2008 JKU auti 3.73 stock gears...running 35's, superchips, and exhaust...
This reputable 4x4 shop tells me all i need is a cold air intake and throttle body spacer and to reprogram superships to performance tune and that I should be good to go...and that gearing was prob not necessary...

from all the research I did, I have a feeling that I will be more pleased if I go with the regearing....

hoping to hear from someone thats been in my shoes...

 

Go with your gut...

Read some of the posts by the Ripp guys suggesting a re-gear before doing a supercharger.

And then take a look at post #33 here for some more great info on just how underpowered/undergeared these auto JK's really are:
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...-vs-5.13/page4

 

Regear...no question. Most people that are running your set-up only to regear later will tell you that gears are the best mod they have done. Even with a supercharger hanging off the V6, I would still want gears with 35s.

 

Same year, trans, tire size, and gears here. Without a doubt regearing is the way to go. I just recently went to 5.13's You will lose your overdrive at higher speeds but the rest makes up for it. Puts your engine in the rpm range it likes to run at, no more searching for the right gear up hills, downshifts alot less.

Cold air intakes and throttle body spacers to me are like the Tornado to get better gas mileage and putting magnets on your fuel line. The benefits are so minute that most of it is placebo. Cold air intake sets you up to breath in all the bad stuff, water, dirt, ect.

 

I have a 2010 auto and strongly recommend putting that money into a regear, all the add-ons will not put you in the powerband needed for best performance. Especially if you have bumpers, spare, winch, etc...

Add-ons I added before regear - CAI, SuperChips 91 tune, Performance Distributor Coil/wires. Does it feel better than before the add-ons? yes, does it perform like it would with the add-ons and stock setup, no.

I travel a lot on the freeways, tow a trailer occasionally and travel to higher elevations often. I want to be able to use my OD for better mileage and get better performance within the powerband and at 87 octane, not 91+.

I don't like having to put it to the floor to get in the powerband. I don't want to run with OD locked out all the time and foot in the pedal just to get it moving, it works the transmission too hard.

With the type of driving I do and the towing, stock was definitely better, 87 octane, 75mph with trailer no sweat. Without regear, OD locked out, lucky to hold it at 60mph with nuts to the floor.

Regear, then if you really want to wake it up, get the add-ons.

BTW stock I have 4.10's, moving to 4.88's, I drove one with 4:88's and it felt like stock which is where I want to be. A lot of people recommend 5.13's, but IMO it puts it too high in the RPM for my taste. I also have future plans to upgrade to Hemi and I've talked to several shops that tell me they end up removing 5.13's and drop to 4:88's because of too high rpm's with 5:13's

This leaves me the option to go to 37's and it'll put me back to stock ratio with Hemi or SC power. Figure out what fits with your driving habits and invest wisely

 

stupid things like exhaust and intake will never make up for what you get with gears, ever.

 

Gears!

Throttle body spacer is worthless snake oil.

The other mods will gain you a bit of HP but bottome line is that without regearing you really can't use that effectively. I just regeared to 5.13s and now wish I hadn't waited so long to do it.

 

Reputable? They should know that gearing is the single most important upgrade with regards to power when using bigger tires. Cai's will give a slight power gain and better sound, and throttle body spacers are a complete waste...

 

Gears all the way.

 

Good deal guys...my mind is set, there is a local 4x4 garage that charges $999

now to explain this to the wifey