recommended e locker for a 02 in 4.88 ratio?

[Dom8706]

I honestly dont know what gear ratio i currently have. I know the spin test i just havent cared enough to do it. I have 265/70/16 tires on now and i plan on putting 265/75/16s on there after i get done with this 1 inch body lift and save up few more bucks. Its a 18 year old v6 so i know i shouldn't expect much acceleration but i figured with slightly bigger tires i might as well up the gears and might as well make it a e locker.

Any recommendations for the front and the rear? I dont know much about the diff gears. Just what it kind of looks like and how to change the fluid on them.

 

[Dieselchessy]

I don’t know what gears you have now. Could be 4:10 or maybe 4:30.

Lots of the e-locker 4runners have 4:30 gears, a few have 4:10.
The e-locker Tacoma’s tend to have 4:10.

You’d probably be good with a 4:30 locker rear. If you buy one you could run it a bit and see. Then decide what to do.

You have to mod a non-locker housing to fit a locker, or buy an entire axle.
Tacoma housings are different due to shock mounts and such.

 

[Dom8706]

I don’t know what gears you have now. Could be 4:10 or maybe 4:30.

Lots of the e-locker 4runners have 4:30 gears, a few have 4:10.
The e-locker Tacoma’s tend to have 4:10.

You’d probably be good with a 4:30 locker rear. If you buy one you could run it a bit and see. Then decide what to do.

You have to mod a non-locker housing to fit a locker, or buy an entire axle.
Tacoma housings are different due to shock mounts and such.

Hmm. I think I'd rather get a 4.88 or a 5.29 with no locker than just a 4.30 with a locker. I know the 4.88 is recommended for 33" tires. Would save money and time too. It's a shame but I am definitely prefer more acceleration over a e locker. Is there a company who makes gears without e lockers that is more recommended than most?

 

[Toy2play]

Hmm. I think I'd rather get a 4.88 or a 5.29 with no locker than just a 4.30 with a locker. I know the 4.88 is recommended for 33" tires. Would save money and time too. It's a shame but I am definitely prefer more acceleration over a e locker. Is there a company who makes gears without e lockers that is more recommended than most?

Gears are expensive with labor and it's not a recommended thing to do on your own without proper knowledge and tools to complete the job. I'm running Nitro 4.88 gears, but I'm running a taller 33". Personally I wouldnt recommend any smaller than a 33 on 4.88. Your freeway RPMs are going to be high and you'll get worse gas milage. When I regeared, I didnt see a huge acceleration increase. If that's what you are going for, it's not worth the money imo, especially with how little of a increase in tire size. That's my take on it. These trucks are just not fast.

 

[Dom8706]

Gears are expensive with labor and it's not a recommended thing to do on your own without proper knowledge and tools to complete the job. I'm running Nitro 4.88 gears, but I'm running a taller 33". Personally I wouldnt recommend any smaller than a 33 on 4.88. Your freeway RPMs are going to be high and you'll get worse gas milage. When I regeared, I didnt see a huge acceleration increase. If that's what you are going for, it's not worth the money imo, especially with how little of a increase in tire size. That's my take on it. These trucks are just not fast.

While I'm not to worried about being able to do the job or not you make some very good points about tire size, gears and hwy speeds. I didn't even think about that.

 

[3bears]

looks like you have done a lot to your rig, it seems like you are setting up for more off road adventures. So gearing could also be a choice for that. YOU can buy drop in diffs with different gears. even limieted slips,,,arb lockers etc. Even timmy has a video on dropping in different diffs.
The 4runners are pretty capable without lockers for lots of people. I howevevr played in mud and snow on back roads near Hoodo and McKenzie pass, ( ranger, retired moved to alaska last year) so I put in a locker and it gave me a little more back road access and a sence of security since I travel alone a lot. There are some beautiful forest service roads in that area of Oregon. as well as your area and the majority can be hit without a locker in summer. The locker I use alot up here in the winter...

 

[WrenchTech]

I’m pretty sure that some second and third generation Toyota pick up trucks that came from the factory with 31 inch tires were equipped with 4.56 gears. I think that’s the right gear for your set up.

Remember, it’s going to cost you around $2500 to re-gear and get a locking differential installed.

By the way, did you try reading the axle code off of the vehicle ID label on your door frame?

 

[Toy2play]

While I'm not to worried about being able to do the job or not you make some very good points about tire size, gears and hwy speeds. I didn't even think about that.

I sometimes wish that I went with 4.56 gears and a smaller/lighter tire. Weight just kills these little 3.4 engines. Knowing what I know and where I overland and the terrain i encounter, I would be very conscious of weight, only lifting the minimum amount, and a good light weight rim/combo that still can handle the terrain. Gas milage is very important to me now and wish I had more range when out in the bush.

Just give you an idea, my RPMs at 73-74 MPH is just under 2700 if I remember correctly.
Yours will be higher, jump on the freeway and turn O/D off to give you an idea where your RPMs may be. If you can find a tire that aligns with your driving habits that is a lighter tire, you'll be much better off. Going out to buy a heavy mud tire cause they look cool will have negative side effects that may not be worth it, including worse gas milage, decreased acceleration, more wear and tear.

 

[GetitOffroad]

I'm pondering a gear change too but also considering a transfer case with 4.7 ratio. I dont know enough about them yet but currently the stock transfer case ratio is too high for any serious wheeling.

If I keep the current 4.10 ratio with my 265 tires and get a lower crawl ratio of 4.7 sounds like the best of both worlds.

 

[Bad Luck]

I honestly dont know what gear ratio i currently have. I know the spin test i just havent cared enough to do it. I have 265/70/16 tires on now and i plan on putting 265/75/16s on there after i get done with this 1 inch body lift and save up few more bucks. Its a 18 year old v6 so i know i shouldn't expect much acceleration but i figured with slightly bigger tires i might as well up the gears and might as well make it a e locker.

Any recommendations for the front and the rear? I dont know much about the diff gears. Just what it kind of looks like and how to change the fluid on them.

So you want to regear for 265/75R16? Are you planning on going with a bigger tire than that eventually?

 

[Dom8706]

looks like you have done a lot to your rig, it seems like you are setting up for more off road adventures. So gearing could also be a choice for that. YOU can buy drop in diffs with different gears. even limieted slips,,,arb lockers etc. Even timmy has a video on dropping in different diffs.
The 4runners are pretty capable without lockers for lots of people. I howevevr played in mud and snow on back roads near Hoodo and McKenzie pass, ( ranger, retired moved to alaska last year) so I put in a locker and it gave me a little more back road access and a sence of security since I travel alone a lot. There are some beautiful forest service roads in that area of Oregon. as well as your area and the majority can be hit without a locker in summer. The locker I use alot up here in the winter...

Thats a valid point. A lot of the off roading i do is on the old logging roads up in Tillamook Forest off of hwy 6 and some roads off of hwy 26. But i also LOVE to find mud. Which i know the locker would be nice for but the center diff lock works well too. I didnt realize it would be this labor intensive. She is also my DD so she cant really be out of commission for more than a weekend.

 

[Dom8706]

I’m pretty sure that some second and third generation Toyota pick up trucks that came from the factory with 31 inch tires were equipped with 4.56 gears. I think that’s the right gear for your set up.

Remember, it’s going to cost you around $2500 to re-gear and get a locking differential installed.

By the way, did you try reading the axle code off of the vehicle ID label on your door frame?

Axle code VZN185L-GKPGKA. From what i understand it could be 3.9, 4.1, or 4.3

$2500 is definitely a little more than i thought it would cost to get a locker in.. I may be in over my head with this. I honestly thought it would be as easy as taking the diff cover off and changing out some parts.

 

[Dom8706]

I sometimes wish that I went with 4.56 gears and a smaller/lighter tire. Weight just kills these little 3.4 engines. Knowing what I know and where I overland and the terrain i encounter, I would be very conscious of weight, only lifting the minimum amount, and a good light weight rim/combo that still can handle the terrain. Gas milage is very important to me now and wish I had more range when out in the bush.

Just give you an idea, my RPMs at 73-74 MPH is just under 2700 if I remember correctly.
Yours will be higher, jump on the freeway and turn O/D off to give you an idea where your RPMs may be. If you can find a tire that aligns with your driving habits that is a lighter tire, you'll be much better off. Going out to buy a heavy mud tire cause they look cool will have negative side effects that may not be worth it, including worse gas milage, decreased acceleration, more wear and tear.

Thank you for this. Some times im thinking about the next big thing that i can do to my rig that i forget to consider what is more logical since she is also my Daily Driver.

I do have the 2 inch coilover lift and a 1 inch body lift on the way. I wont do any more lifting after that.

I hit about 67ish at 2k rpm with od on. 70 at 3100ish rpm with od off. Was not a fan of how high the rpm was and how much i could hear it. I do a lot of hwy driving too so that would get annoying quick.

Do you think just bumping up to 265/75/16 would have a noticeable difference with current gears?

 

[Dom8706]

So you want to regear for 265/75R16? Are you planning on going with a bigger tire than that eventually?

No i dont plan on going any bigger than 265/75/16. I just read on a few posts they fit nicely on these rigs.

 

[UnderFire]

My advice to you if you're set on a factory elocker setup would be to install a setup with matching factory gears. Your tire size will be around 32", not near enough to warrant a regear. This is coming from someone who's perfectly fine with 3.4, auto, 4.10s and 35's. But I've had just about every setup your can think of with the same tire size and 33's as well, 4.56, 4.88, 3.73, 3.58, etc. I 100% would not regear a truck with 33s.

If you're expecting the gears to somehow make you feel like your truck is a rocket ship you are sorely mistaken. The drawbacks of high cruising RPM and being basically stuck in higher gears at lower speeds due to the engine being wound out will outweigh any gains in acceleration. You are better off staying close to stock overall.

Grimmjeeper has a great calculator that you can use to figure out all the numbers gear wise.

There are also a lot of locker options people on this forum choose to not explore. Mechanical lockers are my preference, the selectable lockers do work though, but with a chance of failure I don't necessarily like.

Sent from my JSN-L23 using Tapatalk

 

[Dom8706]

My advice to you if you're set on a factory elocker setup would be to install a setup with matching factory gears. Your tire size will be around 32", not near enough to warrant a regear. This is coming from someone who's perfectly fine with 3.4, auto, 4.10s and 35's. But I've had just about every setup your can think of with the same tire size and 33's as well, 4.56, 4.88, 3.73, 3.58, etc. I 100% would not regear a truck with 33s.

If you're expecting the gears to somehow make you feel like your truck is a rocket ship you are sorely mistaken. The drawbacks of high cruising RPM and being basically stuck in higher gears at lower speeds due to the engine being wound out will outweigh any gains in acceleration. You are better off staying close to stock overall.

Grimmjeeper has a great calculator that you can use to figure out all the numbers gear wise.

There are also a lot of locker options people on this forum choose to not explore. Mechanical lockers are my preference, the selectable lockers do work though, but with a chance of failure I don't necessarily like.

Sent from my JSN-L23 using Tapatalk

Ha no definitely not expecting it to turn into some kind of rocket ship. Its a 18 year old v6 that wasnt known for its power to begin with. I know what i have. The idea was i didnt want to lose acceleration with bigger tires and if i was going to regear i might as well regear above to what stock acceleration would feel like with bigger tires. If that made sense.

You make a good point as others have about not over doing it. I might just gkeep the gears as is, put the money into something else and just get the 265/75/16 tires and call it good.

 

[3bears]

1) mine came with 275/75/16 from P.O so I dont know the difference if smaller tires would make much difference
2) my 2000 4x4, 3.4 auto came with 4:10 which several have told me is not normal for the year supposedly earlier manual trannys had that ratio...but that is what the door sticker says and thats what it is. It was actually difficult to find a bolt in elocker drum to drum in that ratio, I dont really know the facts...just what mine is and what I went through to find a drum to drum elocker in that ratio...like at the time none in Oregon...had to drive to washington to get it.
3) you say its your daily and you cant be more than a weekend...well if all parts and tools on hand it wont take long....not including making the harness. I swaped my rear out in a few hours so bet a person dedicated to the weekend could do both...just no surprises
4) yes coastal Oregon has some nice back roads too..I miss oregon forest service roads

 

[Dieselchessy]

I just have odd luck. Every 3rd gen I’ve owned has been 4:10 geared. 2 manuals and an auto. I also have a spare 4:10 locker 3rd, spare rear locker housing, and a 4:10 open 3rd that needs rebuilt.

I guess I should round up a front, then I could send a pair out to be rebuilt and geared.

 

[UnderFire]

Ha no definitely not expecting it to turn into some kind of rocket ship. Its a 18 year old v6 that wasnt known for its power to begin with. I know what i have. The idea was i didnt want to lose acceleration with bigger tires and if i was going to regear i might as well regear above to what stock acceleration would feel like with bigger tires. If that made sense.



You make a good point as others have about not over doing it. I might just gkeep the gears as is, put the money into something else and just get the 265/75/16 tires and call it good.

It'll be nearly imperceptible. It's really not a huge difference in size, the weight change is more drasti.if you're going with load range E's. Still not going to make much of a difference though.

Keep in mind that 99% of the lifted trucks on the road are running stock gears, most of which are 4.10s or 3.73s. That includes the big ol full sizes running 37's. I'm not saying it's never worth it, but I am saying it's rarely 100% necessary.

Sent from my JSN-L23 using Tapatalk

 

[Dom8706]

It'll be nearly imperceptible. It's really not a huge difference in size, the weight change is more drasti.if you're going with load range E's. Still not going to make much of a difference though.

Keep in mind that 99% of the lifted trucks on the road are running stock gears, most of which are 4.10s or 3.73s. That includes the big ol full sizes running 37's. I'm not saying it's never worth it, but I am saying it's rarely 100% necessary.

Sent from my JSN-L23 using Tapatalk

Was considering Open Range A/T LT265/75R-16/6 which have a C rated load range. Thoughts?