Hi folks, my 90 extra cab is my third toyota truck, but will be the first to be modified specifically for trail use. I'd love to hear from anyone who's already been there and done that before I spend the $!

The current truck:
90 extra cab with 3.0/automatic, 4.10's and 31's on tacoma wheels.

The plan:
ARB front bumper with warn 8k winch and IPF lights
Sliders in place of the now bent running boards. Kick out in back or no?
Marlin crawler rear bumper (dom or hrew? I will be towing if it matters.)
OME 2-2.5" suspension lift with shocks/springs/t-bars
BJ spacers??
Current 31" BFG AT's
Either 4.88 or 5.29 gears with an arb in the rear.
TC idler arm if/when the facotry part gives out.
Vent diffs higher up for moderate water crossings.

Am I missing anything? Maybe more/better armor underneath? Any basic upkeep or mods it would be a good idea to make while I'm doing any of the above? Its main purpose is to be a daily driver, but it will see heavy trail use three seasons and I'd like it to hold up on the trail and take us where we want to go.

The vast majority seem to run 4.88 with my engine/tranny/tire size but I've seen a few people mention 5.29's/31's. I like the idea of 5.29's becuase it would allow me to run 33's on the trail if I liked, and give me more low end grunt for towing with the 31's on the street.
I've searched, but I'd love to hear more about what the gas milage was like compared to stock with that combo, as well as mpg with 5.29's and 33's with the 3.0/auto.

Is it possible to have the speedometer/odometer corrected to be accurate with 31's and 5.29's?


Any reccomended vendors for the needed parts? Price is always a high priority, but I prefer to deal with people who will stand behind what they sell.

 

Check out WABFAB he has gears , install kit's , slider's and more plus if you want someone who stand's behind there stuff you will not go wrong with him.

 

Looks like a good list.

Good luck!

 

Trade the lift for skidplates and you're set.

5.29 and 31's will be great on the highway with good mileage and good for your transmission as you'll be able to hold the overdrive with the torque converter locked and not be downshifting at every roll of the pavement or when going into the wind.

 

I'll check the folks at wabfab out, thanks.

tc, I think it was posts made by you and mt_goat that got me seriously looking at 5.29's in the first place. From your experience, do you think it's viable to still get 18mpg with the 5.29's? I have a lot of hwy driving in my commute, mostly at speeds of 70-75 mph(sometimes 80+), and wondered if the lower gearing could hurt me at the sustained higher speeds. I'd be interested in your real world mpg with 5.71's and 33's on an auto trans as well.

I can see where you're coming from with the lift, and it's why I'm keeping mine minimal, but I'm pretty set on getting it up there a couple more inches. I want heavier rear springs anyway, so it makes sense to do it at the same time. I love the driving position when they sit up just a bit higher.

I am open to more armor underneath if it's needed. What do you think in terms of additional protection underneath? Replace stock skid plates with heavier?

 

You guy's with 31's and 5.29's. What rpm is the tach showing at 50, 60, and 70 mph? Is your speedo gear stock?

 

holy crap! are they serious...5.29s and 5.71s on the highway? that's a bit too ow of a gear for such small tires isn't it?

 

Yeah I dunno what the hell is going on. I hd a 95 PU with 3.9 manual and 4.30 or 4.27's and 33's holding 70 was little hard at almost 3k. But I think 4.56's or 4.88'd might have been better. Now not that it is comparable my 02 4Runner has 33's and 4.56's 18mpg at 62-75mph 2100-2500 rpm. Though if trail truck only and not dd the lower setup might be what you already considered.

Aaron

 

The south does not get this! What elevation are you running in Oregon, Grover?

 

My hwy commute is only 650-750 ft, and relatively level as it's valley floor. When I'm riding in the woods just 20 min. from the house I'm usually between 2,500 and 6,000 ft. I sometimes tow 3k pounds over mountain passes.

I could easily be wrong(see newbie badge in title) but I don't think the gearing is as extreme as you guys with the 5spds think it is. The 3.0/auto is truely a dog with stock gearing. Hopefully those more in the know will chime in, but as I understand it the top gear on the auto is so high you're still turning acceptable rpms even with 5.29's. I know some people have been happy with the stock performance, but our pickup with a 22re/auto would leave the 3.0/auto in the dust any day. I can live with it, but if tc and others have had good luck with it I'd like to have some more umph to go with that bad gas milage the 3.0/auto combo gives us. I have to live with it for the next 200k miles!

Hwy rpms and mpg are my only reservations. I have to keep it reasonably economical to drive.

 

All I can say is, I would need a ride in one of those before putting them in mine.

 

Actually, I think it's your best chance of getting that kind of mileage.

Molly's truck has 35's and 5.71 with the auto and if you can ever get the torque converter to lock up, you are at like 2200 RPM at 70MPH - well below the powerband. She is LUCKY to get 15 MPG, and there has been several tanks with single digit MPG when we take trips over passes.

By comparison, my truck is a 5 speed with 4.88 and 33's and I turn 3000 RPM at 70 MPH - right on the bottom of the powerband. Admittedly, the RPM takes some getting used to. I get 18 - 20 MPG.

I know these gears sound low, but the power available and the steep overdrive on these earlier trucks require it for good performance.

 

I wouldnt change the gearing untill you run a 33 or larger tire than change to 529s but for 31s the stock gears will work great

 

Just to echo TC's post, I run 33's with 4.88's and a 5-speed and i am at 3000rpm exactly at 70mph. Driving like this I get 20-21mpg with the 22re. High revs do not always equal poor fuel economy nor do they always equal high engine wear.

 

Yeah, I guess I haven't explained it in this thread ... just many others

Your gas consumption is more determined by throttle position than RPM. If you have to floor it to hold speed in too high a gear, you will get worse mileage than if you can be light on the throttle at a higher RPM and hold the gear.

 

I know what you mean, if TC wasn't way out in CO I'd have to beg him for a ride

I'm running 31's on stock gears now(4.10 in my truck) and there is no way it's going to stay like that. I'm guessing your truck is a manual or had 4.56's stock bigarms? Mine is a total dog, even my wife was ragging on it and she's never had a speeding ticket in her life. Maybe I could live with it if I never intended to tow, but the way I see it I can either buy gears now, or gears to go with my new transmission later. This truck will be used to tow another vehicle(3k lbs) long distance and over passes. The 4L also sucks on the trail with the 31's/4.10, I was surprised how big a difference it made when I took the first steep decent after putting the 31's on.

That said, street/hwy drivability is more important than trail or towing, but I want the best possible balance I can afford. I'm still on the fence on this one, something about the many weeks of pay the regear and arb will cost I suppose. My biggest hang-up is that those who seem to like it best all seem to do more regular mountain driving than I will.

I was also taught that every RPM you turn now is one less you will get to turn later, does that not apply here?



I have added a Sonoran steel IFS brace and IPF H4's to the list as well.

 

If you're gonna build a trail rig, why are you worried about fuel economy so much? I can see the need to conserve gas on the trail, but somewhere along the lines you are going to have to compromise, and sacrifice off road ability for highway useage.

 

So this is clear. I have a 3.0 and an auto. At 75mph on 31's with 4.10 gears I run 3K rpm. Did it for 100 plus miles tonight. turning off the overdrive jumped it up to 4K rpm. A rough guestimate would say that 5.29's would put me at 5k. That is one buzzy ride.

 

What did you drive before this?

 

Your speedo must be off by A LOT (you're going considerably faster than the speedo says). For the record, mine is off by about 5%, which is what it was from the factory. (Note with 33's and 4.56 it was within 1MPH of the GPS)

The 1k RPM jump to overdrive is exactly my point. If you can't hold the overdrive, you either can't stay at speed or moonrev the motor. Much better to have the right gears to hold the overdrive.