Thread: 30 or 49% lower low range ?

What is your vehicle and setup? Engine, gearbox, ratios, tyre size and what type of offroading? I guess its a 130.

Hmmm, that might've helped !

130, Tdi, R380, 33" tyres mainly used for work, big hills around here but not a lot of sandstone, mostly shale and rock and used for touring too.

Hi Rick
I have a 300tdi 110 running 255/85s, with standard engine and R380. I have the 30% reduction gears and found that this seems to match the tyres well. The vehicle is used off-road regularly for weekend trips and touring. It is set up for touring so I don't do extreme/comp type off-roading.
So, for my needs I am very happy with the 30% reduction gear set.
Cheers, Martin

i've got Maxi 49% in my 130 300tdi (currently with 255/85). had the kit for years but only just got them installed. was advised not to give it the boot when in 1st - could break anything and/or everything as it's too much power. tested them out the other weekend and they are fantastic on the steep stuff. maybe 10% above idle and simply cruised up very slowly.

gearbox louder in 2nd or higher due to straight cut teeth.

from what understand the 30% are stronger than the 49% but the 49% suit the 130 better.

Tyres and traction:

I have 49%.

When I was out west on 34 swampers it was great. When I was on Fraser with 32 it was a little lowish, but Fraser would be considered easy to moderate 4x4ing at best. I think you will be happy with either in your 130 with 33s. When you do the ratio calcs they both land in between 1st and 2nd high in 5th low. 49% will be a little harder to change from low to high on the fly simply because of the larger difference in ratio from low to high.

And the t/case linkages are an abomination making changes on the fly difficult at the best of times.....

Yeah, tom Sheppard made a aluminum gate that forced him across one side, into neutral, across other side and into high. This forced "pause" in neutral helped with the change apparently. He use to do low to high shifts a lot in his tdi 90 in the deserts

Hi Rick,
Give some thought to your top speed in low range, and how you use the truck.
My old Isuzu County had that nice low, low range 1st that was great, but I couldn't bring myself to do more than about 20 km/h in low 4th for any length of time.
Were as the Defender (300Tdi, R380, 130, 255/85R16s) will do twice that in low 5th.
For what I do, High Country and Desert touring, there is no way I'd go the 49% gears and I would think very hard before even the 30% ones.

One the other hand a 3 speed transfer, or a 4BD1T and Isuzu 6 speed with the 7:1 first. MMMMM

Tony