KODE

hello everyone. im new to the toyota 4x4 scene and i need some info/advice.

i have a 93 pickup 3.0 v6 5 speed. 4" susp lift with 3" body. 15x10 welds with 33x12.50. k&n cone filter and a borla exhaust with no cat is the only engine mods.

i drive a lot on the highways and when i get into 4th gear, it feels like im losing a lot of power. almost feels like i shifted too early. do i need to change the gearing? the guy i bought the truck from said the gearing is stock. if i have to change gearing what kind of gearing should i get? also, would my truck be able to push 35's? any suggestions and info is greatly appreciated. thanks in advance.

tc

Need to know what gears you have in there now. Check the codes on your door jamb and use the following chart to decipher them:

http://www.off-road.com/toyota/tech/other/4_axles.html

Bobakazi

33" tires with stock gears is starting to push it. I ran that setup for 10 years. If you are considering swapping tires and gears, with your lift you can run 35's no problem. 5.29 gears will get you back close to a stock ratio. If you decide to stay with the 33's, 4.88's are good.

KODE

ok. thanks for the info. ill double check to see what my stock gearing is, and ill post it. thanks again..

tc

Yeah, I think Bob jumped the gun. You COULD have 4.56 with a manual, which should be OK (not great) for 33's - that's what I run. On the other hand, you could have 4.10's, which would be a MAJOR problem with 33's...Need to know what you got before doing anything.

Bobakazi

Agreed. 4.56's would suffice if that is what he has. But Kode? How seriously are you considering running 35's? Either stock gearing will not be very good for that size tire. If I was in your shoes with your lift, I would throw on 5.29's and get 35's when you can.

KODE

im serious about throwing on some 35's. will gearing solve my problem of loss power? i still need to find what my stock gears are but i gotta wait a few days til my truck get out of the shop. til then, ill keep in touch on the forums. thanks

Bobakazi

If you are going with 35's, your stock gearing will be no good no matter what it is. Assuming you have no engine problems causing lack of power, you will love 5.29's with 35's. In 5th I just step on the gas to pass. Even with a Truetrac in the rear, when I dump the clutch I can lay scratch from here to Taco Bell. (well, maybe not quite that far)
I would also suggest more traction if you go wheeling a lot. If you decide to swap gears, look into a locker(s) or LSD(s).

KODE

when i swap gears i was gonna throw a lsd in the rear because i drive on the highways alot. what kind of lockers would you recommend for the front?

bob200587

starting to push it!! its awful with 4.10s and 31 inch tires, it has to be terrible with 33s. From what he describes, I know he has 4.10s if he doesn't I'll put my foot in my mouth, but I'm pretty sure I'm right.

As far as traction aids. I personally recommend a selectable in the rear or a Detroit Tru-trac. And same for the front, but def. not a auto locker in the front, even with manual hubs, using 4wd will suck for turning.

KODE

will the tru-trac be ok if my truck is an everyday driver on the roads? i just dont want it to be locked into turns like the regular lockers.

LOCKnGO

It does suck for Daily driving. I have 4.10 gearing and 35" BFG's. At 60 mph ny rpms are around 3k- 3500 in fourth gear. Hell I can't remember when I used 5th gear last. When i get the $$ 4.88s are going in

Bobakazi

LOCKnGO, you have 35" tires. When you get the $$, put in 5.29s. Why put in 4.88s and still not even be back to a stock ratio?

Bob200587, notice I said stock gears would be no good no matter what they are.

As far as what I recommend, I like my setup a lot. I know others might think it is weird. That is OK. Different people get different things for different purposes. I drive on the road most of the time. I like the Truetrac in the rear. It acts as an open diff until more traction is needed. Then it kicks in. I have a Detroit locker in the front, so when I go wheeling I get the benefits of a full locker when I lock the hubs. I know the turning is harder, but when it gets to hard, it disengages. When I do not need that much traction, or when I am on ice/snow, I only lock one hub. But when I need the traction, I got it. I like going in deep mud and up steep hills. The locker helps out a lot in this. If this is not your thing, I say put Truetracs in front and back. They are an awesome middle ground between open diffs and lockers.

KODE

would truetracs be ok if i dont have manual hubs?

Bobakazi

They are great for any setup where you do not want a full locker. They only engage when you start to lose traction to one of the tires. Otherwise they operate like an open diff. For instance, the other day I went up a steep gravel hill in 2wd. Stopped half-way up on purpose. Gave it some gas, only one wheel spun for a moment, then they both started spinning. Same in the mud. One loses traction, then they both kick in. Truetracs are great for the daily driver who goes wheeling sometimes. They do not affect cornering, no clunks, and no excessive tire wear. But they do give that extra boost in traction when you need it. And they are good in the ice/snow.

KODE

ok! great! ill start looking for one. thanks for the support! ill keep in touch on the forums if i have any other problems..thanks again.

runethechamp

Wow, just looked up my code and it says G284/R150F. 4.30s with a MT? ANyone else have this?

bryanr

I guess my motor is tired. My 33s with 5.29s (auto) seems to very much lack power.

Bobakazi

Could be bryanr. Could also be since you have only had your truck for under a year, maybe you are comparing it to another vehicle you had before? 166k is not all that high for that motor. But, it only puts out about 150 hp and 180 torque. I suggest (if possible) test driving another rig like yours and compare. 5.29s with 33"s is to much for the 5sp daily driver, but should work well with an auto. Autos have less gears than manuals, so they work better with lower gears.

Elvota

In regards to the front locker, just keep in mind that with auto hubs your locker will be doing it's job all the time. Meaning, if the locker you choose causes any type of handling changes, you'll have to drive accordingly.

Might really cause problems with snow or wet asphault driving. With the front locked, turning becomes much more difficult, to say the least. Thus most people install a front locker that has a on/off option such as a ARB if the funds are available.

Manual hubs will of course only engage any locker issues when the hubs are locked, so for all of your 2WD driving it will feel like you have a "stock" front end.

You might know this already, but you can replace your auto hubs with manual. Probably a cheaper on/off option for a DD. This step also stops your CV's from spinning all the time and saves those as well. Might even up your MPG slightly, although those 35's will fight that back down with no problem.