Disadvantages of Changing Gear Ratio on Wrangler?
1 Answers
Sahara is very prone to mechanical failures of the front gear ratio after installing oversized tires, often occurring during situations like using low-range four-wheel drive for off-road recovery, traversing large obstacles, or rock crawling. The final drive ratio difference between Sahara and Rubicon transfer cases is 2.72:1 versus 4.11:1, meaning the Rubicon has greater torque multiplication. Additionally, fitting oversized tires increases load demands, placing higher strength requirements on the drivetrain. The following images show noticeable differences in axle tube and differential housing sizes between Sahara and Rubicon models. Larger axles can accommodate bigger differentials, gear ratios, and related components, which inherently have higher strength—this is one contributing factor to Sahara's gear ratio vulnerability.