Gear Swap

[RockinRam96]

Looking to do a gear swap in my 05 Liberty CRD. Put a 3” lift kit under it and 265/75/16 tires. It does ok but definitely struggles, especially when I get my 3500 lb boat behind it.

Been told 4.10 is my only option. And have been told the easiest thing to do is swap out compete axles from a KJ that has 4.10 in it. Well those axles are proving to be difficult to find. Any suggestions on sourcing ring and pinions? Or axles?

A R&P for the Chrysler 8.25 in the rear can be had almost anywhere. I am struggling to find a gear set for the Dana 30a in the front end. I have been told the pinion shafts are different between the Dana 30 and Dana 30a.

Any help or leads are greatly appreciated.

 

[tommudd]

Dana was the only manufacturer who made the 4.10s for the D30a
lots of places advertise they have them but do not actually know what they are saying
4 cylinder gassers are around and not that hard to find really
I have people call me every once in a while when finding them
Have you tried car.parts.com ?
They ship if not local

 

[tommudd]

Dana was the only manufacturer who made the 4.10s for the D30a
lots of places advertise they have them but do not actually know what they are saying
4 cylinder gassers are around and not that hard to find really
I have people call me every once in a while when finding them
Have you tried car.parts.com ?
They ship if not local

 

[duderz7]

I went the car-parts.com route. I didn't ever find a differential listed, but searching for a transmission for a 4 cylinder got a couple of hits. So I made a few calls and found a set 4 hours away. I think the 4 bangers must have been more popular in other areas. I looked at maybe 40‐50 kj's in about a dozen yards, not one 4 cylinder. I think it's awesome Tom seems to be able to find them so easily, but around here it's like catching a unicorn by the testicles.

 

[RockinRam96]

Dana was the only manufacturer who made the 4.10s for the D30a
lots of places advertise they have them but do not actually know what they are saying
4 cylinder gassers are around and not that hard to find really
I have people call me every once in a while when finding them
Have you tried car.parts.com ?
They ship if not local

Searched around local junk yards. No one seems to have any 4 cylinder gas Liberties.

Just checked car parts. Don’t seem to Brest them down to axle ratio. Will have to call or email.

 

[duderz7]

I emailed a few and never got a response. Calling worked ok.

 

[RockinRam96]

found a couple options on Car Parts, one not to far away. There seems to be a change in the axles on 4/19/05. What was the change? Do I need to be concerned?

Also, what is the technical term for the front differential? Seems to be quite a bit of confusion over the name and what I’m looking for.

Thanks for the help.

 

[tommudd]

Front diff is a D30a
Yes change in 06 models since they changed the way the speedo works
02 to 05 pickup is in the rear diff

 

[RockinRam96]

Front diff is a D30a
Yes change in 06 models since they changed the way the speedo works
02 to 05 pickup is in the rear diff

So what you’re telling me, is that the later axle will not work in my KJ? Or will it I just keep the speedo pickup where it is? In the trans?

 

[lfhoward]

On car-part.com, the front diff goes by the name “carrier”.

 

[duderz7]

On car-part.com, the front diff goes by the name “carrier”.

Often times yes. But does depend on "how and if" the yard lists it. I relied only on car-part.com I wouldn't have gotten my 4.10s. It wasn't until I searched for a transmission for the 4cyl to locate one nearby (4hrs). Then a quick phone call confirming the axles were there.

 

[RockinRam96]

I found a front carrier and a rear axle at a junkyard about 85 miles (hour and a half) from my house on Car-Parts. Calling today to confirm availability. Both axles are going to be around $800, which is more than I was hoping to spend. Wondering if I can haggle with them a little bit to get that price down.

Often times yes. But does depend on "how and if" the yard lists it. I relied only on car-part.com I wouldn't have gotten my 4.10s. It wasn't until I searched for a transmission for the 4cyl to locate one nearby (4hrs). Then a quick phone call confirming the axles were there.

What are your thoughts on the gear change? I am hoping to get my RPMs down a little cruising at 55-60 mph (currently running about 1800 rpm) and being able to maintain speed pulling a hill with my little trailer pulling my wheeler. As it is geared now. It will cruise at about 1800 rpm cruising 55 mph, but then jump to 2800-3000 rpm when it downshifts pulling a hill. With the rockers issues with these motors, I am nervous about the high RPMs. Buying my time until parts are back in stock at Sasquatch...

 

[lfhoward]

4.10’s will let you cruise closer to 2000 rpm but will have the power so you don’t have to downshift on hills and have the rpm spikes as often.

Also I don’t know if you are running larger tires than stock, but if you are the new gears will get your engine back closer to its sweet spot in the torque band, which should give you back most of the mpg you lost.

Around where I live, gear changes are about $3000 so $800 sounds like a bargain. I’ve done a lot of research and reading on the topic, but never had the cash to make it happen. There are no stock axles with 4.10 gears to swap on a KK, so ring and pinions need to be changed.

 

[duderz7]

I found a front carrier and a rear axle at a junkyard about 85 miles (hour and a half) from my house on Car-Parts. Calling today to confirm availability. Both axles are going to be around $800, which is more than I was hoping to spend. Wondering if I can haggle with them a little bit to get that price down.


What are your thoughts on the gear change? I am hoping to get my RPMs down a little cruising at 55-60 mph (currently running about 1800 rpm) and being able to maintain speed pulling a hill with my little trailer pulling my wheeler. As it is geared now. It will cruise at about 1800 rpm cruising 55 mph, but then jump to 2800-3000 rpm when it downshifts pulling a hill. With the rockers issues with these motors, I am nervous about the high RPMs. Buying my time until parts are back in stock at Sasquatch...

I'm still in the process of getting everything together. So no first hand experience, but I'm enjoying the process. I was able to get mine for about 100 each. When they quoted me the price fro the front axle I politely asked, "does that mean I should also grab the cv's and hubs to make it a full axle". We conversed a bit and I ultimately said something like look at the size of that thing I'm pretty much buying a ring and pinion. The rear was a little easier as the axle tube was bent. We talked about ring and pinion price and agreed that if I pulled that they'd have a bent axle housing leftover worth nothing. Good luck.

 

[RockinRam96]

can’t figure out how to do multiple quotes on my phone…


Thanks for the info guys. I am running bigger tires (265/75/16) so I am hoping to drop those RPMs right down to the top of the torque curve. Last night we headed to camp pulling the wheeler. I locked out overdrive for the whole trip. It maintained speed fairly well pulling hills, no real shifting around and got decent fuel mileage. Aside from crusing at 2400 rpm going 55 mph (based on speedo, not recalibrated for tires), it did well.

I found an 07 with a 5 speed in it for sale locally for $1,000. Not sure what gear ratios it has in it. Think I’ll go take a look and run the vin on it.

Here is a photo of the engine bay, if that tells you anything.

 

[duderz7]

There is a tag on the lowest cover bolt on front diff that shows the ratio. Also sometimes you can still read the sticker on the rear axle housing near wheels. I think I've seen it said that manuals were 3.55

 

[JRB]

Like duderz7 said ^^

My 07 6 cyl 6-speed manual came with 3.55 gears, all I've looked up came out the same

Can't wait when I eventually get some 4.10s in mine

 

[James Akemon]

Dana was the only manufacturer who made the 4.10s for the D30a
lots of places advertise they have them but do not actually know what they are saying
4 cylinder gassers are around and not that hard to find really
I have people call me every once in a while when finding them
Have you tried car.parts.com ?
They ship if not local

Maybe in your aera. Since I came on the liberty scene I've found exactly one 4 ****** and the front diff was already gone

 

[tommudd]

Maybe in your aera. Since I came on the liberty scene I've found exactly one 4 ****** and the front diff was already gone

I have gotten them from Pa, WVa, Illinois, and Louisiana, plus 4 sets from different areas in Ohio

 

[RockinRam96]

Well I was able to pick up a matching set of a new from a local junk yard. Was told these were 4.11 gear ratios, but I’m a little skeptical. The tag was missing on the rear but there was a little tag on the bottom bolt if the front axle with the numbers “3 73” stamped into it.

I pulled both diff covers, which still has me guessing. Each ring gear has 41 teeth.

Any insight is appreciated.

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