Trying to decide if I want to run 4:11 or 4:56 gears in my 2006 LJ. It is a non rubicon with a 4 speed auto and 33x15.5 tires. I won't be going any bigger any time soon. Actually I probably won't ever go any bigger than 33's. This is a daily driver that I like to play with on weekends and pull a pop up camper a few times a year. My drive to work is only 5 miles each way but would be going on fairly long expressway tips on weekends. 95% of it's life will be pavement, the other 5% will be trails and sand dunes. The most technical stuff this thing will probably ever see would be Drummond Island. It currently has 3:73 and really isn't that bad until it hits overdrive. The other problem I had was backing up a public boat ramp in 4 high, it wouldn't. I had to put it in 4 low to get it out. I'm leaning toward 4:56 but 4:11 would put my speedo back on.
What say you GL4x4?
UPDATE 8.8.2014
So the 4:56's have been in for just about a month now. The drivability of my LJ is way better now. At 70 MPH it cruises at about 2350 RPM's. As far as mileage goes, it's actually the same as I was getting with the 3:73's. The jeep was bought in Florida and driven home to Michigan and it averaged 15.5 MPG. After the 4:56's were installed I drove it up to the Keweenaw Peninsula in the U.P. and back and it averaged 15.5 MPG. Around town milage was and still is 13 - 14 MPG. All and all I think the gear swap was a win. I got way better drivability and didn't loose any gas mileage.
UPDATE 8.17.2014
I took the LJ to Silver Lake sand dunes this weekend. The 4:56's seem to be a perfect choice for my wants/needs. I aired down to 10 psi and did almost everything I wanted to do. The only thing I couldn't climb was the far right (west?) side of test hill where it was very steep and I blame that more on the automatic than the gear ratio. I checked milage on the 160 mile trip home and got 17.1 mpg. I was running around 68 - 70 mph on the highway for about 125 miles and 55 mph on the backroads for the remaining 35 miles. All in all I am extremely happy with the drive ability and offroad ability of the 4:56 ratio and the 4 speed auto.
What say you GL4x4?
UPDATE 8.8.2014
So the 4:56's have been in for just about a month now. The drivability of my LJ is way better now. At 70 MPH it cruises at about 2350 RPM's. As far as mileage goes, it's actually the same as I was getting with the 3:73's. The jeep was bought in Florida and driven home to Michigan and it averaged 15.5 MPG. After the 4:56's were installed I drove it up to the Keweenaw Peninsula in the U.P. and back and it averaged 15.5 MPG. Around town milage was and still is 13 - 14 MPG. All and all I think the gear swap was a win. I got way better drivability and didn't loose any gas mileage.
UPDATE 8.17.2014
I took the LJ to Silver Lake sand dunes this weekend. The 4:56's seem to be a perfect choice for my wants/needs. I aired down to 10 psi and did almost everything I wanted to do. The only thing I couldn't climb was the far right (west?) side of test hill where it was very steep and I blame that more on the automatic than the gear ratio. I checked milage on the 160 mile trip home and got 17.1 mpg. I was running around 68 - 70 mph on the highway for about 125 miles and 55 mph on the backroads for the remaining 35 miles. All in all I am extremely happy with the drive ability and offroad ability of the 4:56 ratio and the 4 speed auto.