Got 4.88's and a 3FE?

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tlin

tlin

10 Year
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Threads
120
Messages
1,283
Location
Gilbert, AZ.
Before I commit to the labor and expense of 4.88 gears, I'd like to get a first hand ride in someone's rig already equipped (preferably an 80 but a 60 will do if that's all that is available). A freeway ride and a chat as to your before/after impressions would be great.

Any takers?
 
  1. Freeway travel (improved ability to merge as well as cruise consistently without having to frequently downshift)
  2. Freeway hills - trips to Heber or Flagstaff are an uphill battle and not all that fun. I constantly have to drop to 2nd gear in numerous spots. Can be downright tiring in fact.
Thx for asking.
 
I love my setup other than I cringe a bit when I think about a long distance trek to get to someplace fun.
 
I can't imagine no one has this done this conversion......anyone?

I'm happy to bring some delicious Cheetos as additional incentive. Who doesn't like Cheetos?
 
I think several people have added 4.88s, but I don't think any have been on 3fes. There aren't many 3fes in the club either, although we have been getting more recently.

I think several have done it in the main 80 forum, you should ask there, if you haven't already.

Do it, and let us know how it is. The rest of us may have to jump on board too.
 
Put me in the 4.88-curious crowd too. Ditto what Otter said. There are several threads in the 80 tech forum on this very topic. Group buy 4.88's + install pricing anyone ?
 
he pulled the Cheetos card! :confused::D
 
Curious what size tires your running. That has a lot to do with bringing back to stock gearing which the vehicle was designed for. When I switched to 33X9.5X15s on my FJ62 which is basically the same engine and transmission I hated it on the highway going up north. Besides being lighter the FJ62 is part time 4WD but was still a dog. Stock tire size was P225X75X15 with 4.10 gears in the diffs. I went to 235X75X15LT to get a truck tire. While still not a power house was much better on the highway. Few years ago I switched to 31X10.50X15 and seems to do find around our cabin. Can't common on highway driving because the vehicle has been at 7,000' sine 2004. Prior to that is was one of our DDs.
 
I jumped from 31x10.5s to 33x12.5s a few years ago. I didn't notice a huge difference. I get around fine, hills or not. I keep up with the FZJs for the most part.

For me, there would have to be a huge difference with the 4.88s to justify the cost.
 
Otter said:
I jumped from 31x10.5s to 33x12.5s a few years ago. I didn't notice a huge difference. I get around fine, hills or not. I keep up with the FZJs for the most part.

For me, there would have to be a huge difference with the 4.88s to justify the cost.
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He keeps up with them fine on the highways but in the mud he passes them and leaves a messy trail behind:steer:
 
I'm going to poll the masses over in the 80 and 60 sections; might cross-post with folks over at Expedition to help grow the knowledge base.

Thx guys for the quick feedback.....

Otter said:
I jumped from 31x10.5s to 33x12.5s a few years ago. I didn't notice a huge difference. I get around fine, hills or not. I keep up with the FZJs for the most part.

For me, there would have to be a huge difference with the 4.88s to justify the cost.
Click to expand...

This is at the heart at what's driving my queries.....in that "perfect world", someone locally would have done this already and I could just head over, compare notes, go for a ride and experience the difference first hand, listen to the before/after tales and make an informed decision to go for it. I'll have to fall back to collecting data and trust my gut. I'm too anal for my own good sometimes......drives my wife nuts how long it takes me to pull the trigger.

If you're at the next CSC meet, I'd like to chat about your rig. Despite all my baselining and PM efforts, something tells me I'm not quite "keeping up with the FZJ's", especially IN THE HILLS!! :)
 
Funner said:
He keeps up with them fine on the highways :steer:
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I've never seen a faster 3fe than Otter and its all driver. Pedal it to the metal, rpms be damned, utilize the downhills and momentum :clap:
 
murf said:
I've never seen a faster 3fe than Otter and its all driver. Pedal it to the metal, rpms be damned, utilize the downhills and momentum :clap:
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These has a lot to do with it. Travel so many times up north easy to plan for what's ahead. That is until traffic comes to a complete stop at the steepest part of a head. Right after buying our first Tundra this happened on the high up to Sunset Point on interstate 17. Right after passing a accident the road opened up. Hit the gas and before I knew I was doing ninety. With the 3FE the trick is keeping at speed from the start.
 
I'm certain that the key to being happy with a 3f-e is keeping your foot in it. My wife complains that it's slow but she drives it really easy "because it's old". I drive it hard because it's indestructible and I'm pretty happy with it.
 
Just to close the loop, or get the project kicked off depending on how you look at it, just ordered gears and am moving forward with the project - officially known as Project Cheetos.

FWIW (some of you undoubtedly already know this), local to us here in the Valley is ZUK. I spent almost a couple hours with him last Saturday. Showed me all these old magazine articles with him and his rigs in them (4x4 stuff from 80's and 90's), toured his shop, showed me his Taco (which he's reinforcing the frame, etc. - really cool setup). Went for a ride in my rig, laid under it to really keep a detailed chat going about my setup and what the 4.88's should do for me and none of it was "salesman" in nature. He's truly a good guy who's got a passion for the offroad scene with lots of history and experience and is eager to share. I'm really glad to have met him and to have him helping me with the gear installs themselves.

For the insomniacs out there, his site is here. Some might find it pretty intriguing how much he details the work he does - really helped me get an appreciation for what this is all about and also recognize it's not anything I could successfully pull off. I probably looked at least half of the installs he's got listed on his site, they can be addicting.

cya!
 
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