I'd suggest at least browsing some four-wheel-drive forums to see what they have to say.
Good plan.
I don't know enough to say for sure, but worth looking into.
I have heard that one hundredth difference in ratio is OK, and occasionaly used in original trucks. But I feel (don't know for sure) that identical ratios would be preferred, and if you did have different ratios the front should be the faster one.
If in your research you decide that matching ratios is actually preferred, then you're building the truck so may as well build it the best you can.
If you have a transfer case with an inner axle differential then it doesn't matter as much, but is that an option, and if so what transfer cases have it? I don't know.
Another thing, It's not "the size" of the ring and pinion that matters, it's the number of teeth, which when divided gives the ratio we're accustomed to seeing.
Curious if different manufacturers round differently and what we're really looking at sometimes is the exact same ratio if you actually do the math. For example 41 teeth on the ring gear to 10 on the pinion is 4.10:1 ratio (no rounding there though). What other combinations give a similar ratio?
Grigg
