I have read a few posts where people have recommended regearing to 5.71's to run 33x10.5's on the 3vze auto. I have an auto 3vze, stock 4.88's and it is a Daily Driver, which includes several highway trips per week. Would the 5.71's be too low for highway driving with 33x10.5's? I am getting 33x10.5's but I am not sure if I should regear to 5.29 or 5.71. I don't want a super sluggish beast, but I also want to be able to do 70-75mph on the freeway in 5th (OD). Also What is the difference between/benefits of changing the entire ring and pinion gears vs changing just the third member?

 

5.29 gears would better suit 33" tires with the v6 auto.

 

yep, 5.29s would put you close to stock rpms with 33s.

 

I've never driven a 3.0 automatic, but I think that the gearing for the auto, that most reccomend would be 4.88s for 31's, 5.29s for 33's and so on...

The auto tranny behind the 3.slow is a 4speed btw.

 

Yep, 5.71's if you want to be able to hold the overdrive.

Factory was undergeared (won't hold the OD) with 4.88's and 31's, so you want to be higher RPM's than stock.

 

I would suggest undergearing as well to compensate for the added drag of the larger tires. RPM's are already too low with 4.88's and 31's as mentioned, go 5.71.

Frank

 

Thank you very much for the advice. I was leaning towards the 5.71's and that is what I will go with.

 

Note that the lower the gear ratio, the more critical the setup. You want to have them done by someone who does it every day - not thinks they can handle it. Check out www.gearinstalls.com - hell, print it out and take it with you!

 

With the auto, 33's, and 5.71's you will be at 3200 rpm at 75mph, which isnt to bad... 5.29's will only yield you 2965, which isnt much different that OEM, so go with the 5.71's. The only issue I would see is that if you kick out of OD at 75 you will be at 4500+ rpms...

 

Update on this setup: I'm now running 5.71's, 33x10.50's, auto. It is badass. It should have came from the factory this way. It is in the power band all the time, and completely woke this truck up. The highway is a cakewalk doing 75... and It hasnt bumped out of OD yet, just pulls up hills like they are no problem.
I'm still on my first tank of gas... but i'll update mileage wise.

 

I just got 5.29s with 33x12.5s the 5.29s feel real good. Im srue the 571s are even better. Wasnt there something about the stock 488s that you couldnt regear them or was it you cant put a lunchbox locker in them?

BtW Auburn, we need to go wheeling man. [end hijack]

 

That was my experence too, I loved the 5.71s with 33's for the auto. It was the only time I was happy with the 3.slo. I could cruise on the highway up to 85 miles per hour, and had power to go faster but I don't like reving over 4000 rpms. With 5.29s I was unable to hold 70 miles per hour without dropping into 3rd gear (until I dropped in a supercharged 3.4 that is ).

The stock 4.88 rear 3rd member has to be replaced to regear (but not the front). So my advice is get a 3rd already setup with the gears and locker you want from someone who is good at setting up gears...like ZUK http://www.gearinstalls.com/ or ORS http://www.offroadsolutions.com/meetthestaff.htm. And don't buy cheap import gears unless you want to regear often. US gear is made and heat treated in the US. Zuk I think also likes Precision gears.

 

You can't regear the factory 4.88 thirds because the pinion is offset.

 

I went to Auburn this past weekend from ATL... drove 290 miles with the 5.71/33 combo on 14.1 gallons. I dont know how far off my speedo is ( 10-15% would be my guess) but in my book that is still pretty good.
And I'm loving the 5.71's around town. Anyone wanna race?

 

Success....love to hear it.

So, it's just the rear that has to be swapped out on the 4.88's? Guess I misunderstood. Thought it was the front, too.

 

I had 2 Runners....one had overall similar gearing to yours....88 Runner 3.0/auto/529/31"....that 3.0 was a good running engine in my case and it was quick off the line. Your gearing is about 2% lower than my combo so I know that you know that how good it is from the green light

The other Runner I had was an 87...22RE/auto/571/33x10.50....not as fast as the 3.0 Runner but pretty good of the line for a 22RE auto. About 3300 rpm at 75 real miles per hour(per GPS) ....revvy but the cruise control held it most of the time without downshifting. Never had a 'stall' problem on the trails I took it on. (Staceman can recall the time on the Crown King trail where I made it up the loose rutty hill with minimal probs (only had the 571's and rear Detroit) and a TJ with a front locker, bigger tires and the 4.0 engine just could not stay on the line up the hill and kept sliding around and had to carefully back down and take the Nissan route....oops, did I say that

My first experience with 571 gears was back in 1986 when I had an 84 Toyota red longbed and was one of the few 4x4's on the trail (at the time) that had Detroit Lockers both ends and low 571 gears. I used to drive that combo with 33" tires(considered to be the biggest tire any serious Toyota owner should use for the rocks) and the 5 speed to Moab Utah once or twice a year.....when the Easter Jeep Safari crowd numbered at a massive 700 people.

 

What was your fuel milage like with this set up? I have a 90 extra cab 3.0/auto that I need to regear for 31's and I've been trying to decide between 4.88's and 5.29's.