I always thought 4.88s were for 33 inch tires but today I went to my local 4x4 shop to get some gear prices. I told him what truck I had and that I wanted to run 33s with 4.88s and he recommended 5.29s. I have no intention of ever running anything bigger than 33s ever on this truck. I know they are pretty close so I couldn't make that big of a difference but I just want to make sure I got the right thing.


thanks

 

Technically, 4.88s would be the correct size, but some people run 5.29s if they are running a heavy and wide tire. If you do a lot of interstate driving, I would probably run the 4.88s. If you mainly use it locally and offroading, 5.29s might be nice to have.

 

depends on how much highway driving you do.
my cousins v65spd had great balls, it would rape a stock v65spd with stock tires, but it revved pretty high on the highway.
im still on stock 4.10's now, but i am considering going to 4.88's when i get my LSD installed.

 

you want 488s...that will put you closest to stock gear ratio for 33s....

Have you tried any of the online ratio calculators?

 

33's + 5 speed = 4.88's

33's + Automatic = 5.29's OR 5.71's depending on a few factors.

 

what are the factors?

 

Likely elevation and terrain. If you live in Nebraska, for example, not a lot of hills, so no need for the deeper gears.

If you live at 9k feet, on the other hand, in a mountainous region, you'll want the 5.71's.

 

Will 4.88's do okay with 35's?

Also, where are these ratio calculators you mention dirtoy?

 

4.88's will do okay with 35's but don't expect to use 5th gear and you might shorten clutch life marginally.

 

tell us what you find

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


I'm curious what 571s and 33s would be like on the highway

 

i run 33's w/ 4.88 and it goes between 2500ft and 6000ft runs great and cruises 75 on the freeway

 

im runnin 33s with 5.29s and i like the set up. although highway driving isnt so fast! just revs at 3000 the whole way.

 

Either gear will work, I have run both w/ 33s on my '85. If you do much driving over 70, 4.88s is better, gets real tiring on long drives at 3300+ RPMs. Also, consider your speedometer vs. actual speed. With 5.29s, you'll be 10-13% off, I used to have to run about 75 on the speedo to do 65 when I ran 5.29s (prior to installing a correction box). W/ 4.88s, the speedo is pretty close to correct.

 

Add my $0.02, running 33" ATs with 5.29 gears. It's a nice combo for around here in Colorado, I can actually accelerate uphill from Denver and as long as I don't get cut off, I can pull 4th gear up to about 9,000' before my little 22R-E just runs out of lungs. But it does rev out on the flats. My speedometer is around 10~11% off, like Roger says.

Another factor in my case is I carry around a ~300 lbs camper all the time and my truck is an XtraCab, so fully loaded for a week I'm around often above 5,000 lbs and it can be a struggle even with 5.29s. I typically cruise at about 3,000 RPM and that puts me just a needle's width below 70 miles per hour indicated, so about 63 miles per hour actual. I get reasonable mileage, 21 MPG and have plenty of pedal to pass in 5th gear.

The calculators tell you to go 4.88 and that does give you the right correction based only on the tire diameter. But they don't compensate for the increased weight and contact patch of the tires and the lift, stuff that increases your friction because of wind resistance, etc. I think with a 22R-E in particular, which makes power with the revs up a little, the 5.29/33 combo works really well if you can live with the lower top end cruising speed.

 

mines not to shabb with 4;56's, i think its 3300rpm at 90km

 

i have a 91 4runner v6 automatic im gunna put 33 inch tires on it do i need to change my gearing or will it be fine? i wanna still have the power it has right now.. i use it mainly for offroad but also alot of reguluar driving too. if anyone can help me out it would be awesome thanks!!! toyota4ever!!!!

 

with 33s and driveing to denver from colorado springs about a hour drive my 4.88s handle it nicely at about 75 im doing around 33 hundred rpm overall not bad i think its realy as close to stock as you will ever get with big tires check out the gear calculator it lets you try difrent sizes out and see were you will end up

101 post !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I agree with this^^^^^^

I have 33's with a 5 speed and 4.88's 65mph on the GPS is 3000 RPM

 

The above, 3 year old topic, should have answered your question. You need to know what gears you have now. Read the stickies and search a bit- there's a huge wealth of knowledge around here.

 

im runnin 33x12.5 with 4:88s with the auto and i run with overdrive off on the surface street most of the time 3000rpm at 67.5 mph on the highway