terky

in a few weeks i will be getting bigger tires and i got a few questions.
1st. I am thinking either 35inch or 38 inch tires. right now i have 31 x 10.5, if i get new tires that are 12 inches wide will i need new wheels too?

2nd. I know i will lose my top speed when i regear but will my gas mileage get bad too? i dont really care for speed anyways.

3rd. Will my little 22r be able to push tires that big?

I think that is all i have been wondering about, but if i come up with more i will ask later.

Edit: OH yeah, a buddy told me to swap in a rear end from a V6. Said they are like a rock. If i get a locker for my original rear end will it fit in a V6 rear end?

OicnaiC

Ok, lets see if I can help. 35's or 38's those are some pretty big rubbers. For 12" wide tires you will need new rims (probably about 10") if you are running stock ones right now. If you go that big you will definately have to regear, your 4 banger will pull with the right gear ratio. About the locker, I don't think a locker for a 4cyl rear will fit in the v6 rear, I could be wrong tho. Also I don't know why a v6 rear is any stronger, they're pretty similar.

kyle_22r

i'd stick with an 8" rim for 12.50 tires. makes it harder to blow a bead. anything past that though, i'd make the jump to 10" wheels

the 4 banger should push the tires fine as long as you're geared right. you'll want 5.29s or possibly even 5.71s(as long as they're a good brand and very well set up) for those tires. the v6 third member is pretty desirable, but you don't see a whole lot of broken 4 cyl thirds unless you really like to get on it hard. i wouldn't worry too much about it. however, an '86-up rear axle is 3" wider and gives you a better stance, and has a beefier housing. i have one in the back yard that's gonna get done over and put into my '79

toy283

Need to know what you have now. If they are 15×8, you'll be fine, if they are 15×7 or smaller, you will need to go to 15×8 or 10 (I prefer 15×8)
If the gearing matches the tire size (35" tires and 5.29 gears), your top speed will be close to what it was originally. Rolling resistance will be considerably higher and that's where you'll still lose some power and economy. Expect fuel economy to go down quite a bit as you are dramatically altering the aerodynamic characteristics of your truck.
Yes, with 5.29 gears. You won't win any races with it though. You may want to consider swapping in a W56 tranny from a '85-'89 EFI truck or 4Runner. They are stronger than your L series and 4" longer which will help the front driveline angle.
I wouldn't say they are solid as a rock but they are stronger than the one you have now. Larger bearings, more pinion offset (allows a thicker ring gear), four pinions instead of two, and more case ribbing make the V6 third member stronger than the 4 cylinder version. Easiest swap would be just the third member (bolts right up) but I'd find a complete axle and gain the 3" wider stance and bigger brakes as well.
Yes and no. In the case of a full carrier locker (Detroit, ARB, etc.) they will fit no problems at all. In the case of drop-in lockers (EZ, Lockright, etc.) the 4 cylinder has a pinion design and (most) V6's use a 4-pinion design.

terky

Well i dont even know what size my wheels are. I got it from my moms boyfriend and it already had them on. I will ask today though.

And should i get new drivelines or just have them adjusted?

And would that tranny drop right in?

thanks guys

toy283

For the lift necessary to clear 35's or especially 38's, the drivelines will have to be lengthened. Swapping in the W56 tranny will also require this.
Sort of. It will bolt up to your engine no problem but you will need to relocate the crossmember and alter the driveshafts.

terky

ok thanks guys

kyle_22r

i'd get a budbuilt crossmember if i was doing the tranny swap

well, hopefully i'll be able to say i'm gonna do that, i'm getting tired of running the 4 speed on the freeway

Flamedx4

Wow! That's a lot of tire to expect to turn with 95 horsepower. 12.50s will run on 8 to 12 inch rims. If you go as high as 35s, I suggest going with 10s, you want to go wider as you go higher. Also, my experience with my 4 runner with 33x12.50s was with 8" rims it was hard to get the tires to wear properly. The rig isn't heavy enough for that tire really, and squeezing 12.50s a bit onto 8s causes the tread to crown. If you air down a bit so they wear evenly they're too soft. If you air them up a bit so the suspension does it's job and it rides better, they wear down the center. 10" stopped this. Later I went to 16x8 and 285/75R16 (narrower than 12.50s) and didn't have a wear/inflation problem. You can take my word for it, I've put 370,000 miles on 3 Toyota 4x4s and went through a lot of tires and rims.

As everyone has said, you will really need to change the gears. 5.29s for 35s, 5.71s for 37s. Do you realise how much lift you'll need? 35s won't fit with 4" of lift, I know from many personal experiences. (Unless you REALLY only drive on the street and even then they rub a lot.) 4" suspension and 3" body lift would do it. 38s is another whole level of lift clearance complexity. Then the question becomes how tight (and strong) are your steering components?.... etc.

Why not start smaller and have a rig you can enjoy? Say, a 4" lift and some 33x12.50s? Change to 4.88s and you'll have a go anywhere rig that does the job well and still gets you around on the highway nicely.

mt_goat

The 4 cyl ARB locker will not fit the 6 cyl 3rd. ARB has different models for each.

terky

yeah maybe 38 would be a little big, i think 35 would do nicely. If i get a big enugh suspension lift would i need to lift the body at all to make the tires not rub? I dont really like body lifts.

toy283

Count on having both types of lift. While a 7" suspension lift might clear 38's, the ride is real stiff. I run 7" springs with a leaf removed, shackles, and a 3" body lift and still manage to rub 38's.

mt_goat

I still manage to rub 33's with a 4-inch suspension lift.

OicnaiC

Body lifts are great for fitting tires just don't go too high with it. I'm fitting 34's under a 2" BL with only minor rubbing at full turn flexed