After reading countless posts about 5:13 vs 5:38's gears in an AUTO Rubi (D44), I was wondering if anyone (without a HEMI swap) has broken them with 35's or 37's ?

If so, I'd like to hear how you broke them and under what circumstances?


Thanks!

 

you can break 5.13 the same way you break axle shafts. if you have strong axle shafts and ujoints the weakest link will be your ring and pinion, especially since 5.13 ring gears are so small and have less surface area where the pinion meshes with the ring. so since there is less surface area, if all of a sudden your tires grip when you're heavy on the gas, you have tons of pressure on such a small area. causing your r&p teeth/tooth to crack

 

i broke my 5.38's. it was a new install and i had 560 miles on them before i hit the trails. i can't tell you for sure if it was bad gears or not but it seems to be. i have not broken the new installed set yet. they have ben on a few hard wheeling trips now. i belive that yukon makes american made ones and foreign made ones. i have the foreign made ones in there now but i would have paid the extra $ to get the usa ones if i had know before hand. i would also advise to have them cryo treated as well cheap and good insurance.

if i did it all over i would probly just of left my 4.10's in there for the better strength of the factory dana cut gears and the size. i would of just left od off for the rest of the jeeps life. i really think with my tire size i liked 4.10's with no od better on road. now with no od i am screaming down the hwy and without it i hunt gears. mpg were not as good but they suck no matter what with 133 lbs a wheel running down the road. offroad is were i love the 5.38's. the low range is great for crawling and those steep decents.

just buy a rear 60 and go 5.38 lol. i have had no issues with my front 44 as of yet. knock knock wood

 

D60's aren't in the budget yet

I noticed in your sig block that you have upgraded axle shafts, were they installed before the gearing?

 

Awesome advice, "I'm not as good as I once was"... Meaning, I don't drive as aggressively as I used too, been there done that in BAJA. So, I'll most likely be 'ok' with 5:38's. I just don't want to be about a 1000 miles away from home (@ MOAB) and break the gears. I was gonna flat tow my JK behind my motorhome, maybe I'll trailer it instead

The shop that's doing the install is giving me a 3 year warranty, but their warranty won't do me any good when I'm on a trip.


How do you\your wife like the 5:38's on her JK? Any regrets?

Again, thanks for the advice.

 

Yeah, I typically trailer it, but I recently added a Currie tow plate \ Cooltec brake light connector to make it flat towable. From what I hear, the RV park (Arch View) doesn't really have extra room for a trailer and I don't have a 'pull-thru' site.

I'm dropping off my JK this afternoon for the gear install, I'll see what they say and make my final decision...


Thanks again!

 

2007 Rubicon Automatic... JE Reel 1350 drive shafts...Dana 44 RCV front and Superior rear axle shafts..... regeared to 5.13's. (Northridge4x4 Gears)... rolling on 40's.... no problems so far.....

Quite a few told us that we would break something the first time out.... been hard wheeling at least a dozen times without any issue.

 

i flat tow mine as well. i use the d ring mounts and a custom bracket to tow off of them. works great just got back from a long trip out to moab and colorado. cooltech is def the way to go for lights.

yes the upgraded shafts were installed when this happened.