Differential Gear Ratios: How to Pick the Best for Your Off-Road Vehicle

When installing oversize tires on your vehicle, you’ll notice that you’ll lose low-end power when towing, taking off from a stop or even on the trail. To regain this power, you’ll need to re-gear your differentials. The formula to figure out ideal gear ratio is stock tire size divided by the stock gear ratio.

This should be equal to your new tire size divided by your new gear ratio. However, this doesn’t account for extra rotating mass of the tire, just the dimensions.

Going strictly by this formula works well for street driven trucks without heavy aftermarket accessories. If you’re looking to get more torque for carrying heavy loads, towing, or if you spend a lot of time on the trail, you’ll want to pick a ratio that is deeper (numerically higher) by one or two available ratios than what the formula suggests. This typically ends up being between 5% and 15% deeper.

We have put together a chart to make things a little easier: https://ruggedrocksoffroad.com/nissan-gearing-chart.html

Once you have your gear ratio calculated, you can get your Nissan truck or SUV gears on order at https://ruggedrocksoffroad.com

Rugged Rocks Develops Three New Gears for Nissan H233B in Collaboration with Revolution Gear & Axle

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2017

Rugged Rocks Develops Three New Gears for Nissan H233B in Collaboration with Revolution Gear & Axle
Fontana, Calif. – Rugged Rocks is exclusively offering three new gears manufactured by Revolution Gear & Axle for the Nissan H233B rear and H233B reverse fronts axles. Available gears include 5.13, 5.57 and 5.89 – all of which fit front and rear axles.

“Off-roaders have been asking for the 5.57 and 5.89 gears in the aftermarket for quite some time,” said Founder and President of Rugged Rocks Steven Lutz. “Working closely with Revolution Gear & Axle, I was able to develop deeper gears for more low-end torque at a reasonable price point.”

Lutz said although the 5.13 is currently offered in the aftermarket, Revolution Gear and Axle is able to get cost down for consumers.
Nissan H233B Standard Nissan H233B Reverse
The gears fit the following Nissan vehicles and model years:
• Pathfinder Rear: 1990-2004
• Hardbody Pickup Rear: 1990-1997
• Frontier Rear: 1998-2004
• Xterra Rear: 2000-2004
• Y60 & Y61 Patrol Front (reverse rotation) and Rear: 1990-Present

These gears start at $264.95 and can be purchased exclusively through RuggedRocksOffroad.com.

“The H233B is a very strong axle,” Lutz said. “However, because gears for the axle have been expensive in the past, I’ve seen people go through the trouble of changing out the whole axle to a weaker model just to have access to less expensive aftermarket parts.”

Off-road drivers now have access to OEM gear alternatives without needing to swap out axles and sacrifice strength in order to use more affordable gear options.
Rugged Rocks, LLC was established in 2006 by Steven Lutz. More information about the products available can be viewed at RuggedRocksOffroad.com.

H233B Differential Carrier Bearing Preload Tool Now Available!

Have you been tightening the carrier bearing preload on H233B Differentials with a screwdriver and hammer? or have you been wanting to get your feet wet in doing your own gear work on a H233B differential? This tool is used to adjust carrier bearing adjusters on Nissan H233B differentials! Use one side to adjust the OEM H233B carrier preload adjusters or flip the tool over to adjust H233B ARB air locker adjusters. Accepts a 1/2″ Drive torque wrench or equivalent.

To get your Carrier Bearing Preload Tool you can order online at: H233B Carrier Bearing Preload Tool or call (909) 547-4651

What’s an H233B? and do I have one in my truck?