thumper
SILVER Star
You are welcome.
I have Toyo Open Country MTs.
Jon
I have Toyo Open Country MTs.
Jon
4.88 Gearing, Will I Be Glad/Regret?
- Thread starter tenmile
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
I have 315's right now with 4.88 and my odometer is reading 5 miles over the actual mileage. It accelerates much better than factory but I don't recommend 4.88 with 33's.
I have a sc, 4.88's and 35" tires.
I can drive 85-90 on the highway all day, and have
We drove to the Rubicon driving 95 mph across the dessert
I love the lower gears. Especially when going downhill off road. Lots of places I use to ride the brake, I just put in Lo and go.
Looks like your may be near by. Your welcome to drive my truck. I wont be back till Friday though.
I highly recommend the upgrade. I would also correct the speedo, I used the yellow box.
I can drive 85-90 on the highway all day, and have
We drove to the Rubicon driving 95 mph across the dessert
I love the lower gears. Especially when going downhill off road. Lots of places I use to ride the brake, I just put in Lo and go.
Looks like your may be near by. Your welcome to drive my truck. I wont be back till Friday though.
I highly recommend the upgrade. I would also correct the speedo, I used the yellow box.
i'm way too scared to take my cruiser past 115km/h let alone up to ~150. You're a crazy son of a bitch romerromer said:I have a sc, 4.88's and 35" tires.
I can drive 85-90 on the highway all day, and have
We drove to the Rubicon driving 95 mph across the dessert
I love the lower gears. Especially when going downhill off road. Lots of places I use to ride the brake, I just put in Lo and go.
Looks like your may be near by. Your welcome to drive my truck. I wont be back till Friday though.
I highly recommend the upgrade. I would also correct the speedo, I used the yellow box.
Last edited by a moderator:
4.88s all the way. especially if you plan to SC.
you will go with a taller tire.
its inevitable
you will go with a taller tire.
its inevitable
- Thread starter
- #27
What is the going rate for new gearing install and parts?
Call Carl at JTs Parts & Accessories, Justdifferentials.com Mud vendor
I think I was right at $1100 for 4.88 nitro gears F&R, Master bearing kits F&R, Knuckle rebuild kit, and solid spacers. Shipped to my Mech.
I think I was right at $1100 for 4.88 nitro gears F&R, Master bearing kits F&R, Knuckle rebuild kit, and solid spacers. Shipped to my Mech.
- Thread starter
- #29
How about labor for the install?
Special priceing from my buddy who works at Toyota and does work on the side. So I don't know the going rate.
I was quoted by another guy
Front and rear gears 4.88,master bearing kit, and solid spacers. $1695.95
labor for front and rear $1200
misc shop supplies ,grease,cleaner,rags,oils,sealers, $250.00 -
Transfer case split and remove VC $337.95
Front Knuckle kit , 225.95 -
Front knuckle labor 245.95 –
I thought this was high so I looked else were and got better pricing.
I was quoted by another guy
Front and rear gears 4.88,master bearing kit, and solid spacers. $1695.95
labor for front and rear $1200
misc shop supplies ,grease,cleaner,rags,oils,sealers, $250.00 -
Transfer case split and remove VC $337.95
Front Knuckle kit , 225.95 -
Front knuckle labor 245.95 –
I thought this was high so I looked else were and got better pricing.
sleeoffroad
Supporting Vendor
The issue is more if you need the 35's. If the above is the intended use and you are not going to use the extra clearance / size of the 35's in off-road conditions then I would not put 35's on it. You are just adding weight, rolling resistance and complexity/$ in terms of regearing etc to a vehicle that does not need it and it does not fit your intended use.
Grench
SILVER Star
I was kind of shocked when wheeling in snow last winter and in Kentucky mud last spring how big of a difference moving to 315/75R16 (35") and 4.88 gearing made over 285/75R16 (33") with stock gearing. It now walks over things that used to require a touch of momentum.
Of course, if you aren't planning to wheel it - 35s are a waste of money.
If you're planning to tow with it and not wheel it - stick to stock (or close) tire sizes. I like the 265/75R16 (31.7") Duratrac tires that I put on my wife's truck. One of the most aggressive AT tires around - borderline MT, but quiet and great snow/ice traction.
IMHO YMMV
Of course, if you aren't planning to wheel it - 35s are a waste of money.
If you're planning to tow with it and not wheel it - stick to stock (or close) tire sizes. I like the 265/75R16 (31.7") Duratrac tires that I put on my wife's truck. One of the most aggressive AT tires around - borderline MT, but quiet and great snow/ice traction.
IMHO YMMV
4inch lift, 35 12.5 17 bfg km2, super charger, 4.88
this is what I have and beside not going faster than 80 on the highway, this set up works perfectly. i mean i could go faster but who wants to at that high an rpm? it cruises perfectly at 70
this is what I have and beside not going faster than 80 on the highway, this set up works perfectly. i mean i could go faster but who wants to at that high an rpm? it cruises perfectly at 70
I've been running on 285s w/ 4.88 gears for the last 10 months...I'm waiting for my 285s to wear out (want to get every dime's worth of value out of those suckers :hillbilly)
My only complaint would be that things get "buzzy" at 70+ mph - At 70 the RPMs are right a 3k but I don't do a lot of highway driving. Around town the 285s with 4.88s are great as the truck actually feels somewhat peppy. I'm actually sort of not looking forward to the resulting loss in oomph when I do finally mount the 315s.
With the SC you'll have the pep part but IMHO the gears are still a good idea if you can afford the cost. With the correct gearing the engine and drivetrain don't have to work as hard...Think of riding a mountain bike with correct gearing for the terrain vs. one speed bikes.
If you never plan to go to 315s (never say never though) then maybe 4.56 gears would be the better choice but you really don't want to do it twice do you? The reason now is the time to go with gears is that you have to take the axles all apart to do the gears pretty much anyway so it makes sense to combing the axle services with the gears.
With the 4.88s offroad gearing is great as Ken mentions. On a recent trip I was able to crawl down hills, never touching the brakes, while a nearly identical rig to mine behind me, except he had stock gears, had to ride the brakes all the way down.
Oh, the other negative I can think of...When towing Toyota recommends you tow with OD off. Well, as you can imagine with 4.88s and 285s that makes things even more buzzy at speed. But, with 4.88s and 285s the RPMs are nearly the same (as Tch2fly mentions) as stock gears/tires with OD off so I left the OD on once up to speed. Not sure what, if any, negatives this might have on the transmission long term.
EDIT: Another bonus...my mpg has actually gone UP after the regearing. I think the 80 likes the higher RPMs and the engine doesn't have to work so hard to move the weight. I haven't gained a ton on mpg, but before my best averages were in the 10-11 mpg range and now they are in the 11-12 mpg so I've gained a good 1 mpg. At today's gas prices the gears will pay for themselves, maybe
My only complaint would be that things get "buzzy" at 70+ mph - At 70 the RPMs are right a 3k but I don't do a lot of highway driving. Around town the 285s with 4.88s are great as the truck actually feels somewhat peppy. I'm actually sort of not looking forward to the resulting loss in oomph when I do finally mount the 315s.
With the SC you'll have the pep part but IMHO the gears are still a good idea if you can afford the cost. With the correct gearing the engine and drivetrain don't have to work as hard...Think of riding a mountain bike with correct gearing for the terrain vs. one speed bikes.
If you never plan to go to 315s (never say never though) then maybe 4.56 gears would be the better choice but you really don't want to do it twice do you? The reason now is the time to go with gears is that you have to take the axles all apart to do the gears pretty much anyway so it makes sense to combing the axle services with the gears.
With the 4.88s offroad gearing is great as Ken mentions. On a recent trip I was able to crawl down hills, never touching the brakes, while a nearly identical rig to mine behind me, except he had stock gears, had to ride the brakes all the way down.
Oh, the other negative I can think of...When towing Toyota recommends you tow with OD off. Well, as you can imagine with 4.88s and 285s that makes things even more buzzy at speed. But, with 4.88s and 285s the RPMs are nearly the same (as Tch2fly mentions) as stock gears/tires with OD off so I left the OD on once up to speed. Not sure what, if any, negatives this might have on the transmission long term.
EDIT: Another bonus...my mpg has actually gone UP after the regearing. I think the 80 likes the higher RPMs and the engine doesn't have to work so hard to move the weight. I haven't gained a ton on mpg, but before my best averages were in the 10-11 mpg range and now they are in the 11-12 mpg so I've gained a good 1 mpg. At today's gas prices the gears will pay for themselves, maybe
Last edited:
I'm probably the odd man out here, but I run 315s with 4.56 gears. I went with those because I wanted to improve the off-road gearing, but since I was doing a lot of long freeway drives, I wanted to keep the rpms close to stock at highway speeds. This combination puts me very close to stock rpms (speedometer is dead on). In the last few years, I have begun towing my mini, and with the O/D off, I can run at 65 and not exceed 3k rpm. With 4.88s, I would be 300-400 rpm above that, which is higher that I prefer to run for extended periods.
- Thread starter
- #37
Great advice all of you, thanks
murf
Lifer
^ I agree. The issue is that most of us kid ourselves that were happy with 33's and eventually end up with 35's anyway
.Im set up with SC, 35's and 4.88's (cause I tow too) and I have been very happy with the set up. I'd do it again in a second.
If your convinced you'll stay with 33's, I personally think the 4.88's will rev too high on the freeway. The 4.56's would be just right.
Congrats on your new additions and have fun
LINUS
Waiting for the Great Pumpkin
This Spring I went from stock ratio 3rd members & 305/70r16 (~33's) with a OME Heavy lift to 4.88's, 315/75r16's, and a Slee 4" lift and no supercharger yet, but I'm even at sea level generally & I know for sure I'm going to a supercharger within the year.
Personally, I would echo Christo's POV - the suspension work for 33's vs. 35's is "that little bit" that is such where you could end up with mystery vibrations in your drivetrain after a 3"+ lift install like myself (some never solve it either, I'm still chasing mine), and beyond that is the cost of that suspension increase - it's enough that I'm not getting my charger probably until at least ~Christmas, maybe even mid-Spring next year. I can't say I used my 33's to the fullest, so going to 35's may have been overkill.
I'm sure I'll find times where they are a good investment, but right now I almost regret not leaving well enough alone & just adding a supercharger to my OME heavy lift, 33's, and factory gears. If I wasn't swapping out 3rd members for ones w/ factory lockers, I probably would have gone that route - I just had my Cruiser down for a few weeks, so I did a ton of things all at once - that "While I'm in there, I might as well do ____ " -syndrome took over.
If you can figure a way to stay with 33's & <3" of lift, you'll save enough $$$ that your supercharger would be a serious band-aid for factory gearing - you might be able to get away with not swapping out gears, saving you even more $$$.
If I was you and 33's could handle your needs, I'd do the supercharger first, & if you find it handles the 33's with factory ratio gears, then leave well enough alone & just get a OME lift as it's enough for 33's. That may sound like a backwards order of operations but from your needs it would be the way I'd progress, that way you wouldn't be stuck having spent a LOT more $$$ on mods that you may not NEED, at least not as needed as horsepower for your towing & altitude situation.
You could even get away with no lift at all for easy street driving (at least w/ 305/70's) - so you really could get the 33's & charger & see if it's enough - if so, then get the moderate lift that works for 33's.
Personally, I would echo Christo's POV - the suspension work for 33's vs. 35's is "that little bit" that is such where you could end up with mystery vibrations in your drivetrain after a 3"+ lift install like myself (some never solve it either, I'm still chasing mine), and beyond that is the cost of that suspension increase - it's enough that I'm not getting my charger probably until at least ~Christmas, maybe even mid-Spring next year. I can't say I used my 33's to the fullest, so going to 35's may have been overkill.
I'm sure I'll find times where they are a good investment, but right now I almost regret not leaving well enough alone & just adding a supercharger to my OME heavy lift, 33's, and factory gears. If I wasn't swapping out 3rd members for ones w/ factory lockers, I probably would have gone that route - I just had my Cruiser down for a few weeks, so I did a ton of things all at once - that "While I'm in there, I might as well do ____ " -syndrome took over.
If you can figure a way to stay with 33's & <3" of lift, you'll save enough $$$ that your supercharger would be a serious band-aid for factory gearing - you might be able to get away with not swapping out gears, saving you even more $$$.
If I was you and 33's could handle your needs, I'd do the supercharger first, & if you find it handles the 33's with factory ratio gears, then leave well enough alone & just get a OME lift as it's enough for 33's. That may sound like a backwards order of operations but from your needs it would be the way I'd progress, that way you wouldn't be stuck having spent a LOT more $$$ on mods that you may not NEED, at least not as needed as horsepower for your towing & altitude situation.
You could even get away with no lift at all for easy street driving (at least w/ 305/70's) - so you really could get the 33's & charger & see if it's enough - if so, then get the moderate lift that works for 33's.
I have 35 inch tires, an SC and 3" lift. You dont have to go to 4" to run 35's. But everytruck is different.
The 35" tires give you another inch clearance at the diff, vs the lift allows for extension. I trimed a little of the wheel wheel trim after testing it at Christo's and have had no problem. I alos added 2" bumpstops.
It got me through the Rubicon just fine, so I have no plans to increase the lift
I also dont understand the concern with the RPMs at highway speeds on this engine. If I was at 3500 or above, I would understand.
In 5th gear, my BMW Z4 roadster is will above these RPMs at the same speed
The 35" tires give you another inch clearance at the diff, vs the lift allows for extension. I trimed a little of the wheel wheel trim after testing it at Christo's and have had no problem. I alos added 2" bumpstops.
It got me through the Rubicon just fine, so I have no plans to increase the lift
I also dont understand the concern with the RPMs at highway speeds on this engine. If I was at 3500 or above, I would understand.
In 5th gear, my BMW Z4 roadster is will above these RPMs at the same speed
