Largest Tires On 1996 Stock Taco 4x4

I'm trying to track down answers specific to my 1996 Tacoma before I shell out a fortune on new tires. I've read most of the threads, but don't see info on the 1996.

I bought my son the 1996 for his 16th Birthday a couple of weeks ago. It has the stock 15" steel wheels with the P225/75 R15 tires.

I picked up a set of 16x7 alloys from a 2003 tonight. Here are my questions:

1. I've heard I can run the 265/75/16 tires with the stock suspension. Any opinions?

2. What about the 265/70/16 tires? Better or worse?

3. I understand that for strictly on-road driving the "C" rating is fine?

4. Is that a "P"265 or "LT"265 that I would need?

5. Last question... I have the 2.7L 5-Speed. According to the door sticker, it has the 3.58 gears. I don't know how accurate that sticker is since it runs 2400 rpm's @ 65 mph and has plenty of pep. Would those gears and those tires turn this Taco into a dog?

 

What's the code in the door? Pretty sure the only gears that came in 4x4s are 4.10, 4.30,4.56s. I'm willing to bet it's 4 .10s or 4.30s

Here is how to check

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/at...ont-diff-size-all_toyota_truck_axle_codes.pdf


265/70s I think are the largest...I woulda just stuck with a 15" wheel and gone with 31x10.5s.

 

Thanks for the chart. It's a little different from the one I found in another thread.

Door code is B02A, which according to this chart is 3.73, which makes me feel a little better.

I went with the 16" alloy wheels for looks and because down here the 31x10.5x15 tires run about $70 more than the 265/75/16.

 

Wow..never thought id hear that an r16 tire cost lest then an r15..

with 3.73s a 31'' tire will bog it down just a bit. Im shocked honestly to see 3.73 in a 4x4.

 

X2, 1 inch bigger rim would have cost me like 30 more a tire or something.

And you have the 3.73?? That's weird. I thought that gear ratio was 2nd gen territory. I have the 2.7 x cab 4x4 with 4.56, not sure why yours is so different for just being a 5 spd. And the biggest tire you can fit with everything is going to be a 32. The p and lt are for passenger and light truck respectively, so go with lt.

 

3.73s usually came in prerunners. Most 5 speed 4 bangers i have seen have either 4.10s or 4.30s.

Just goes to show how weird Toyota can be..one of the many oddities they do.

 

What about a automatic 2.7 in a 96 4x4 ??? i got stock 225 75 15 tires and im turning about 2700rpm @ 70mph

 

That's what I'm turning at 70 mph also. I hope my sticker is wrong??? I'm turning about the same rpm's as I did years ago in my 1986 4Runner. It had 4.56 gears.

I was told yesterday by my tire guy that I needed the "P" instead of the "LT" since the "LT" was a 10-ply and wasn't necessary on my Tacoma. I assume the "P" weighs less also?

 

I ran 265/75/16's on my 96 when it was stock. Had very minimal rubbing against the frame at full turn. If you want the largest tire possible, these would be it.

 

Thanks for the help with my tire and wheel questions. I got the 265/75/R16's mounted today and my son loves them. I actually think I could have gone a little larger. There was only a slight loss of power. Now to track down a more accurate speedometer gear...lol.

 

Read this...

 

Thanks. I saw that and have it bookmarked even though nothing comes up when I punched in those numbers on that link.

My local Dealer would only sell me the gear that "Came in my vehicle" according to VIN. I'll try a few other dealers after I see what gear is already in there and which way I can go.

I swapped the stock gauge cluster for one with a tach and set the speedometer needle to where it matched my GPS speed 100% with the old tires.

I may try the same again with the new tires before tracking down a gear.

I had to play around with the fuel gauge needle to get it correct and I missed by 1/4 tank...I ran out of gas...almost...with the needle showing 1/4 tank. That's a simple fix. Glad I had extra gas in the back.

Do any of you have a low fuel factory light? I was testing to see when my light came on but apparently this 96' doesn't have one. I plan to re-set the needle to the bottom of the last mark above the "E" so my son knows when he is out.

 

96s don't have the fuel light. Don't set it at the 3/4 mark tho lol

Hopefully your son is just smart enough to fill the truck when it needs it. That shouldn't really be a problem id imagine.

very odd your dealer won't sell you the gear..thats stupid. You'd think they would sell you what ever ya want..haha

your cluster doesn't have a tach? it should...

 

The 2.7's didn't have one. Mine didn't...

 

mine does (99)?

 

Yea my buddies has one too...

Freaking Toyota..doing weird shit all the time haha

 

the tac in a 96 is an optional upgrade. I have one in my 96

 

Mine didn't have one at first. (2001 4cyl 5spd 4WD) but I bought one off a buddy who totaled his 2.7 TRD. Simple plug and play.

And also my truck originally had 3.90 before I swapped out my factory rear end with a TRD one with a locker. Now I run 4:10

 

On my 1st Tacoma, which was a 1996, I put LT265/70r17 6 ply BFGs on that had no rubbing problems and it filled the wheelwell very well!

 

I'm pretty sure it was only 95-97 2.7's that didn't have tachs.