Gearing questions

So I have a 2010 trd sport and just recently started towing with it. I have 285/70-17 BFG KO2’s. I tried searching but either didn’t do a good enough job or am blind lol. Trying to get a lil better mileage but definitely want to pull the trailer better. The trailer is 900lbs and my SXS is 1500lbs. Will gearing help and be worth it? And if gearing will help do I go 5.29’s? Appreciate it and if anyone has a link to this already being asked let me know and I’ll delete this.
Thanks!

 

Use this site to plug in the factory tire size and current tire size. It will provide a visual graphic to see the difference as well as actual size differences and how the change effects your speedometer. There is also a gear ratio calculator if you scroll down a bit that will tell you what you new gear ratio is, and what you need to regear to if you want it to go back to factory performance.

Your truck came from the factory with 3.73 gears, in effect you now have about 3.49 gears. Changing to 3.99 gears will get you back to factory performance. I've never seen those actual gear ratios, but something close such a 4.10's. IMO changing to 5.29's would be too much for a daily driver. Maybe if you were running 35" tires and wanted optimum off road performance. Regearing won't significantly change your fuel mileage towing or not towing. 5.29's would probably make it a little worse.

Personally, I think you're borderline but with a trailer that light I'd leave it alone. You're talking about roughly $2000 to regear both axles and it wouldn't be worth it to me. You should be able to handle 2500 total pounds with that set up. Tacoma's are rated for 6500 and they will PULL 6500. What hurts Tacoma is payload. While they will PULL a 6500 lb trailer most of them run out of payload much over 4500 lbs. Your 2500 lb trailer isn't going to eat up much of your payload.

You'll probably spend more time in lower gears and the truck will downshift more often with that combo. But it will do that with those tires and no trailer.

 

430s is just about perfect for 285s, you could go 488s and still be ok on the street, 529s with 285s is too low a gear and not very streetable on a daily driver imo.

 

I’ve got 488 with 35” tires and it is good. 529 would be too much for 2nd gen Tacoma unless it was a dirt rig. I had 456 before with 33’s and even a bit on 35’s. With the 35’s and 456 gears it felt closer to stock gearing.

 

Ok thank you guys. I appreciate the feedback!

 

If you end up being like anyone else here
And you are part of the way there

with towing, bigger tires, armor (bumpers, sliders, skids), shell (200lb), etc

regear is not a maybe but required
Your roof racks also add weight

if anyone wants I have front/rear set of 4.10

me personally as I want to eventually go 35 I’m trying to decide between 4.56 and 4.88 (6spd)
I’d probably go with ECGS and consider ARB air lockers but I have no idea where I’d put the parts, which ones to get, or how difficult the accessories install is. Aka ARB compressor (probably twin), lines/plumbing, electrical/wiring/switches, and manifold

on top of that, Toyota was stupid to put 3.73 in the first place
Literal passenger car sedans that weigh less and have more power come with 4.10

4.slow/4.nopower doesn’t help either
Even better if you ever road trip through an altitude mountain range with the N/A motor

another option if you can find axles is to buy spares cheap, learn to set them up on your own time or drop them off at a pros (cheaper labor since they don’t have to take apart your truck), regear them, swap in, and sell what you take out
Makes things much easier to have the luxury of time on your side to work on setting up a spare part properly, while the truck still remains driveable

many sources for regear
ProGear in SD, Zuk@gearinstalls in PHX AZ (if he still does it) and more; idk what’s in your area though

great parts source is Revolution gear and axle
I think they came back in stock on parts recently
Idk how important extra shit is like REM polishing, as opposed to straight slapping in the parts and doing a conventional break in period that requires a certain way of driving and earlier fluid change

 

Yeah, I have a decked box too. Lots of weight. So yeah, I think I’m going to have to regear for sure. Thanks!