I have an 87 4Runner with a 2 " lift kit. I currently have 33 X 12.5 X 15 tires on stock rims. I want to go with something smaller for better performance/power as the vehicle is a little sluggish with the 33's. I use the 4Runner for hunting and running around town. No rock climbing or serious off roading. Thanks!
Need new tires 30" vs. 31" need help
- Thread starter wade _s
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mikesmith140
New member
I have 31's on 16 inch rims and 4.88 diff's, so it performs pretty good on and offroad. I don't do any crazy rock crawling, but I do like to explore the back country. When I had the OEM 4.10 diff's 5th gear was almost unusable and 1st gear seemed too tall. If you have 4.10 diff's, going to 31's will make it better, but not nearly like lowering your gearing.
KidVermicious
New member
30s and 31s will look funny with a 2" lift, if that's a concern. You'll definitely get some lost power back though. For what you're using the truck for, I'd lose the lift, go back to stock height and run 30s.
I do have the stock gearing. With the 33's I pretty much need to run it in 4wd low anytime I am off road, especially if going up hills. I almost never use 5th gear unless on a long straightaway on the highway and even then if there is a headwind I pretty much need to downshift to 4th to maintain 60 mph.
I would like to see pictures of 4 Runners with a 2-3" lift and 30's or 31". I am less concerned with looks than I am with performance. I do not plan to change the gearing since I put very few miles on the vehicle and mostly use it as an ATV once it is at the ranch (I drive or tow it 60 mi on the highway 2-3 times a year down to the ranch and leave it there most of the time unless I go to town to get gas or bring it home for maintenance.)
I think it will be more trouble than it is worth to lose the lift, since it appears the blocks that were used between the rear axle and leaf springs were welded into place on the axle. I would prefer that the vehicle doesn't look silly, but it's not a show truck and I don't want to put a ton of money into it since it's just a hunting rig with 285,000 mi on it.
KidVermicious
New member
A new housing would probably run you $50 at a wrecker, and an afternoon to swap out.
But yeah, if it's just tooling around the dirt, maybe not worth the bother.
If I could do it for $50 I would. It is pretty difficult to locate 4Runners around here that have any parts left worth using. I was under the impression that if I re-geared that I would need to replace the gears in both the front and rear.
KidVermicious
New member
If you regear, yes, you'd want to do front and back. Not cheap, not even with junkyard parts. You don't have to regear to replace the housing, though, the gears are in the differential/third member that bolts to the housing.
Infamous82
New member
89FourRunner
New member
31's should look right at home with 2" lift. They looked really oversized on factory height, wven though they were a faxtory option. It's a lot of tire.
