Robin,
I asked a similar question when I first got my Tiger years ago. It was
recommended not to do it based on the gear ratios and the large jump between
2nd and 3rd gear.
If sticking with the Toploader is important there is a little known set of
gears that were in the Jeep Toploader from 1980-1986. The first gear was
3.01 with a "balanced" spread of ratios up to 1:1 fourth gear ( 3.01, 2.08,
1.47, 1:1). My thinking with these gears is one could run taller tires and
get the same effect as running a .80 trans. The "bog" one might be concern
about (from the taller tires) would be compensated with the 3.01 first gear.
Basically it is a "wide-er" ratio trans. as opposed to a "wide" ratio.
However it does not suffer from the radical ratio jumps of the O.D. four
speeds.
In as much as I like the concept for it's simplicity finding one is a
different matter. The Jeep Toploaders go by the designation T-176, T-177,
and T-178. The T-178 is the trans. you would want. The other trans. are
standard Jeep "Rock Crawler" ratios. The T-178 never came in the CJ or the
Cherokee. I think it was the Jeep pick-up and maybe the Wagoneer only. I've
been looking here in Calif. for about 6 years and never found one. Maybe one
of these day...?
Tom Witt
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