dellaquila

Hey everyone, I have an 02 Tacoma TRD with around 93K miles on it. Stock it got 17-19mpg. I installed a 3" susp lift and 285/75R16 BFG ATs on it. It also has a cat back from NW Off Road and a cold air intake. I know the tire size makes the odo/speedo calculation off a little bit, but now it's getting 14mpg consistently. I typically get 240 miles per tank, which is usually 15-16 gallons. I have plenty of power in the top end to pull my 400 pound Raptor and still go 80, so I'm wondering if I put a smaller ring in the differential would it help me out enough without killing my power? I forget my stock ratio but I know 3.46 is the next step.

Also, is anyone running the STS turbo kit? I just saw their website and am very interested. Theoretically a turbo with smaller gears would give me better gas mileage and more power. Anyone have experience with it? Thanks!

-mark

jjrgr21

trd taco 00-04 had 4.10's not 3.46's, if you want better pulling power, then step up to 4.56's or 4.88's.

Joe's Toy

I'm not so experienced with the gears but I was also looking at the STS kit and upon reading over what others had to say about it decided against it. try one of these threads.

STS turbo kit

STS turbo kit 2

STS turbo kit 3

Welcome to Yotatech!

crolison

i would go with the tried and true trd supercharger with fuel mods.

and step it up to 4.56

hiloracerboy84

im not totally sure, but i think he wants to regear higher to give him a lower cruising rpm, since hes got lots of power already to cruise at 80. 3.46 is pretty high, and i dont think itll make much difference.

dellaquila

yep you're right. i just read through some of those STS threads, sounds like most people are afraid of water and turbo lag. really i'm just interested in better gas mileage. i rarely offroad anymore, i have a dirtbike and quad if i want to do that. i love my tacoma but its 14-17mpg is going to kill me. i'd like to gear up in the back to get my rpms down on the highway. anyone else do this?

crolison

Wrong, at lower rpm's you have less power to push those tires requiring more fuel to keep you going, and lower mpg. I personally cruise at 3k rpm and get 20-22mpg.

If you gear down your rpm will go higher and you will have more power, which it is easier to push those oversize tires, so you should see a gain in mpg.

The only guaranteed way to gain mpg is take get smaller tires, and take the lift off.

Gearing is also expensive, take off the lift trade the tires, and take that money you were going to regear with and buy gas.

22R-to-5VZFE

I have 4.10's in my 4runner and get 16mpg in town and upto 23mpg on the highway. I was thinking of going to a 3.91 from a taco...what are all the OEM sizes?? There is a 3.46 too?? I am curious to all available options for my Sr5??

I also want a factory rear locker but arn't those geared like 4.56 or even higher than the 4.10's?? THe TRD rear end that is.

YodaPala

I wouldnt re-gear just yet. Get a throttle body spacer from airaid (part#510502) It gave me 3mpg increase. I was kind of skeptical @ first then I put it on and Woser! the thing performs!!! try it out. Oh yeah, it makes a whistle sound like you have a blower or something, sounds kinda neat,LOL

crolison

I am not even going to go there.

Your doing pretty good at 23 highway, I wouldnt regear either. Factory rear locker came in, i think 4.10's and 4.30's. The easiest thing to do is get a wiring kit from off road solutions and switch out a 4runner elocked rear axle.

Your kind of stuck though, taco 3.91's won't work in the rear of your runner, different ring size.

YodaPala

Hey it worked for me, proof is in the pudding.

22R-to-5VZFE

It did...you put 3.91's in your 4runner...hows it perform...

jjrgr21

then you're 1/ million to get an increase,
if they haven't worked for anyone else, i hate to say, do your math again.

Man4God

Yeah, these engines need to be crusing at a higher RPM to really get efficient. Even then, it's a marginal increase. Fuel mileage is a lost cause in a 4Runner unless you have a tiny 4 banger or get a diesel.