DupermanDave

Just for those in norther Colorado, I took my truck to the Horsetooth trail today. Lots of steep hills there.

At some points (most of the time, actually) to get up the hill I had to downshift to second gear and rev to about 4000 to 5000 RPMs. If I tried to upshift to third, It would slow down rapidly and the RPMs would drop like a rock, even if I floored it.

These are pretty steep hills, but shouldn't the 22re be able to climb these in 3rd gear? Is there anything I can do to help?

I also noticed while in second revving so high we could smell oil (or something) burning. I didn't notice it much, but the girlfriend and dog did.

86Toyrunna

... ya it will do it in 3rd.. just put it in 4low lol though i dont know what the terrain is you speak of, i know i have the same problem with my runner in some areas around here where im at, i figure my problem is a slightly wore 22re.. 35s and 4.88s.. as soon as i can afford 5.29s ill do that and see what happens

DupermanDave

I also figured the larger tires and lack of proper gears played a big factor in the hill climb.

I didn't use 4wd at all, as it was just pavement with no ice or rain.

Jay351

Yep. You're getting the best of 90hp to the wheels. Gear the diffs lower!!! Or swap in a bigger motor.

DupermanDave

I figured the larger tires and the improper gear ratio didn't help at all.

I'm not really complaining about the lack of power (especially since it's a rock solid and stable engine) I was just wondering if this was normal, and if there's any tips for the future so I don't burn more oil than gas climbing the hills.

Jay351

Nope, our trucks really rely on gearing. Toyota never saw fit to put an appropriate weight/hp ratio engine in our trucks...

I guess thats why the 1uzfe v8 swap is popular

DupermanDave

what would be some good gears for the 30 x 9.50 R15 tire size? This might be my next major mod before doing the piston rings and clutch near the end of summer.

Jay351

4.56 or 4.88 if you want extra pep for city driving, at the expense of a higher crusing rpm (2-400rmp higher for the same speed approx).


I would personally go with 4.88's. You can find factory diffs for under $150 each, and they bolt in (rear pinion flange will have to be re-drilled or swapped). This will really help going up those hills, you won't have to rev the crap outa it (much ) anymore..

Plumbrbob

that smell of buring may be your clutch smoking, years back I was wheeling 32's on 4.10 trying some vertical off road climbs and I had seroiusly smoked my clutch the smell and smoke was noticable. Everything was working fine for a couple months then I lost my clutch on a hill and could only do 15mph. I replaced my clutch with a centerforce 2 and I never smoked my clutch again. I then upgraded my tire size to 36's and barely smoked my clutch trying climb up a huge 8' stump, so I regeared to 5.29's and hope I dont smoke my clutch ever again.

But typically I have to rev the motor pretty high to maitain speeds on hills on or off road, these motors can take the high rev rpms, my cams' powerband is around 4g's.

chrisbnaz

Going to flagstaff from phoenix, I was constantly at 4k +rpm going up the mountains.

I feel your pain, it's brutal.

T-1000

Or at least talking about it is haha...I could count the number of people I've seen on the Internet successfully pull it off on my hands.

In the US anyways...Oz is a different story.

abecedarian

The gears are there for a reason: so you can use the one you need to do what you have to do. If you have to slow down to go where you have to go, and change gears in the process, that is the cost.
If you want to do something your truck can't do, get a different truck... or make your truck capable of doing it.

Matt16

4.56 gears would be well suited and cheap.

Beaniam

Drove my truck across country a couple years back and took route 70 through the rockies. I spent a LOT of time revving in the 4000 range in 2nd and 3rd gear just to maintain 30mph+. That was on 31's and 4.10s 5spd.

phildelfino

It's even worse in an automatic truck. Lucky you with the 5 speed.
As said, check the clutch. If you didn't put it in, it could be the source of your smell.

DupermanDave

I guess that's a very good way to explain it. I never thought of it like that before. I never took into consideration the practicality of each gear.

I kinnd of thought it might be the clutch burning, but I didn't smell it and I really couldnt explain it without smelling it. I knew it either had to be the clutch or oil (especially at those RPMs and at that steep of a hill)

I was going for a marlincrawler clutch when I rebuild the engine in a few months.

DupermanDave

I dread pulling a trailer up some of these hills. You think these engines could haul a trailer up in second gear, or should I ever consider moving should I just get a u-haul truck?

tc

When was the last time you did cap/rotor/plugs/wires/timing?

If there's pavement on it, it's not THAT steep...

DupermanDave

Did cap/rotors/plugs/wires about 3000 miles ago, which was about 4 months ago.

DupermanDave

Where would you guys recommend buying the gear upgrades? I don't see them listed on Marlin Crawler and I dont think I saw them on wabfab. Any recommended parts sources for these gears?