gear ratio and axle

MaxPowers · 07-01-2004, 01:47 PM

Ok i was thinking about swaping out my gears sometime down the road to make up for the bigger tires and was wondering what my truck has for the XE with no off road package. I looked on the nissan website and saw this
Final gear ratio (2.94); similar to a four-speed
automatic 3.73
Rear: Multi-leaf with solid Dana® axle
So i know what the ratio is but it says it's a dana axle. Is it any specific dana axle or would it be something that you can only get from the dealership? Cuz i know there are a lot of aftermarket stuff out there which would be a lot cheaper than buying anything straight from nissan.

Big Platinum · 07-01-2004, 03:52 PM

I'm with you Max. I know it's not a "true" Dana 44 but would think it uses same ring and pinion. I doubt you'll be able to get anything at the dealership above the 3.36 they offer for the big tow/off road. To me, it's not worth the swap unless you're going to step up higher than that. I don't want to put taller tires on till I can figure out this gear situation.

amati5 · 07-01-2004, 04:49 PM

Can someone explain it to me. Why can't Nissan offer the tow package the choice to lower the gear ratio only when you tow something like in the non-tow trucks where you jus push button on the dash board. This way the tow optioned trucks don't have to run with lower gear permanently. I can't imagine anyone would have something to tow all the time. Or maybe I am missing something?

thanks

syntrix · 07-01-2004, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amati5

Can someone explain it to me. Why can't Nissan offer the tow package the choice to lower the gear ratio only when you tow something like in the non-tow trucks where you jus push button on the dash board. This way the tow optioned trucks don't have to run with lower gear permanently. I can't imagine anyone would have something to tow all the time. Or maybe I am missing something?

thanks

You don't tow all the time, and you feather the gas pedal with no load. Not a problem. It can actually be a good thing, never like the non-tow ratios on other vehicles.

But when towing, you have that extra umph in torque that gets to the rear wheels easier when starting. The tranny will shift normal with no load. But with a load, and in tow mode, it'll take care of business!

PHOEBISIS · 07-01-2004, 09:25 PM

amati5,the Tow mode doesn't change the gear ratio,it just keeps you in a lower gear a bit longer.
What you want,a 2 speed rear end,isn't offered anymore.I think in the 50's there was a 2 speed rear end,but I haven't heard of one in a long time.It is just easier to add more gears to the transmission,and select a lower,or higher one as you need it.The 4wd guys have an extra set of gears in the driveline that acts like a 2 speed rear end,but it just gives them extremely low gearing for offroad "walking".
Your complaint is that you would rather be able to turn fewer RPMS at a given speed,so you can get slightly better mpg?You turn 1750 rpms at 60 mph,and non big tow turn about 1500 rpms at 60 mph.The mpg penality is small-less than 1 mpg-and it is only in hy driving.In city driving,the rear end ratio doesn't matter,since you rarely hit 5th gear anyway.
Bottom line is that Nissan figured that the tiny mpg increase that a "push button extra high gear" would get you,just wouldn't be worth the $$,increase in wt,and complexity.You are right,Nissan certainly could do it,just not worth it.If it gave 1/2 mpg increase,it would only save 75 gallons in 50,000 hy miles.Charlie

Sammy Sandbag · 07-01-2004, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amati5

Can someone explain it to me. Why can't Nissan offer the tow package the choice to lower the gear ratio only when you tow something like in the non-tow trucks where you jus push button on the dash board. This way the tow optioned trucks don't have to run with lower gear permanently. I can't imagine anyone would have something to tow all the time. Or maybe I am missing something?

thanks

Yes, you are missing a lot of things. The tow mode button only adjusts the shift points. Gear ratio is set by the transmission and rear end ratio, fixed. The only way to do what you suggest is offer a 6-speed tranny to get the final drive ratio to the same as the non-BT Titans.

syntrix · 07-02-2004, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHOEBISIS

amati5,the Tow mode doesn't change the gear ratio,it just keeps you in a lower gear a bit longer.

But final drive is different, from the nissan website:

Final gear ratio (2.94); similar to a four-speed
automatic 3.73 S S S
Lower final gear ratio (3.357:1); similar to a four-speed
automatic 4.10:1 [BT] [BT]

Lower gear is with BT, or Big Tow package.

Sammy Sandbag · 07-02-2004, 07:58 AM

He said tow mode, not Big Tow package. Two completely different things.

MaxPowers · 07-02-2004, 09:10 AM

I talked to a local gear shop and they said they could take a look at it for free to see exactly what i got.

amati5 · 07-02-2004, 09:12 AM

Thanks for your replies everyone. If it makes any clearer, I was comparing the tow package, where the truck runs like a 4 speed all the time, to the tow mode in the non-tow package truck. I was thinking Nissan could have the truck with big tow package run with 5 speed when not towing. The reason I asked because when looking to buy the Titan, I wanted the LE but most came with big tow which I didn't mind everything that came with the big tow except it would run as a 4 speed. The main reason I chose the Titan was the 5 speed trans.

I got it.

thanks

Sammy Sandbag · 07-02-2004, 09:24 AM

All Titan's have the same exact transmission, 5-speeds. BT doesn't effect shifting, just final drive gear ratio. Installing a 4.10 gear doesn't make a truck into a 3 speed, it just shifts the whole rpm range up by x for given speed y. As PHOEBISIS said earlier, the only difference is RPM differences, mainly effecting MPG when at a constant cruise speed.

PHOEBISIS · 07-02-2004, 10:33 AM

amati5,Nissan obscured this a bit with that"like a 4 speed with 4.10 stuff"
1)Like Sammy S said, all Titans have 5 speeds.
2)If you plan to tow something big-say over 5000 lbs,get the Big Tow!
3)If you don't plan significant towing,but Big Tow is on the truck you otherwise want,use that as a bargaining tool"Well,I really don't want Big Tow,but if the price is right"....
The Big Tow is a BARGAIN-only~$900 for skid control+ all the other stuff.Toyota charges $1000+ just for skid control(called stability control).It also makes the truck accelerate faster.The downside is tiny-75 gallons in 50,000 hy miles.Most folks don't even put 50,000 pure hy miles on their vehicle.
GET BIG TOW IF IT IS ON A TRUCK YOU LIKE.If it isn't(and you don't tow) don't worry about it.Luck,Charlie

amati5 · 07-02-2004, 11:28 AM

Thanks guys, I got it, it's quite clear now. I kept hearing the "big-tow will behave like a 4 speed" so I was confused and never owned a truck before didn't help.

Big Platinum · 07-02-2004, 11:28 AM

Hey Max, keep me updated when you find out, i would very much like to know.

Thanks

Sammy Sandbag · 07-02-2004, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amati5

Thanks guys, I got it, it's quite clear now. I kept hearing the "big-tow will behave like a 4 speed" so I was confused and never owned a truck before didn't help.

Nissan did that to show that the lowest gear in the Titan with Big Tow is comparable to a normal pickup with 4 speeds and a 4.10 rear end, even though the Titan has a 3.357 gear. That way buyers accustomed to 4 speeds wouldn't shy away from a high gear like 3.357. Same thing goes for the non-BT's 2.94 final gear ratio.