Rear axle ratios and impact on towing

rexlion wrote:

C Schomer wrote:
... The lower gears put the trans gears closer together and is better for creeping and reverse. Craig

I don't understand how this would happen, can someone explain further? I thought the final output ratio to the wheels would be a matter of simple multiplication between the transmission gear and the rear axle gear numbers, yielding straight line results. If changing the rear axle gear can effectively move the transmission gears' outputs closer together or further apart, that suggests a geometric progression... a parabolic curve for the results.

LOL, it doesn't that's why you don't understand it. The gears don't get closer together.

As far as your first post. You are correct. The tranny will pick the gear it needs to be in. In the years of the powerglide with 2 speeds it was important to pick a good gear for towing. Also true with the 3 speed tranny's. Less so when it got to the 4 speed and even less so when it got to the 5 speed's. With a 6 speed or above about the only thing it will effect is 1st gear starting out on a very steep hill.

All in all, with 6 speed and more gears, it doesn't really matter what rear gear you pick now days. With your jeep I would get the lowest you can get just because you might want to put big tires on it and that will throw everything out of wack.