Installed 4.88 Gears in my 2016

The Land Cruiser guys are die hard people, they will spot something wrong from 5 miles away. They're more die hard than any Tacoma or tundra guy

 

The week after the Jeep event in Wildwood was an all truck event. You could have brought it out then.

I was at both events this year.

 

It seems like a lot of us on this board were there within the past week or two.

 

Would you recommend 4.88 for towing from time to time.

 

Absolutely. You'll have more torque off the line and the trans won't hunt for gears nearly as much.

 

What's total cost (OTD) of re-gearing to 4.88 on a 3rd gen? The reports I've seen are varied, and sounds like a lot of folks are having more than re-gearing done, so price includes extra.

 

Reputable shops around here charge $1200 per axle. Add more if you go with lockers.

-RJM

 

Thank you, that's what I estimated.

I plan on staying with 31-32" tires, and off-roading/traveling with a loaded truck (canopy, camping gear, family) and so I'm considering doing the conversion.

Would I see any benefit?

 

It’s like asking how much a hamburger and fries will cost.
It could be cheap and crappy or expensive and done perfectly. It could be me buying my own patties and cooking it myself so they come out just right.
Lots of variables.
Setting up gears is not an easy task. But the gears and send it to your cousin’s brother’s best man and he does it in the garage and it will be cheap but is it done right? You’ll find out when it breaks and you’ll also find out that the word “warranty” is basically the equivalent to speaking French to a Pigmy.
Go to a reputable shop and they order the parts and do the install and you pay a lot of money but be comfortable that warranty is part of the vocabulary and you should be covered on parts and labor as long as you weren’t being irresponsible.
If you got decent mechanical skillz then order a pre build setup from ECGS and be confident that it’s set up right and they stand behind the work, you just get to do all the install labor. You could save a good $600-$1,000 by installing it yourself as long as you have confidence in your own work.
If I remember correctly I payed about $1,500 for the ECGS built units and installed it myself. Plan on another $600-$1,000 to pay someone to install them for you.
You can buy the parts cheaper but then you need to pay someone to set up the gears too and that’s the part that is the hardest to do correctly. Set up wrong and you break expensive stuff and It’ll be a tough fight on who to blame cause the installer will put the blame on driver error.

 

Crazy talk, I’ve never been quoted above $1200 for both axles. Did you hear that or do you have written quotes because mine are all written.

 

I do believe he said $1,200 per axle

 

Thanks =)

 

Will you see a benefit? Depends on what you feel a benefit is.
31-32 tire size is kinda pushing it for 4.88s. In my opinion, the best benefits of 4.88 driveability is with 33s although many people have been happy with 4.88s on stock tires. 4.56 could also be an option for you but if you have any intention of adding more weight or going any bigger in tires in the future then 4.88s for sure. You will definitely notice the difference of adding gears, just your revs on the freeway may be a tad bit high with that tire size. Not crazy high, just a tad. That’s why it’s hard to say if you’d see it as a benefit, it’s a personal preference. If you got 33s then yes, a benefit no matter how you look at it.

 

Thanks for the great info, guys.

 

4.56 are not available, we have 3.90, 4.30, 4.88, 5.29

 

They're not?

 

Nope. 4.88 was the first aftermarket R&P and now we have 5.29.

4.30 are Toyota factory gears.

 

Whats the diff size on 3rd gen? 8.75?

 

Yup

 

All manual transmission 3rd gens get the 8.75 along with manual and auto TRD OR and PRD Pro models.

Automatic SR, SR5, TRD Sports and Limiteds get an 8" rear axle.