Yeah thats my problem also, but the cash to swap out the front is not available so I will be limited to 4.88. I have to regear the D44 either way so I am leaning towards spending the extra $150 to get 4.88's for the front instead of staying with 4.56
Well, looking back at your original post, you want to be able to do 50mph. That shouldn't be a problems for either gears, unless you're going up a huge hill. Even so, that should still be done over 50mph.
The dilemma I had was if I should gear the rear to 5.38's and just not wheel till I could swap out the front axle. Although, if you're installing your gears yourself then the added cost of going to 4.88's then changing the rear again when you swap the front, will be minimal and you should be able to recoup most of it. I went to 4.56's back when there was no 4.88's so I had no choice really. If you're going with anything 33" and above and sticking with either stock axle, then there is no reason not to go with 4.88's. It's still not low enough but it's that much better.
BTW: no 2.5L should have 3.07:1. Stock gearing for 2.5L's have always been 3.73:1 for the auto's and 4.10/4.11's for the manuals unless there was a shortage. Then you might see a auto with 3.54:1 and a manual with 3.73:1 but those aren't nearly as common. There was a year when TJ's has 4.56's standard too.
