63% Reduction Gears To Suit GQ GU Patrol

[PeeBee]

MB, its not a problem from a drive perspective. When I am in say 4th or even 5th, its easy coasting stuff, not any load, so in reality its basically using the gears as they are designed, but at a fraction of the speed. The 85% gears were installed to transform the vehicle when it had the original 2.8TD, and it absolutely did that, however with that engine there was too much gap between low and high range, so the middle ground flexibility was lost for stuff like sand. I would have struggled to get the barge across the Simpson in low with the 2.8 and it would not have made it over the first dune out of dalhousie in high.

With the Chev, and 85% reduction, its basically a third low all day in the high country, maybe 2nd on a climb, then if steep and ledgey and slippery, first low and its a doddle down as you know. It is a pain at times when 5th is ringing my ears off, but I can always stop, which i don't! Personally I think the 63's would be ideal for this engine/diff combination, but most of my driving is high country and its a conservative package. With this gearing it would pull anything up any hill it could drive itself, so thats another comforting thought. I think the 85% question arose regards the selection for a vehicle with an auto trans?