Hey Guys,
I have a 01 XJ, stock Upcountry Pkg, 5sp tranny with the basic steel wheels. I *think* that this means that, like the OP in this conversation, I have the D30/35 3.56 differentials.
I've changed my tires to beef up the sidewalls and clearance for my occasional forays into rock, such as one might encounter on the passes of Colorado. (I do a bit of backcountry skiing in the Springtime; this took me over Cinnamon Pass and to Ophir Pass, e.g., last season just after both roads were opened.) These new tires are 30x9.5LT tires, and they've changed my driveline ratio enough that I'm having trouble maintaining my engine revs on the mountain roads I regularly drive, so I'm considering a differential gear ratio change.
Now for the questions part:
(1) What is the recommended source/parts manufacturer for what I'm trying to do?
(2) Assuming I do go through with things, does anyone have a recommendation on how far to go? Does a 4:10 differential make sense for my application? I probably only rarely drive over 80mph, but I'd rather not have to be at 3k rpm to achieve this speed on the highway for long timeframes. Also, will a 4:10 even fit in my diff cases?
(3) My rear differential is of the stock pseudo limited slip variety (Traclok?). Does it make sense at this time to consider going with a more capable limited slip product? How about on the front too?
Many thanks to all for any suggestions you might have...
cheers, john