Notices
86-95 Trucks & 4Runners 2nd/3rd gen pickups, and 1st/2nd gen 4Runners with IFS
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: DashLynx

Gear ratio dilemma

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-09-2019, 04:44 AM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
roughridn_sob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Valley Mills, Texas
Posts: 53
Received 8 Likes on 6 Posts
Gear ratio dilemma

I have been toying around with the Idea of regearing my 87 4runner 5spd 22re so I started looking into what gears would be best from what I can tell I want either 4.56 or 4.88. I never plan on running anything bigger than 33s. I started playing around with the gear ratio calculator on Grim Jeeper gear ratio calculator. And noticed that according to my RPM range, 3100-3200 at 70mph, I already have 4.88.... Everything thing about my truck says I should have 4.10s. Ive even jacked up one tire and spun it while watching the driveshaft with tape and in my best estimation it spun just over 4 times which would makes sense for 4.10s but like I said the RPMs are telling a different story. I dont wanna waste time going to a junkyard and pulling diffs out of a auto 2nd gen and swapping mine for no results. I attached some pictures including a photo from a stamping on the actual rear differential. I used tire size as 30 because right now I have worn 31x10.50R15 so the sctual size is probably close to 30. Any input or help is appreciated.





Old 03-09-2019, 07:00 AM
  #2  
Registered User
 
richiethomson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 4 Posts
Your truck has 4.10's
Old 03-09-2019, 01:35 PM
  #3  
Registered User
 
RASALIBRE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Reno Nevada
Posts: 265
Received 46 Likes on 31 Posts
Old 03-10-2019, 02:29 PM
  #4  
Registered User
iTrader: (-1)
 
Co_94_PU's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 5,433
Likes: 0
Received 554 Likes on 452 Posts
It is easier to note the ratio if you go around twice.

8-9-10 is a lot simpler to notice than is that .1 .5 or .8...

You can not trust the build tag, it could have been altered anywhere between the truck it left the factory on and now.

You can not trust the speedometer, for one they are allowed upto 5% error and more importantly tire size is almost never accurately displayed by manufacturers. To get an accurate tire size you have to measure it's rolling distance and math it out.
Old 03-10-2019, 03:52 PM
  #5  
Fossilized
Staff
iTrader: (6)
 
dropzone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: PNW
Posts: 19,771
Received 448 Likes on 293 Posts
watching your driveshaft spin is subjective IMO.

like CO_94_PU said who knows who has done what to the truck over 30+ years

to me the only sure fire way to confirm the ratio is to pull the 3rd, count the ring gear teeth and divide by the pinion teeth

borrow a set of 33's and set how it does
The following users liked this post:
keycw (03-11-2019)
Old 03-10-2019, 06:13 PM
  #6  
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
muddpigg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Enterprise, AL
Posts: 4,374
Received 35 Likes on 30 Posts
Worthwhile to note seldomly tires are the size they are labeled, I.e. my 35x12.5x15 KM2s were actually 34.5 on an 8” wide rim. They would be even shorter if I had wider rims. Believe BFG states they used 9” wide rims on specs sheet. Add in wear from use and tire actual tire and diameter of tire can be significantly less than what you believe tire size to be.
Old 03-11-2019, 04:37 AM
  #7  
Registered User
 
ev13wt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 602
Received 117 Likes on 88 Posts
Your speedo is not GPS corrected.
Old 03-11-2019, 04:48 AM
  #8  
Registered User
 
keycw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: fort smith, arkansas
Posts: 765
Received 452 Likes on 249 Posts
someone correct me if im wrong but im pretty sure Toyota paint marked the pinion for different gear codes, (pink, white, something something darkside) im sure you can find the thread on here somewhere. I aslo know that they wear off a lot so this may not help. I will also tell you that 4.88s with a set of 33s is a good life.
The following users liked this post:
ev13wt (03-11-2019)
Old 03-11-2019, 03:45 PM
  #9  
Fossilized
Staff
iTrader: (6)
 
dropzone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: PNW
Posts: 19,771
Received 448 Likes on 293 Posts
Originally Posted by ev13wt
Your speedo is not GPS corrected.
where was that mentioned??
Old 03-20-2019, 01:07 PM
  #10  
Registered User
 
bearcat2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 7 Posts
Your truck came stock with 4.10's. Doesn't mean someone hasn't changed them, but I would guess it still has them. You're speedo probably isn't right, a lot of those were set with 225/75r15s from the factory, and that is considerably smaller than 31x10.5s. That being said I am currently driving an 89 that is the third recipient of a set of 4.88s. I run slightly smaller than 33 tires usually (prefereably a metric equivalent to 32x10-10.5, I don't like wider tires) I like them, but on long freeway trip like when I go to Wyoming I will take an hour or two longer than when driving my Tacoma with the 3.4 and stock gears. It doesn't like much over 70-75 mph. I drive the freeway three or four times a year with this truck at most, there isn't one within a hundred miles of me to the north and a couple hundred to the south, so that isn't a real big issue with me, but keep it in mind. If you have to have higher sustained top speeds I would go with a multiple transfer case setup, for driving logging roads (run it in 2L) or wheeling, but frankly these 22re don't have much power before you put bigger tires on them, so if you do much hill driving and/or can accept the lower freeway speeds the 4.88s are the way to go IMO
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Mudd Runna
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners
26
03-05-2003 06:00 PM
supascout
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners
5
12-25-2002 11:20 PM
joshik
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners
2
10-24-2002 09:36 PM
Fred Anarat
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners
7
08-25-2002 07:22 PM



Quick Reply: Gear ratio dilemma



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 06:55 PM.