That is typically what people say that don't know alot about the JK. The auto trans in a JK has a very very deep overdrive. With 5.38 gears I am still turning less than 2500 RPM at 70 mph on the highway. The ideal engine RPM for these 3.8 liter engines is 2600 to 3200 RPM. I spent today exploring in the mountains of southern Utah, at 9000 to 11000 feet elevation. About 100 miles of todays drive was on pavement, with the overdrive turned off, because it worked better that way. It is definitely not geared too low for highway use, if anything it could be geared lower. The Jeep still downshifts out of overdrive too frequently, and commonly downshifts to second gear on mountain grades. If I had taller gears it would be in second gear half the time. The concern about pinion gear strength is a theoretical concern, I've never even heard of a Rubi rear Dana 44 or Dynatrac Pro Rock 44 breaking a pinion gear.