477's Frnt/Rear for sale

[Ldub]

I'm running 285/60/18s on my VX now. I don't think I want to go any bigger. Are the 477s only if you want to go with a taller, wider tire than a 285?
Peace.
Tom

Tom,

According to the tire calc. that I checked, 285/60 R 18 = 31.46" diam.

[SPAZZ]

Zeus and Spazz installed 477's this weekend alright

To make a long story short a few unforseen problem hit. Things just didn't come apart as expected. But finally got it after returning the defective torque wrnechs twice, the 3rd one wrked and did the trick on the pinion nut to crush the crush collar. Had to lose out on some sleep ...but this is the way on most auto work and the VX is no different.

Didn't get the upper baljoints fliiped and one of the TOD/ABS sensor thingies had the wires pull out. But, that was the only casualty of war . The sinthetic gear oil in the front diff was attempting to find it's way out the pinion oil seal by the 6 bolt driveshaft flange and drip out. I had same problem on mine with sinthetic.,..as soon as I changed to regular gear oil, no problems , leak went away.
I saw someone else on here on a forum had the same problem with sinthetic gear oil...as sooon as they switched back to normal they had no problam either.

ZEUS, Let me know if you get home ok and how the ride was.


Then the fun of driving the first VX with 477 ratio axles. It just glides with litteraly NO effort from the gas. The difference is there right away. The torque is great. I just saw Zeus leave for home a little bit ago. We drove it up the highway to the grocery store before he was on his way.


I hope he can write a good review when he gets back other than what a PITA it is to install the 3rd members and how much of a one it was to install his .

Last time I heard from Zeus he was leaving Pocatello for Salt lake..bout 150 miles from home. Hope he made it home ok. Let us know Zeus.












Tom...you may or may not want 477's.The VX is NOT aerodynamic.
by ur calculations 456 is what you need.
so, with only 1" taller you will love the 456's. This will bring you back any performance lost and a little over. This will compensate for any wind, elevation, weight, or towing. Taking the plunge ...Cool???

[Cyrk]

Would this mod add performance?
I am running 255/55/18 with no lift and my VX is supercharged.
Would I get better 0-60 - 1/4 mile times with this mod and how much slower would it be top end?

-Dave

[SPAZZ]

but, you would need to get one of those guage correctors/or correct your guages..as with closer to stock tires as you have,... I'm not quite sure how off your top end speed will be, your limiter will or might kick in earlier.

I'm not sure if it does with the super charger. I believe the VX is limited at 110??

[Tone]

The gears would make you seriously JUMP off the line with the SC and short tires - yes you would be quicker but your mileage will suffer as the engine will always be in a higher rpm range with these gears. On the highway, it might be a bit annoying - try driving 80 and putting it into 3rd to simulate the noise.

I can't believe no one is jumping on these for their lifted, big tired rigs - this is the way to build an offroad VX right. And if you have these and the SC, you're gonna be better all the way around.

[kpaske]

I can't believe no one is jumping on these for their lifted, big tired rigs - this is the way to build an offroad VX right.

Don't worry, Zeus isn't the only one.

My biggest decision now is whether to supercharge my 3.5L or go with a turbo diesel swap once I get my gears done.

Zeus, since you're the first known VXer to get this accomplished, PLEASE give us a review! I'm especially concerned about city/highway driveability as my VX is sort of a "do-everything" rig these days.

[SPAZZ]

he said that his vx drives better. it glides with hardly no gas..also, I drove it. it is wondeful. I can't wait for his full review from his trip home either though

But, no horsepower changes were made, only torque. So, off the line is better in that since. Mileage will be saved by the VX lunging easier, acceleration is easier. But, acceleration is not necessarily punching harder...just easier.

So, RPMS are not reving as high as some think, as long as you have like ZEUS has(31" tires) at least or larger. But, stock..I wouldn't know as I have never driven a VX that changed gears first, then tires.

[ZEUS]

Well, first I would like to thank James, Shannon, and Max for the inviting hospitality during the weekend. Good thing James is married or we would have never eaten anything! James, thanks for the endless knowledge given and the use of your tools and garage. And I would like to thank God... j/k!

We started tearing into my VX about midnight Friday, after all our intial meeting and B.S.ing. We didn't really stop working, planning, and acquiring parts and tools until Sunday at about 4:00am when we finally got some sleep. I was up 45 hours straight! We started up again 4 or 5 hours later and worked through the day until 8:30 Sunday night when I finally took the 6 hour drive back home. We installed the OME 912's, added some bump stops, and cranked the T-bars at the same time but this amount of time we worked should give a person an idea on how involved the 3rd member swap is. I would recommend spraying penetrating oil on every bolt and part you are going to touch - do this a week in advance and just before you start to tear into things! My VX was very reluctant to give up good stock parts!

You should know we did not retain my limited slip in the rear and I am now running an open diff so that sucks but that is all that sucks!!! I have 285/60R18's (31.5") tires BTW. The first full tank after the swap got me 16.3 highway mpg according to the odometer while mostly doing 80 in the rain - (3000 rpm at 80 mph). I'll let someone else do the actual calculating but that seems to be on par with my typical mileage so I would say I have not lost any highway mileage. City mileage may suffer (at least intially) because the added torque feels GREAT in the seat of the pants. I can whip my VX around "cotton tops" and buses with ease again. Merging onto the highway is the greatest improvement so far; the dead spot I used to have at 60 to 65 mph is completely gone. I am easily speeding before I even need to look in the mirrors to get over! The gears in the axle seem to take so much of the work away from the tranny gears and things are smoother, crisper now. Off the line, I have spun the rear tires and since the limited slip is not there, it just won't stop raining, and I am lifted... I am driving a whole new animal that needs new concentration! While in cruise control with the 31.5's, I would hit the power mode before I approached a hill to make sure the tranny wasn't shifting back and forth while trying to get over it. This is no longer necessary; when it does need to downshift on the steepest hills, power is very noticable throughout the use of that gear.

If you have 31.5" to 33" tires I would highly advise finding 4.77's. My speedo seems to be really close to accurate now. I was telling SPAZZ the Ironman edition should have come the way my VX is now - 4.77's, 285/60/18's, 2.5" lift... of course he listed many more things he would like to have seen on the stock Ironman but he is out of control!

Anyway, I might compare the 4.77's with 31.5's to stock tires and an added exhaust and air intake kit. It is hard to say if the new lift or if the gearing is the reason for it but I notice flooring it off the line the front end unloads and comes up further than it used to - it's probably a combo of the two. It's cool either way though!

In all seriousness, if you are going to go through the trouble of swapping 3rd members... go for the 4.77's or greater and add a locker or something at the same time... I wish I would have had the money for ARB's at the time of install! I am going to have to save up for a rear one now and I never ever want to touch the front axle again! But I might for dual ARB's I guess...

Or you can just wait a few months and see what a solid front D44 axle swap with 5.38's looks like on a VX... James, hurry the F#@& up!

I need to go get my VX out of the alignment shop - hopefully they didn't run it into the ceiling again!

Got any questions - fire away...

[SPAZZ]

I hope
Zeus
Kpaske
Alaska
enjoy their 477's

I hated every second searching for these since 2003.
Then once I had my hands on them I hated every second seeing them go.
No one jumps on these fast enough and I am not going to spend my time on these rare 477's going through what it takes getting these if people don't want them.

They are totally worth it, once you put your foot on that pedal
But, I am going 538's myself.

(Swordy has 477's too btw)