Yukon Gear High Performance Gear Set For Chrysler 8.0in in a 4.56 Ratio
Lifted a 4WD Dakota, 2000-2003 Durango or Ram 1500 and put taller tires on it? The front differential has to be regeared along with the rear, and this is the part for it. Yukon YG C8.0-456 is a 4.56 ratio ring and pinion for the Chrysler 8.0 in. independent front suspension differential, with an 8 in. ring gear, a 26-spline pinion and 10 ring gear bolts.
The 8.0 IFS is the front differential that sits in the crossmember of these 4WD trucks and sends power out through CV half-shafts. The pinion is driven by the front driveshaft from the transfer case and turns the ring gear, and at 4.56 the pinion makes 4.56 turns for every turn of the front wheels. In 4WD the front and rear axles are locked together through the transfer case, so the front ratio must match the rear exactly. A truck that has 4.56 in the rear and the factory ratio up front will bind, hop and chew up the transfer case the first time it is used in 4WD on firm ground.
A 4.56 is a deep ratio. It is chosen to bring engine speed back into the power band on tires much taller than stock, to help a V6 or V8 hold top gear on the highway, and to give more control crawling off road.
Front IFS noise is easy to blame on the wrong part. A growl that changes as you swerve is usually a hub bearing, and a click on turns is a CV joint, while a gear whine follows throttle. Our differential whine diagnosis guide helps sort them out, and bad transmission vs bad differential noise covers noises that come from further back. Confirm the rear axle ratio, because the rear has to end up at 4.56 too. On 2000-2003 Dakota and Durango trucks with the Chrysler 8.25 rear, the matching 04-down Chrysler 8.25 4.56 set covers the back.
This set is cataloged for the Chrysler 8.0 in. IFS front differential in the 2000-2010 Dodge Dakota 4WD, 2000-2003 Dodge Durango 4WD and 2002-2011 Ram 1500 4WD. Catalogs disagree on the last model years, and the front differential was not the same in every truck across those years, so check the ring gear size, 26-spline pinion and 10 ring gear bolts against your unit, or send us your year and VIN and we will confirm it. Ratio changes this large can also call for a different carrier depending on what your truck came with, so check carrier fit before you tear it down. More differential parts are in our hard parts section.
Plan on removing the front differential from the truck; it is far easier to set up on a bench. Use a full set of new pinion and carrier bearings, a new crush sleeve, pinion seal and ring gear bolts. Set pinion depth, then preload, then backlash, and read the pattern on both sides of the teeth; our backlash and pinion depth setup guide walks through it, and a pinion depth setting tool makes the first step repeatable. With the front differential out, inspect the front driveshaft U-joints and CV boots; a worn Dakota and Durango front driveshaft or 2002-2006 Ram 1500 front driveshaft can mimic gear noise. Fill with 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil, keep the truck out of 4WD and off the trailer for the first few hundred miles, and change the oil after break-in following our ring and pinion break-in procedure.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | YG C8.0-456 |
| Fits | Yukon Gear High Performance Gear Set For Chrysler 8.0in in a 4.56 Ratio |
| Type | Final Drive Gears |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
This set is listed for the 4WD 2000-2010 Dodge Dakota, 2000-2003 Durango and 2002-2011 Ram 1500 with the 8.0 in. independent front. Confirm the ring gear size, 26-spline pinion and 10 ring gear bolts on your unit, or send us your VIN.
Yes. Front and rear ratios must match exactly or the truck binds in 4WD. If you put 4.56 in the front, the rear needs 4.56 too.
A 4.56 ratio is for trucks running tires well over stock height, or rigs that tow or crawl off road. On stock tires it will raise highway rpm noticeably.
A full set of carrier and pinion bearings, a crush sleeve, pinion seal and ring gear bolts, plus 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil. Check whether your carrier accepts a 4.56 ring gear before you start.
Keep it out of 4WD and avoid towing for the first few hundred miles, then change the gear oil to flush out break-in material.
