700 mile road trip with 35s and stock gearing

[diponyou]

After getting my 35's, I had stock gears (4.10's) for about 2 years before regearing. It was doable, but on the highway it was constantly downshifting. Even though it is pretty flat around here. I regeared to 5.29's and it is much better now. I'm glad I didn't go 4.88's, because 5.29's are definitely not too much gear. That's my real world experience.

Yeah I figure that is what I will do. Rock the stock gears for a little until I bite the bullet.

 

[UnderFire]

5.29's IMO would be perfect for 35's. Even more so living in CO. Now if driving on flats only 4.88's would be fine. But from research a lot of 35" tires guys wish they would ahve gone 5.29's. Never heard anyone on 35's and 5.29's complain.

I'll be the guy you hear complain about 35's and 5.29's then lol.

My first daily was my Dad's 89 pickup, with 5.29's and sitting on 35's, it had the 5.29's put in when it first got lifted, and was sitting on 38's, I'm sure the 5.29's were great with those 38's, but they were way too much gear for the 35's, I'm talking like 3500RPM at 60MPH, which is ridiculous.

That prompted me to go with 4.88's in my 4Runner when I chose 35" tires, and I'm glad I did, the engine RPMs are much closer to stock, and I felt no significant power loss that could be blamed on the 4.88's.

Another thing to mention is that a 4.88 Pinion gear is Stronger than the 5.29's because it has 1 more tooth and is therefore slightly bigger. 5.71's a much weaker, but that's outside of the normal realm of what we do on T4R.

 

[diponyou]

Good stuff. Yeah if I do gear I will go 4.88

I am kicking myself, a local guy was selling a pair of front and rear diffs w/locker and 4.88 gears for $450 :wow: Almost immediately sold the rear diff though.

 

[UnderFire]

Good stuff. Yeah if I do gear I will go 4.88

I am kicking myself, a local guy was selling a pair of front and rear diffs w/locker and 4.88 gears for $450 :wow: Almost immediately sold the rear diff though.

I'd grab that Front diff if you can get it for like 200, already geared Tacoma/3rd gen fronts don't pop up too often, around here at least.

 

[D Farms]

yeah i saw that too, i called and he said the guy was driving away with them. I ended up picking up a rear with a locking 4.30 in it. if you do end up regearing soon, I might trade you front diff to match my new rear.

 

[Oprah]

It is possible. I'd go out and check for myself if it weren't 115 outside.

It was a $2500 truck so I did not get a whole lot of history on it. I planned on replacing most of everything regardless so its past wasn't a major concern.

The truck is from the midwest so it is possible they upgraded the gearing but currently it is unknown. :baby:

4.56 gearing would be a game changer for your argument considering that your argument seems as it is meant to appeal to the average person on here who likely has 4.10 gears and an auto trans.

This is judging by my 15,000 miles with 33's and 4.10's.

Also judging from that experience, I find your opinion valid on 35's and not NEEDING 4.88/5.29 gears. If I drive slowly, my truck is very happy, and is quite, and rather calming due to the lower RPM's the larger tires give me. But I don't like to drive slow, I like to drive average or fast, as such, I want gears.

 

[diponyou]

Judging by my experience with 33's and 4.10's, 4.56 gearing would be a game changer as far as the driveability that you refer to, considering that your argument is meant to appeal to the average reader on here, who usually have an auto trans and 4.10 gearing, not 4.30 as you do


4.56 gearing would be a game changer for your argument considering that your argument seems as it is meant to appeal to the average person on here who likely has 4.10 gears and an auto trans.

This is judging by my 15,000 miles with 33's and 4.10's.

Also judging from that experience, I find your opinion valid on 35's and not NEEDING 4.88/5.29 gears. If I drive slowly, my truck is very happy, and is quite, and rather calming due to the lower RPM's the larger tires give me. But I don't like to drive slow, I like to drive average or fast, as such, I want gears.

Haha tell me about it. If I had 4.56 I would feel pretty silly. But I am pretty sure I am at 4.30

 

[rideexileex]

Gear Ratio Calculator

 

[Oprah]

Gear Ratio Calculator

I've used that calculator before... it's a little off from the one I posted, the only reason I can think of that would cause that is there is an option in the grimmjeeper calculator for "Manual or Auto with lockup torque converter/
Automatic without lockup torque converter".

I like the other one I posted better because I've used my numbers that I get from my truck with it and everything matches up perfectly, unlike with the grimmjeeper calculator

 

[K4Run]

This is exactly why I tried to be subjective about this topic. I knew that there were going to be guys such as yourselves who live in hilly areas or who are doing some extreme wheeling so you might have a different take on it.
I am sure what tires you decided to go with and what your factory gearing are going to play a large role as well. I just so happen to have 4.30s so my gearing isn't terrible. I was at about 2700rpm at 77mph or so.

My main point in this was to get away from the blanket statement of "if you want 35s you must re-gear".

I won't be re-gearing, and I am sure there are tons of guys out there in the same situation as me who wouldn't need to re-gear.

I am not abstaining from re-gearing because of MPG or anything like that. It is almost entirely budgetary reasons as well as principal.
Sure I could afford to go an get it re-geared but if it isn't necessary then why fork out $1k+?

I could surely use that money better elsewhere on the truck, at least in my opinion I can.

If this mod was still around $1500 or even $2000 i would have done it already. Prices have gone up so much thanks to sleepy Joe's poor economic and covid policies.

Recently I was quoted $3600 plus tax for Parts + Labor for a 5th Gen 4Runner.

 

[Twisted Sid]

If this mod was still around $1500 or even $2000 i would have done it already. Prices have gone up so much thanks to sleepy Joe's poor economic and covid policies.

Recently I was quoted $3600 plus tax for Parts + Labor for a 5th Gen 4Runner.

Old thread bump, political, and the wrong section.
You got the hat trick for today