My tires are getting pretty worn, I have 31s right now but I want to get 33x10.50s when the time comes. These probably have another 8 to 12 months left at the rate I'm racking up miles these days.

As sluggish as it is with 4.10s and 31s I know that I can't stand to run 33s on the stock gears.

In the future I will likely have a SAS and want to run 35s or 37s. How far off will that be? Not sure, probably 3-5 years.

So, do you think it's worth it to go ahead and do 4.88s now and just pay to have the gears changed in the rear axle again later down the road.

My most recent thought was get a complete diff with an ARB and 4.88s now, and just gears for the ifs front. Run that with 33's for now and figure that 3-5 years is long enough to make it not a waste of money. Because I'll still be able to use the locker, and the front IFS stuff I could possibly sell to recoup some of the cost, and the solid axle will be a new expense anyway.

 

 

The 4:88 gears will work with 31" to 35" tires with about 200-300 RPM difference between sizes meaning 31" tires will run 200-300 RPM higher, 33" at about Stock RPM, and 35" will run 200-300 RPM Lower. Years ago they had published a chart in magazines that showed all this and the chart was baselined on stock gears and tires at 60MPH. There is a math formula that you can use to calculate everything. The 4:88 gears won't work on 37" tires. Oh-the above is based on a stock pickup truck with a 4 cylinder motor.

 

31s and 4.10s already runs at about 3200 rpm in 5th gear at ~70 mph

4.88's would be screaming high at highway speeds with 31's

Most of the magazines have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to Toyotas.

 

Really? With 4.10's & 31's I was at 2800rpms. And 3100rpms @ 70 with 4.88's and 33's. R151 Different trany then you but same ratios's.


X2 they are clueless and just trying to look like they know whats up. Most of the time they recommend going way lower then you need to, even if its mostly on the highway. If you gear to low for the tire size their is draw backs. 4.88 with 33's is great for 22re, little to low with 3.0, and 3.4 engines, but nice offroad, but to low for road trips. I personally don't want to drive thousands of miles at 3100rpms. Anything under 3K and its much better MPG, and probably engine wear as well, IMO. But the MPG is fact as far as I'm concerned since if personally tested it. My taco with 3.4, 4.56 gears, and 33' tires gets 19mpg. I know a guy with the same truck but 4.88's and 33's, that may get the same in town but he gets 16-17mpg freeway. Im @ 2800rpms @ 70mph and 2950 @ 75mph.

 

Didn't mean to focus on V6 there, was just trying to paint a picture. The 22re can run a little higher rpms without affecting mpg as much. But the 22re and 3.0 are pretty close as far as rpms and mpgs. And you still want to be just under 3K when cruising at your favorite highway speed. It is a big difference in milage for 4 and 6cyl, engines.

 

The charts I am talking about were in various magazines such as Off-Road and some special issue publications featuring Toyotas in the mid 1980's. My truck has 4:88 gears and I run 31" or 33" tires. At 65 miles per hour I run 3000 RPM on the 31" tires and I run about 2750-2800 RPM on the 33" tires at the same speed. If you look at a 22R engine power band in a stock geared / stock tired pickup truck you will see 2800 RPM at 60 MPH is what you typically see. Again, there are math formulas that you can use to calculate your specfic tire size and gear ratios in order to match your engines particular power band. I have a twin Weber carb / full race / stroked 4 cylinder motor and I get about 19-21 miles per gallon on the highway with the 31" tires.

 

http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

This is were i get all my facts

 

All of the ratio talk aside, the original question is, should I spend the money to go to 4.88s and then in 5 years or so spend more to go to 5.29s?

 

People on this forum are pretty good at not spending your money for you. So I doubt someones going to tell you to re-gear twice. But we will give you lots of advice to make your decision.

I'm a big fan of doing it once, and doing it right. So if it was me having plans for 35s, I would leave the truck as is untill I can reach that goal. Meaning don't put on the 33s, save your coin and put it towards the 35s. Reaching your goal in a bunch of little steps is always more expensive. I think it comes down to how much your willing to spend. Maybe start a swear jar and then watch rap videos?

Another option is sell your current runner and buy one that is already modded how you want.

If you do the re-gear yourself it will save big coin. There are plenty of threads on how to do it. Buy the right tools and it will cost you less than paying someone else to do it. Even if you just pull the diffs out and bring them to a shop that will cut back on the cost a lot. And watch the local classifieds for good deals. Right now up here in canuck-ville, theres 2 arb lockers, compressor, all nessacary mounting/wiring, onboard air, and 5.29 gears for an 8'rear and SA front, for $2300. All brand new and in box. The best deals always start with the words "divorce sale"

 

4.88s and 39.5s was fine for my 85 and it would do 70 mph on the highway easy.

:wabbit2:

 

I plan on pulling the diffs for sure. I don't trust myself to do the actual work though. I was thinking that for the rear I'd just buy a complete 3rd with an ARB and the 4.88s already installed and just put it in myself.

Well, I did a terrible job formatting that response, but I'm too lazy to fix it.

 

Im sure it was ok. But not right for road or offroad. Be a little hard on the clutch off road, unless of coarse dual cases
And you were probably really low rpms on the freeway. Not gonna be goin 70 up any hills in 5th, like with 35's and 5.29's.

bob200587

I would wait for sure. Theres no reseon to do it twice. And that will hit you when your under your rig pulling your diffs, "I have to do this again in a few years"

 

I wonder how 5.29s and 33s would run.

 

Ive ran 5.29s an 33x12.5 tires on my truck for awhile drove from OKC, OK to KC, MO with no problems. My truck will do 90 with that set up. Dont have an rpm gauge... she screams though. An thats with the 22r and g52 tranny.

But cost effective to switch twice is up to you. But like nothingbetter said. I'd say why spend extra money twice? unless your gonna buy separate diffs an resell your old ones.

 

http://www.rocky-road.com/calculator.html

3204 RPM is what it says. That's not so bad.

 

I guess I'm looking at:

$1400 for a complete diff with ARB and either 4.88s or 5.29s
$200 for the ARB compressor
$200 for front ring and pinion
??? for the front install

Man, why does everything have to be so expensive?

 

I bought front an rear 5.29s wit arb lockers used for 1800.... craigslist.. changed myself. an Im no mechanic... I can give ya the forms I looked at for that. Did the rear in a hotel parkin lit in OK. Bought a CO2 tank for 40 bucks an some copper lines for like 10 at lowe's.
Used fitting from my work along wit a couple gauges an shut off valves. then you can buy the switchs online for 100. An you have instant lockers with the flip of a switch.
Something to consider...

 

Amen to that!