The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop i want lower gears in my 4x4 need help

i have a 63 k10 4x4, has 64 4x4 backing plates on it, the gearing is 3.54, i have 36" tires, i want (need) to gear the truck down to a 4.10- even a 4.56, the truck has dana 44's, do i just change the ring and pinion? i have the 64 k10 4x4 axles i think it is 3.73, but i want lower than that so what fits? can i get the ring and pinion out of a 3/4 ton 4x4, becuase i know those have 4.56 :confused:

Hey Mike, 3.54 are very good for stock tires but with 36 as you mentioned you need lower gears. 3/4 Ton axle stuff will not interchange with 1/2 ring and pinion. Remember being a 4x4 the front and rear have to be the same ratio. The was a ratio of 4.30 gears. I had some in an Inetrnational 3/4 ton pick up. A good gear for what you want. If you are going to do some crawling or serious off roading then the 4.56 would be better. Dana 44 are a good axle. I would be tempted to go to Dana 60 in the rear and up grade the front brake to eight lug drums or rotors. They can handle more punishment of big tires and some real torque. It depends what you are going to do with your rig. Just a few suggestions for you. Do you have a stick or automatic? What engine are you running? Henry

i am running a built 327, with a chevy 4 speed (granny low), i want to play in the mud a little and have something to drive in the snow, i want 36" i like the looks, and i want to keep the original axles, i just rebiult them, so i am hoping that i can chage the ring and pinion, even out of a 1/2 4.10 would be fine i think. i see ring and pinions for sell on ebay for dana 44 all the time, and they are in 4.56 gears, would these work?

Should have to problems with the gears you mentioned. Should fit just fine. In nearly 41 years of turning wrenches its one of the few things I never really messed with except once on a Surburban and it came out fine. Just had to help change the pumpkin. The 327 is a great engine. Being it is a built one 4.10 or 4.56 will work just fine. The 4.10 will give you some highway cruising abilities without revving too high at 60 or so. I wish you success at your project. I buy stuff from Ebay. Have had good success with them. Henry

Mike,
Keep in mind there are several different series ring gear carrier assemblys.This is the section that holds the spiders and axle gears and your ring gear bolts to.If my memory serves me right the series 4 carrier will except the 4:56,4:11 and possibly the 3:73 ring gear.Each series carrier has a different mounting location for the ring gear to bolt to .When the gear ratio gets lower the thickness of the ring gear gets greater which requires the mounting location to change.You might contact Richmond gear they can help you indentify what you have and what will possibly interchange to your carrier. http://www.richmondgear.com/

thanks for the info guys, i'll look into it, with what i am running should i be fine with a 4.10's?, cause i have the ones out of the 64 axles, i bet i can interchange them