Is anyone running 33" tall tires with stock gearing?

[dms1]

Is anyone running 33" tall tires with stock gearing and the 3.4 V6? How is it?

I need to get new tires soon and really would like to get 33" tall tires, but I am worried about lack of power and declining gas mileage. I would really like to re-gear but I don't have the money right now.

I am currently running 265/75-16 and would like to go to 285/75-16.

Thanks

 

[Applejack]

I ran 285's with stock gearing on a 2000 that i had for a short while and really felt the need to have the ECT set on the power mode just for every day driving. It's pretty turdy with tires that size IMO. Some might try and tell you different but I think if they went back to 265/75's they'd really appreciate the the power too. I'm not sure of the mileage because I only drove it that way for a couple of days but I'm sure it suffered quite a hit as well.
That bottom line is that it's just works the truck too hard without a re-gear.

 

[o84runner]

33" feed back

I run 33" cepek mudders and love the preformance NO problem with power ,handling,braking,etc . Corrected speedometer /odometer with "Speedohealer" .

 

[seanz0rz]

it sucks pretty bad.

most of the time, it's ok on the highway and even offroad. i find myself slipping into 4lo sooner though. honestly not a bad thing because of the increased control.

where it really falls apart is in town. so much effort to accelerate, its just darn slow! and if youre like me and pull a trailer a whole lot, forget it!

i will be moving to either 4.56 or 4.88 soon. cant decide to go back to stock gear ratios or a little lower. im thinking stock honestly, since i do so much highway traveling.

 

[laxtoy]

i have a 5 speed and 285's, and from the sounds of it the other guys replying have autos. i noticed a loss of power, but it was not intolerable. i was especially worried about steep hills here, but i do okay as long as i am gentle with the clutch. a regear would be nice, but i will may be trading up to a double cab at some time which only comes auto, so new gears will be very important then. mileage wise, i still get a round 19 on the highway, and 16 around town, maybe a 1 mpg drop from what i noticed before

 

[SilverBullet]

It depends on driving style. I have the 3.4, 4.10 gears, and 285/75/16 and have no problems, but I am a mild driver.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Is anyone running 33" tall tires with stock gearing and the 3.4 V6? How is it?

I need to get new tires soon and really would like to get 33" tall tires, but I am worried about lack of power and declining gas mileage. I would really like to re-gear but I don't have the money right now.

I am currently running 265/75-16 and would like to go to 285/75-16.

Thanks

By my math, you're running 31.65" tires now (265 x .75 x 2 / 25.4 = 15.64" total sidewall + 16" wheel = 31.649" nominal diameter.) Using the same math I get 32.8" nominal diameter for the 285/75.

I can't imagine that going up by less than 1.2" diameter (increasing radius by .57") is going to make a whole lot of difference, unless the 285s are significantly heavier.

 

[jh504]

I was running 285s on my 2001 ext cab Tacoma. It had the 3.4 and an automatic. It had plenty of power for me, I would say cruising at 85 mph on the interstate with 285s is dang good power. I am used to driving Toyota's though. Coming from modified 22re's and 3.0's the power the 3.4 offers is a dream come true.
My current rig (just posted the new thread) is a 3.0 with 35x12.50's and 4.56 gears. That truck is SERIOUSLY underpowered.

You will be fine with the 285's, especially if you drive with a light foot.

 

[TangoBlue]

Well, imagine it Martinjmpr... :coffeedrink:

The math would make you think it doesn't seem to be a big deal; tables will convince you it's an insignificant number with a decimal point in the middle. Butt-dynomometers vary though, and you will find this a highly contested issue... some will try to convince you they run 37s on stock suspension with a 4 cylinder and AT, and that it runs like a scalded dog.

In the real world it does make a difference. If a response to your question includes, "its not all that bad," or, "I can live with it," than they CAN feel it and the truck IS suffering from it. Ask me how I know...

I said all these things when I ran 285s with my 3RZ AT. As long as I was around town getting groceries and never went up any grade or tried to stay with traffic on the interstate I could live with it.

The fact of the matter is if you have any weight from armor, winch, bumpers, and you have larger than OEM tires you will have a decrease in performance. Your engine and drivetrain will be working harder to push that increased weight against increased resistance. For reference, my truck weighs 4700 lbs as built below with ARB fridge and full tank of gas.

Re-gearing is the solution. It brought me back to stock levels of performance and gas mileage. It's no "scalded dog" but it hangs with traffic on the interstate and my transmission is no longer downshifting at a cyclic rate looking for a better gear for the slightest hill on the road.

We could help (or argue amongst ourselves) more if you described what you drive and any other modifications you've made to it. My signature block gives you an idea what I have and this reply is caveated with "this is my experience," although I am 'more righter.' Good luck!

 

[tacoma_AL]

I am used to driving Toyota's though. Coming from modified 22re's and 3.0's the power the 3.4 offers is a dream come true.

Very true and same here. now if i could just get a V-8 id be set

I have a 98 3.4 with 4.10s and 33x1050. I just deal with the fact that its not a race car, but if i need it to go it has no problem as long as the engine in mine is at 3k rpm or close to it. i get around 18mpg city/highway and a smidge better with cruise control set at 70. really depends on your driving style, if your like me its fine even though i am saving up for regears so i can run 35s. If your a speed demon your not gonna be going anywhere fast.

as 4wd goes, ehh 4hi is ok and 4lo still fills the same to me. I usually live in 4lo anyways unless i need more speed.

 

[Mr. Leary]

I ran 285's with stock gearing on a 2000 that i had for a short while and really felt the need to have the ECT set on the power mode just for every day driving. It's pretty turdy with tires that size IMO. Some might try and tell you different but I think if they went back to 265/75's they'd really appreciate the the power too. I'm not sure of the mileage because I only drove it that way for a couple of days but I'm sure it suffered quite a hit as well.
That bottom line is that it's just works the truck too hard without a re-gear.

Very true. I also tow a trailer and my stock gears make the truck into a pig. My OD stays off even sometimes when I am not towing.

it sucks pretty bad.

A fair assessment.

It depends on driving style. I have the 3.4, 4.10 gears, and 285/75/16 and have no problems, but I am a mild driver.

Your rig also lacks armor and other heavy accutriments. Extra weight and stock tire size, not a big deal. Bigger tire size and stock weight, not a big deal. Extra weight and bigger tire size, the truck turns into a pig.

By my math, you're running 31.65" tires now (265 x .75 x 2 / 25.4 = 15.64" total sidewall + 16" wheel = 31.649" nominal diameter.) Using the same math I get 32.8" nominal diameter for the 285/75.

I can't imagine that going up by less than 1.2" diameter (increasing radius by .57") is going to make a whole lot of difference, unless the 285s are significantly heavier.

Well... it does. I didn't think there would be much difference either, but what I found was that the increased tire size puts the RPM range on the highway just shy of where the engine makes good power. Consequently, you either find yourself going slow with the OD off or really fast with it on... otherwise, no power.

 

[RusM]

Yep, 255/85's and stock 4.56's ! :sombrero: I know guys that are running 33's and 35's with stock 4.10 gears and they say it's not that bad, slows down from stock but if you aren't used to driving like Parnelli Jones you might not even notice.

 

[jh504]

I find it funny how everyone calls the Tacoma with 33's and stock gears a "pig". For an avid Toyota owner I have never had one that wasn't some what of a "pig". Our lifestyle here in the US is way too fast paced. The thing that should really matter is how does it perform offroad? Mine performed much better than my 22re's with 31" tires and 4.10's. It performed better than any previous Toyota I have had regardless of gearing. If you are used to driving Toyotas and dont mind slowing things down a bit, you will be fine.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Well, imagine it Martinjmpr... :coffeedrink:

The math would make you think it doesn't seem to be a big deal; tables will convince you it's an insignificant number with a decimal point in the middle. Butt-dynomometers vary though, and you will find this a highly contested issue... some will try to convince you they run 37s on stock suspension with a 4 cylinder and AT, and that it runs like a scalded dog.

Well, if you're running a 4 cyl/auto combination with all that gear then you're already marginal, performance-wise. Of course you're going to get worse effects from even the smallest change.

OP is running a 3.4. I doubt he'll see the difference, especially if he's got a 5 speed. My previous rig was a Tacoma with a 3.4/5 speed combo and I didn't notice any difference when I went from 265/70/16 (30.6") to 235/85/16 (31.7") except for a slight speedometer error.

 

[Mr. Leary]

I find it funny how everyone calls the Tacoma with 33's and stock gears a "pig". For an avid Toyota owner I have never had one that wasn't some what of a "pig". Our lifestyle here in the US is way too fast paced. The thing that should really matter is how does it perform offroad? Mine performed much better than my 22re's with 31" tires and 4.10's. It performed better than any previous Toyota I have had regardless of gearing. If you are used to driving Toyotas and dont mind slowing things down a bit, you will be fine.

The truck performs fine off road. On the highway my truck is a pig, and I drive like a grandma. Still love my truck, and I agree the world would be more pleasant to live in if everything slowed down just a bit.