colud someone please teach me /or refer me to a website/ about the basics of the tire sizes and gear ratios .how to calculate accurate speed and milage driven or how to get true readings.
Since i did all the changes to my 96' rodeo 3.2l i can not really go above 50/mph up the hill with all my gear for off-roading and 2 person's stuff.Since there is not many options for adding a lot of hp to the engine i would like to figure out if i need to make any changes in my current setup.thanks <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

www.4lo.com

What size tires are you running.

I have 35's with 4.88's and they are not low enough

i got 265/75/16 bfg mud and inthe rear dana44 with 5.38

If you really have 5.38s, which I am skeptical of, then you should have no problem pulling any hills. Your max speed will be 60-65 due to high rpms, but you should lose no speed going up hills. I have 35s and 5.38s (and a couple less hp than you) and have towed 4000 lbs uphill at 60 mph.

I suspect there is something wrong with your engine.

x2. Aftermarket 5.38 gears with 32" tires... you shouldn't be hurting for power at all. As stated above, the enginge winding out would be an issue before lack of power. Why did you put in such deep gears only to run 32"ers <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I guarntee you dont have 5.38's if you did you wouldn't be asking this question. when I had 32X11.50' (same size as yours) on my rodeo it drove fine with the stock gearing.
sounds like your truck is screwed up. With 35's and 4.10's I never dropped below 60 it may have been in second gear at 5000rpm but it would at least go 60. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Not low enough for what? Looking at the chart it puts you right between "near stock" & "more power". Lower gears than that and you're low speed in the right lane with a SMV triangle on your reaerend. right? Although you would have a nice 0-40 time. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

New gears to match bigger tires isn't a direct transfer. Moving up to tires 15% bigger than stock and putting in gears 15% deeper than stock will likely still lead to a percieved 'power loss' because there is more involved than just the circumference of the tire. Larger tires weigh more and have greater rolling resistance, place your vehicle higher off the ground, and are probably coupled with additional lift beyond just what the tires provide (= decreased aerodynamics). Of course, these effects are more noticible with a smaller engine. Those of us rocking out the monster 2.6 are likely to 'need' deeper gears sooner than those with a 3.2. A person running 33's on a the 3.2 with OEM gears is just starting to understand what life is like for the 4-popper crowd before adding larger tires. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> That 4lo.com chart seems more suited to the gearing on American 4x4's than is does our 'Zu motors.

According to that calculator going from 29.5" to 35" tires, and starting with a 4.56 gears, you should be at 5.41 for your gears. So even the 5.38s are a hair under stock ratio...but they are close. Just wear a little rubber off your tires and you will be fine <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Strawmyers has it right my zuzu is much heavier and more unaerodynamic than stock. It's not terrible but I would have chose lower gears.