Best route for low end torque?

Why aren't you using 4LO?? I never use 4 HI in my 2.7 L. If I need 4WD, I go straight into low range. It's literally the answer to your question. If you want more torque you need a lower gear. You have a lower gear. Use it. Don't do nonsense like screwing with the engine trying to eek out more torque, that's no replacement for gearing. Going into low range immediately more than doubles your torque, you'll never get close to that with any engine mods.

4Lo is also significantly easier on your clutch, engine, and transmission. It barely feels anything, you could attach bicycle pedals to your transmission input shaft and pedal the damn thing up hills in 4 LO.

 

Right, I guess I’ve always been a little nervous to use 4L. The way I thought in my head was it would have too much grip leading to too much stress and something giving.

 

Well then you're in for a real treat when you try 1st gear in 4LO. I cannot imagine trying anything even remotely technical in 4HI, you've been torturing yourself!

 

I'm running 4.56's in my 4 banger with a 2.5" lift and 31's. Also carrying a ARB bumper and winch upfront. The regear was well worth the money, and East Coast Gear Supply is the way to go if you're capable of removing and installing the diffs themselves. I also added a locker while I had it out. At the end of the day, it is STILL a 4 banger.

 

Word. Thanks man. Also to everyone else here lol. I’m gonna mess with it. I think gearing is still my end answer cause I’d like the torque but 4L is probably going to be a good answer right now.

 

Well the good news is going to 4L from 4H literally is gearing and makes waaaaaay more of a gearing difference than regearing your axles.

Doesn't help 2WD daily driving though of course.

 

True. I just love my reg cab bench seat honestly. Did you add a locker to both? I’m thinking about adding one while their open. I thought rear might be the way to start? I feel like it would be used more often.

 

Headers.

 

They give barely any increase. Check the 4 bangar forum, there’s a lot of feedback on there.

 

dislike

 

No I just did the rear for now. I purchased a front diff that already had the gears installed from a member on here. So I didn’t care to split it at the time. I love my rear tho, it’s come in handy numerous times.

 

4lo. Issue fixed. My 3.4l 4runner on 33s and 410s needs 4lo on most trails at all times.

Supercharger or v8 swap only thing that will help.

Turbo wont kick in till 3k and nitrous you don't hit till over 3k either so those wont help. Haha.

 

Do you daily that thing with 4.56? Whats it like?

 

My 02 DC Pre Runner has a supercharged 4cyl with 265/70 16's and rear gear is 4.56's . I'm looking at going to 4.88's to gain a couple hundred more rpm

 

I did for while before I got a commuter. I drive 100 miles round trip for work, so the fuel was a killer in the truck. Regardless of the gears. It’s a noticeable difference, but it’s not like having a V6 in the truck.

 

I'm running a Doug Thorley Shorty Tri Y header on my supercharged 4cyl and noticed a significant increase in performance especially down low in the rpm band

 

4 low is there for a reason, might as well use it.
With 33's you'll effectively have some TALL gearing, that is an issue I noticed as well with larger tires.
An LCE engineering intake header will lower the rpm you achieve max torque at, and possibly broadenthe torque curve, and is therefore not a bad thing.
Just use 4lo in situations where you need it.
If 2hi is OK on road, no need to regear.
I find 1st in these trucks ridiculously tall to begin with.
There is no difference to your engine whether you are spinning 3000 rpm in 1st gear in 4 high or 3000rpm in 3rd in 4 lo going the same speed.

 

As has already been stated, using 4Lo is a simple and no cost way to address your issue. Re-gearing will also fix your issue - but at a significantly higher cost. And the other down side of re-gearing comes when you go back to your stock wheels and tires. (Or sell your truck.) Your RPMs will be much higher at all speeds then. Just a thought.

 

The real question is how do you use the truck 80+% of the time? The answer to that should help guide your solution, unless you're Richey Rich.

For example, using 4L as you should and a lighter bit smaller tire would make a huge off road difference, almost, if not more, than a regear with your current setup and use style.

And that's a whole lot cheaper / easier than a regear.

Even more true if your 80% use is 2wd pavement pounding.

 

This is a good point. Lighter tires and wheels made a HUGE difference on my truck. I never felt that for the type of driving I do that the truck didn't have enough ground clearance.
If you don't need the 1.5" of extra ground clearance offered by the larger tires, go back to stock (or smaller) size. LT215/85 r16's are a perfect match to stock for this truck, or P225/75R16's can be had incredibly light and cheap.