• JP Magazine
  • Dirt Sports + Off-Road
  • 4-Wheel & Off-Road
  • Four Wheeler
  • Get A Print Subscription
  • Get A Digital Subscription
  • Gift Subscriptions
  • Subscriber Services
  • Back Issues
  • Personalized Covers

cure The Peg Leg - 1979 Ford F 150 On The Street - Photo 35085746

Back to Article
Share this
  • After upgrading to a 4-inch BDS suspension and 35-inch General Grabber tires we noticed our old Ford lagging on-road. The large tires were hard to get moving with the stock 3.50:1 axle gear ratio, and acceleration was dismal at best. However, in sweeping turns the open differentials did their job just fine, allowing the inner and outer tires to turn at different speeds.
After upgrading to a 4-inch BDS suspension and 35-inch General Grabber tires we noticed our old Ford lagging on-road. The large tires were hard to get moving with the stock 3.50:1 axle gear ratio, and acceleration was dismal at best. However, in sweeping turns the open differentials did their job just fine, allowing the inner and outer tires to turn at different speeds.
131 1203 01+cure the peg leg+1979 ford f 150 single cab 131 1203 08+cure the peg leg+differential shot After upgrading to a 4-inch BDS suspension and 35-inch General Grabber tires we noticed our old Ford lagging on-road. The large tires were hard to get moving with the stock 3.50:1 axle gear ratio, and acceleration was dismal at best. However, in sweeping turns the open differentials did their job just fine, allowing the inner and outer tires to turn at different speeds. Off-roading a simple ditch would have BluFerd stopped in its Grabber tracks. This angled washout has the right front tire barely on the loose sand and spinning wildly. The driver’s rear tire is in the air spinning as well. Meanwhile the driver’s front and the passenger’s rear are on solid ground but getting no power via the open diffs. In effect, we’re stuck. We rolled into One Ton Offroad, where BluFerd was outfitted with lower 4.56 gears from Superior Axle &amp; Gear along with Eaton Detroit Lockers front and rear. The Ford 9-inch uses the same locker for most gear ratios, but the Dana 44 front, like many axles, has a carrier split where there are different lockers based on gear ratios. The Dana 44 split is between 3.73 and numerically lower gears, and 3.92 and numerically higher gears, but different axles have different splits so plan accordingly. To seal the axles, we opted for a set of Lube-Locker axle gaskets. These are easier and cleaner than using silicone sealant and are reusable should we wish to service the axle lube or change ratios again in the future. Once back together we did a short gear break-in before hitting the dirt. The break-in consisted of easy driving for 30 minutes to an hour to get the gears warm and then let it all cool. We instantly noticed better off-the-line response from the lower gears, but also noticed the engine revving higher at highway speeds, as it needed to spin faster rpm to maintain the desired speed. Our speedometer that used to be 7 mph slow was now 10 mph fast when compared to GPS numbers. Fixing this will require a transfer case speedo gear swap. In the dirt the lockers earned the gold. The old ditch was a cakewalk with not a tire spinning as we traversed it with ease. Even when lifting a tire the Detroit Lockers easily dispersed torque to all wheels for forward progress. The lower gears also helped in both climbing and descending hills with more control. Be sure to visit our YouTube page, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/4wheeloffroad" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">www.youtube.com/user/4wheeloffroad</a>, for a video showing the before-and-after affects of gears and lockers.
Back to Article
< 1 - 9 of >

Related Galleries

Connect With Us

Newsletter Sign Up

Subscribe to the Magazine

Sponsored Links