Shipped Jeep not in a crate....
Shipped Jeep not in a crate. Can be dropped anywhere.
Did only one gear ratio exist for the T-90 three-speed?
No. When the front and rear drive axle ratios were changed from 5.38 to 4.27, the First gear ratio in the T-90 was changed from 2.798 to 3.339. The only way to improve the crawl ratio of the flattie was to use a later transmission assembly.
Is it true that Dana 60s are too big to fit in a Jeep?
A factory Dana 60 housing hangs only 3/4-inch lower than a Dana 44's, and only 1/4-inch lower than a Ford 9-inch's. So, if you want to run a Dana 60, run it.
Can a bead lock bolt loosen on its own?
Properly manufactured bead lock wheels have a ledge to clamp the tire bead on both sides, and as long as your tire has the correct molded bead ledge width and the bolts are properly torqued, there shouldn't be a problem. Although, if they're overloaded it could happen, and in general, it's still smart to check them every so often since grinding them on trail obstacles can loosen them.
Is a diesel engine better than a gas engine on the trail?
Swap in a lightweight diesel mill without turbo lag and the answer is yes, it very well could be better. The kick-butt torque and fuel economy would make it totally desirable.
The M715's NP200 transfer case will eat itself alive because of non-helical gears, right?
Don't sweat this. They are helical gears, which are generally stronger because they spread the load over several teeth but side thrust results from the helix angle, and they're more complex to manufacture. The main reason helical gears are even used is because of that strength and the quieter operation (because of the load being spread over several teeth).
Is a limited slip as good as a locker?
If you're able to multi-task and get the brakes and gas going at the same time, you can make that limited slip get power to the opposite wheel. But forcing the open diff to work in an unnatural way (and on major obstacles) will wear out the clutch plates. A locker will create good traction to both tires, without requiring your footsie balancing act.
Is 4:1 low range in the transfer case better than 2.72?
Sure, the 4:1 will offer a better final drive ratio for stupid human tricks that require lots of torque, like on rocks. But if you want maximum wheel spin in, say, a mud pit or sand, the 2.72s will be crucial to success.
Is a reverse-cut housing the same as a regular housing except that it's mounted upside-down?
Reverse-cut or high-pinion housings have their very own design and require special ring-and-pinion gears. Therefore, you can't use a standard-cut (low-pinion) gearset in a high-pinion housing. And, no, you can't flip a standard cut and expect it to behave like a high-pinion housing. High-pinion axlehousings have different oiling passages cast in them for pinion lube than the low-pinion housing's, so flipping a regular housing means the pinion bearings won't get lubricated and the bearings will basically weld together. And, worse yet, it will rotate the tires in the wrong direction.
Are all Dana 44 axle assemblies the same, other than widths and spring-pad positions?
They generally share only one thing: ring-and-pinion gears. Knuckles, spindles, brakes, hubs, and so on are not always interchangeable between vehicles.