re-gearing for 33"s on 1st gen
- Thread starter cr500taco
- Start date
refried
Adventurer
The best way to figure out if you need to regear is to use a gear calculator and figure out what your RPM is at 60mph, then check what it will be with various combinations. Does your truck have any power in the RPM range the new tires will put you? Or is it a dog until it gets to the upper RPM's, Chances are your going to want 4.88's.
I've had my '81 pickup for 30+ years with various tire/gear combinations but always with a Buick V6 for power (this one is about 230+HP) with a turbo 350 transmission (no overdrive or twin transfer cases), Believe it or not my favorite combination is 32/11.50 tires with 3.90 gears. Freeway RPM's are acceptable and the automatic makes the high gearing usable on trails.
I've had my '81 pickup for 30+ years with various tire/gear combinations but always with a Buick V6 for power (this one is about 230+HP) with a turbo 350 transmission (no overdrive or twin transfer cases), Believe it or not my favorite combination is 32/11.50 tires with 3.90 gears. Freeway RPM's are acceptable and the automatic makes the high gearing usable on trails.
Crenshaw
Adventurer
My 3.4 swapped 5spd '89 pickup has 4.88s and 33s and I find it just about perfect living in Salida at 7500 feet. Speedo is right on, gas mileage is surprisingly good and I don't have to beat on it like I did with the old 3.0. I wouldn't gear any lower unless I went up in tire size.
4runnerteq
Explorer
What are your driving plans and habits. Why do you think you should regear? Have a 97 runner with 33s. Stock gears. Its our travel and camping rig pulling a loaded m416 trailer. We drive the forest service roads where I live. For my use, I've never thought, "gee I wish I had a lower gear". Do the tires first. If your wheeling or exploring warrants lower gears then do it, but not just cause you're going to a taller tire. Will you notice a difference? Yes. Will it matter? Not to me, but it may to you. Keep in mind, one mod leads to another. Me? Id rather put the money in the gas tank to go somewhere new.
MtnClimber
Ready To Explore!
I honestly don't have that much trouble with my 01 DC (3.4L, auto, 4.10's). TG sliders (78"), full RAT skids, XRC 8.5k winch w/syn, Manik guard, 60lb Pitty are all on/in during regular DD duties. All this while turning 33x10.5x15 KM2's on old Runnah aluminum rims.
4High is used when 4wd is needed but 4Lo gets frequented when more torque or slower crawling is desired.
Up hills and take-offs can be a challenge when loaded down with the chuck box, fridge, RTT, and overlanding equipment so I recently acquired a set of 4.56's over on TW. I've yet to install them but the price was hard to pass up. F&R master install kits are next but I'm rally not to anxious to install them for the little gain that I'll, well, gain..
I've been using my Scan Gauge to watch/record my driving habits and fuel consumption and a true overall on-off road average is 15.5 mpg's.
Some great experiences on here, and yes, you're driving habits, terrain, etc are all part of the equation so YMMV
Sub'd
4High is used when 4wd is needed but 4Lo gets frequented when more torque or slower crawling is desired.
Up hills and take-offs can be a challenge when loaded down with the chuck box, fridge, RTT, and overlanding equipment so I recently acquired a set of 4.56's over on TW. I've yet to install them but the price was hard to pass up. F&R master install kits are next but I'm rally not to anxious to install them for the little gain that I'll, well, gain..
I've been using my Scan Gauge to watch/record my driving habits and fuel consumption and a true overall on-off road average is 15.5 mpg's.
Some great experiences on here, and yes, you're driving habits, terrain, etc are all part of the equation so YMMV
Sub'd
zidaro
Explorer
4.10-4.56 for 31"
4.88 for 33's
5.29 for 35+
this is pretty much the Toyota standard.
You can always get by with different, getting better torque or floating your clutch/TC depending on which way you went, but if you want it to have the torque to pull/accelerate and your speedo to be mostly accurate there ya go.
4.88 for 33's
5.29 for 35+
this is pretty much the Toyota standard.
You can always get by with different, getting better torque or floating your clutch/TC depending on which way you went, but if you want it to have the torque to pull/accelerate and your speedo to be mostly accurate there ya go.
Similarly outfitted, different geography and altitude, running 5.29s and could use a S/C as well.:Wow1:
paranoid56
Adventurer
I honestly don't have that much trouble with my 01 DC (3.4L, auto, 4.10's). TG sliders (78"), full RAT skids, XRC 8.5k winch w/syn, Manik guard, 60lb Pitty are all on/in during regular DD duties. All this while turning 33x10.5x15 KM2's on old Runnah aluminum rims.
4High is used when 4wd is needed but 4Lo gets frequented when more torque or slower crawling is desired.
Up hills and take-offs can be a challenge when loaded down with the chuck box, fridge, RTT, and overlanding equipment so I recently acquired a set of 4.56's over on TW. I've yet to install them but the price was hard to pass up. F&R master install kits are next but I'm rally not to anxious to install them for the little gain that I'll, well, gain..
I've been using my Scan Gauge to watch/record my driving habits and fuel consumption and a true overall on-off road average is 15.5 mpg's.
Some great experiences on here, and yes, you're driving habits, terrain, etc are all part of the equation so YMMV
Sub'd
same here. 33: skinnys stock gearing and lots of armor. i haul *** down the freeway and still wheel fine.
Box Rocket
Well-known member
I know I'm in the minority but I never regeared my '03 DC auto with 33's. Never felt the need. I'm sure there was a slight power loss and the shift points were off a little but.....who cares? It really didn't change the driveability of the truck much at all IMO. It never kept me for being able to haul my trailer up the canyons or down the trails and with the auto it would still crawl in the rocks just fine. It was also my daily driver that I commuted with 60+ miles/day. My truck wasn't light either. Lots of armor, winch, RTT typically loaded with lots of gear and hauling the trailer much of the time. I realize we live in a time of high horsepower motors and the demand for everything under the sun. I've just never understood the "must have" attitude to regear or the truck is useless. I'm not saying it's a bad idea. If you have the time and money to regear, go for it. For me there were dozens of things worth spending money on before worrying about regearing the truck.
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I know I'm in the minority but I never regeared my '03 DC auto with 33's. Never felt the need. I'm sure there was a slight power loss and the shift points were off a little but.....who cares? It really didn't change the driveability of the truck much at all IMO. It never kept me for being able to haul my trailer up the canyons or down the trails and with the auto it would still crawl in the rocks just fine. It was also my daily driver that I commuted with 60+ miles/day. My truck wasn't light either. Lots of armor, winch, RTT typically loaded with lots of gear and hauling the trailer much of the time. I realize we live in a time of high horsepower motors and the demand for everything under the sun. I've just never understood the "must have" attitude to regear or the truck is useless. I'm not saying it's a bad idea. If you have the time and money to regear, go for it. For me there were dozens of things worth spending money on before worrying about regearing the truck.
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Thanks, box rocket. I think you just convinced me to keep my gearing the same and see how it does with the 33's.