Okay, this may or may not be the right area to post this so mods...feel free to move if it is.

My third member sounds like howling death when I go down the road and my u-joint is thrashed. I have 4.10 gears in my 22-RE 4runner and I want to run 31" tires. I have an RV head from engnbldr with a 261 cam and a header so I don't think power is really a "problem" but I like to think this is a good opportunity for me to regear. Here's my options:

I can stay stock and take anyone of the numerous 4.10's people have around here for $100

OR

I can get a front and rear set of 4.30's readily available from an 87 pickup with 150k on them for $200 total

OR

I can get a rear third 4.56 out of a 94 4runner with a lockrite locker in it for $300 and then try to keep my eyes open at the junkyards to find a front diff later this summer. The guy said it was all put in by a shop so he knows it was done right.

What would you do?

 

Go with the 4.56. Your tires will only get bigger as you go along.

 

Do you think that its worth $300? That's what the guy said he wanted for it on the phone and I didn't really haggle with him at all on it...I just said to let me think on it. My only concern is not being able to find the 4.56 IFS front before winter. I don't know much about a lockright locker either. I just know that the 4.30's sound dirt cheap.

 

4.30/4.56 isn't as common as a 4.88. Go 4.88

 

4.88 is very difficult to find, AND very expensive.

Not worth it IMHO. I am running 37's on 4.88's and its perfect. 4.88's are too tall for 31" tires.

The 4.30 gearing is exactly what you want, in my opinion. One, its cheaper. Everyone has these gear sets and are going for 4.56 because they think its "sooo much better". This means they will be cheap, and easy to find.

3rd Gen 4Runners with Automatics and a V6 use 4.30 gears, and the powerband is perfect. They use 265-75-16 tires which roughly equates to a 31" tire.

 

Yeah I think 4.88's would be a bit overkill for me right now. This is my daily driver/camping and fishing truck. I don't plan on doing too much hardcore off-roading anytime in the near future.

DeathCougar, I think I'm with you, the only thing that is throwing my decision is the fact the 4.56 has that locker. That, and 4.56 would make my speed/odometer a little closer to accurate.

 

Well I looked at them both and the 4.56 had less mileage on it and the guy knew more about it so I imagine it was taken better care of (everything was super tight and no missing teeth or weird wear patterns...sounds smooth and moves effortlessly). I went ahead and spend the extra $$ and figure if I do get into the bigger tire craze, the 4.56 will allow me to hold off on re-gearing for a while longer than the 4.30's. The fact that i had that locker in it swayed my decision a little too. It's at home in the garage ready to be put in now!

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

Sweet, keep us posted 24/7.

 

Well I got the 4.56 in and it all went off without a hitch! Silky smooth bearings and zero grinding noise. To top it off NTB is running a deal on buy one get one free tires so I got a brand new set of 31x10.5 Pirelli Scorpion ATR's. She drives like a dream! The locker didn't take much to get used to but there was a bit of a learning curve. Thanks for all the advice guys!