I have a 04 Scab FX4 (5.4L) with a 6" Fabtech performance lift and 35 tires. What gears should I be running to optimize performance and reduce wear on my truck? I don't do any towing and I just want to make sure my lift and tires aren't causing any unneccessary strain/damage. Thanks.

 

It is a pretty unanimous decision around here that 4.33's would be the best but they don't make a reverse cut 4.33 for the 8.8 up front. So everyone bumps up to 4.56's and are all very happy with them. Anything less is really not worth your time or money. Unless you have money to waist and at which point I will kindly say put some in the mail for me.

 

So would I be replacing the front and rear gears? What would something like that cost and is it really that important? I hear alot of people saying that buying a programmer is a better investment than re-gearing. I definetely don't have money to waste!

 

I would get a programmer before gears since you're only running 35's, especially since you don't tow. If you did re-gear you would be taking a little stress off your transmission and you would also have to re gear your front differential and rear differential if you plan on using 4wd. With 35" tires 4.10 gears would be the ones i'd use. You're looking at around $800, for parts only, on doing a gear swap.