size tire. The setting will work efficiently on off-road adventures with generally tough terrain. This gear ratio can work on 2dr vehicles or those with manual transmission.
Generally, bigger tires raise the gear ratio. When adjusting the gears for larger tires, you will be shifting numerically to a higher gear ratio. When there is a high gear ratio, the pinion gear is smaller. Therefore, it is important to avoid going too low with the aim of saving on fuel economy.
