axle/gear questions

[tsg2009]

if my front and rear gears were not matches up in my 97 ram what would be some of the signs and symptoms? i think my gears are 3.55's and im thinking about 3.90s but im not sure if my rear is 9.25 or 8.25 how do i tell?

 

[iSlacker816]

What do you mean matched up? like a different ratio in the front to rear or vise versa?

 

[Stangshcky12]

If your truck is 4x4 your gears have to match or your gonna have big problems
The other number you listed is the size of the rearend, you can have different axle sizes front and back

 

[MikesRammin]

The only time that should be considered is in a truck pulling application. "Staggering" the gears helps get more power to the higher traction wheels but with the loose dirt on a pulling track it compsates for the difference. Now in a reg. 4x4 never ever do that. symptoms would be skipping or skidding on the tires. Also jerkyness and I don't know if this would be one but I would think you would hear a whine in the transfer case from the different outputs causing stress.

 

[tsg2009]

Ok, I was thinking my front and rear gears don't match, I know the rear axle was swapped before I got the truck, I was thinking about taking the gears out and going taller 4.11's max but I don't know which rear axle I have so I was trying to figure out which housing I have and see what the symptoms would be if the gears were different