regear needed in my 2.7L

I like my truck, but there are some hills that I can't make in 2 or 4 hi with the factory setup. It's fine around town and on the highway, but sucks when I have to go to 4lo just to climb steep hills that don't even require 4X4 from other vehicles. I am also planning to go up one size on the tires to 265/75/16s which will make this even worse.

I am planning to go to 4.56 gears with the taller tires, I just wonder if this is enough. I want better than I have now, not just a return to factory specs.

Anyone running 265/75/16s with 4.56 gears? Is it giving better low end than factory gears and tires?

Most of my driving is under 65mph so I'm not really worried about MPG on the top end, but do make one or two long drives every year and want to stay decent at 75mph.

 

If you need 4lo now then 4.56 will not do it.

 

It's rather annoying how little power the truck has going up a steep hill. I realize they gear them for the best mpg at highway speeds, but sometimes it's ridiculous. First gear could have been made a bit lower than what it is.

 

Gear down good idea.My truck DC 2WD 4SP auto 4 banger (when it had stock tires)over 95 in third gear.It has 4.10 gears now 32in tires. Im told 4.56 gears

 

I run 235/85 16, the same height roughly as the 265s, 4.56 gears. Simply put, they feel the same mostly after you add the tires, about 150 rpm more at 65mph. I have headers too fwiw. If you plan to do a lot of 4 wheeling , you'd better go 4.88 or so. In the end you wont get around it being the 4 cylinder really.

be mindful if your state allows 75mph and you do 4.88+ you might not like the high freeway rpm's, that's the tradeoff.

The 4 cylinder suits me because most off-roading I do is on back properties, often trying to roll along at 2500-3500 rpm to keep it smooth, tree weaving at times. I'm really not into rock pits and mud oceans.

 

My 33's (285/75/16) have made my truck a dog. In in the same boat as you. 2/4hi is useless when it comes steep inclines. 4lo is need to climb anything remotely steep.

 

What do you mean by pinned?

 

I definitely feel I need to regear as well, but I dont think I have it as bad as you guys. I wheel my truck atleast 2-3 times per month, some are big trips while others are just messing around in trails at someones property. I run 265/70/17s (31.6 tall) which definitely makes my truck sluggish but it is also a daily commuter for me, plus I have aftermarket bumper, bed rack, tool box, lift kit, sliders, skids and much more. Every few months I trailer a nice load of equipment back and forth (approx 2,500lbs) and the truck is definitely taking a beating but I never once have to put it in 4x4 to go up hills. I'm surprised to see you guys are having such troubles climbing hills in 4x4.

I was told a few times to consider 4.56's for a nice mix of highway/offroading.

 

It's not that I need the 4WD to get up the hills, I need the torque of low range to climb steep hills at speeds less than 5 mph. There is no road on the hills I'm climbing, but 4WD is usually not needed. In 2 or 4 high there simply isn't enough torque to keep momentum without dying.

 

Ohhh gotcha. Sorry I misunderstood