I have a 90 22r 4 spd and it has a 8"rear end with 3.07 gear ratio. I have no idea if that's right or I completely read the numbers on the inside door sticker wrong, but is this worth swapping into another truck for later upgrade in gears? Any opinions is greatly appreciated and corrections are welcome too.

 

It's a pretty bomb proof axle and there are many better options for lower gears readily available from the factory out of 4 wheel drive trucks.

 

Oh ok but this 8" is on a 2wd truck. That's the part that confused me, I didn't know 2wd came with 8" rear ends

 

Correct. The 8" is standard on many 2 wheel drive trucks when the factory spec'd a certain gear ratio. I've had '76, '78, '87 and '89's with 8" diffs.

 

Was it only the higher gear ratios that had the 8" axle?

FWIW I would love to find a 3.07 axle. I could do 80 comfortably with that rear gear!

 

The early trucks got it with 4.10's when they had a 5 speed, the later trucks with 4 sped got them with 3.07's due to no overdrive. There are factory V6 3.42 8"diffs available too.

 

Nice. I had always assumed the 4-speed trucks got the 7.5" with 3.42's same as the base-model 5-speed trucks.

 

So would that rear end be better the one that has a 7.5 with 3.56?

 

The 7.5 is better suited to sending to China to be returned to the US as matchbox cars.

 

Lmao, got it thanks guys!

 

So THATS why the axle's on my Matchbox cars were always bending as a kid!