What's the point of this thread?
5.29's are just fine
- Thread starter Chrisbee93
- Start date
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If you have to ask, Well
With your FJ40, what tranny are you using. Without overdrive, even 4:88's and 35's is too much gear, you will scream at 60 mph.
3 speed tranny. 3 on the tree. I’m not concerned with top speed. I’ll probably never be on a road going over 50 and even when I was driving it 30 years ago I never took it on the freeway. Cruising around town 30-40mph. And any of the roads getting to where I need to go it would be short stretches of maybe 55
jkeithw
Supporting Vendor
engagement. (like on FB)
Back in 2018, when the opportunity to re-gear with my ‘94 became available, running 35s, I was originally going to go with 4.88s. I talked with ZUK (@gearinstalls.com), to do the gear change plus install Harrops and I mentioned what my use was going to be - over landing with a trailer. He suggested going with 5.29s because several of his customers that had done the same gear change and similar use of rig, regretted their 4.88 choice. I took his advice and haven’t looked back. Off-road power – I don’t even know the trailer is there. Around town and street driving, the annoying lack of power running 35s with stock gears disappeared. Yes, highway driving now has higher revs, but I figure - so what, it’s a compromise I can live with.
Running 5.29 and 39" tires strength has not been a issue 
There's an old chestnut in offroad Toyota circles that 5.29 gears are "too weak" because the pinion gear is too small. Of course, that ignores the fact that lower axle gears mean that the whole reason we're regearing is that the pinion gets greater leverage against the ring gear and therefore feels less strain. The issue with the small pinion becomes more pronounced the lower you go, and it might be a real issue once you go to 5.71, but I have seen plenty of people perfectly happy with 5.29s. I also know people who can break a ball bearing in a rubber room. I'll qualify this by saying most of my experience is with mini-truck stuff, but the principle is the same with the 9.5, and any engine, transmission or body.
I read his question carefully then double checked that we were in the 80s series section.
IMO lower gears have the same basic effect of trying to get your rig back in the power band after adding larger tires.
OP is about the strength of 5.29 so post pertaining to that are pertinent also
I promise I am sober! I was reading the guy who posted on the FJ40, but it looks like the first post is asking about a possible 80 and maybe putting 44's on it.I read his question carefully then double checked that we were in the 80s series section.
IMO lower gears have the same basic effect of trying to get your rig back in the power band after adding larger tires.
OP is about the strength of 5.29 so post pertaining to that are pertinent also
This is another thread started by the guy in this post with the FJ40.
I bounce around different forums as I have both a 40 and an 80 and got confused as he posted here and there.
Sorry to go off.
No worries.I promise I am sober! I was reading the guy who posted on the FJ40, but it looks like the first post is asking about a possible 80 and maybe putting 44's on it.
This is another thread started by the guy in this post with the FJ40.
I bounce around different forums as I have both a 40 and an 80 and got confused as he posted here and there.
Sorry to go off.
Ditcherman
SILVER Star
You probably got confused because it denigrated into a "rolling radius X 2 vs diameter" argument. Could happen to anyone.I promise I am sober! I was reading the guy who posted on the FJ40, but it looks like the first post is asking about a possible 80 and maybe putting 44's on it.
This is another thread started by the guy in this post with the FJ40.
I bounce around different forums as I have both a 40 and an 80 and got confused as he posted here and there.
Sorry to go off.
