4.56 gears and 31 tires... just like the old days

I just made the long trip from OR > NM for the holidays and was largely unimpressed with how my 2010 2.7 AC Prerunner handled it with ~500lbs. of gear. Slow, with crappy mileage.

I was wondering if anyone with a 2nd gen (2.7 4 cyl) was running 4.56 gears with 31 tires? That is how toyota used to setup the 4 cyl / 31' tire combo, and it worked great (My 87 4Runner 4x4 with that setup got better highway mileage with AT tires, than my '10 Prerunner with street tires !?)

I Haul/tow about 1/2 time I use my truck, and after this trip I'm feeling like I should have gotten the V6, but I've got a soft spot for toyota 4 bangers and their ridiculous longevity.

I'm thinking about doing a re-gear, so if you've got this setup, please let me know how it works for you, power and MPG wise.

 

Yea agreed. 4.56 is WAY to much for 31s. 33s and 35s is what thats good for.

are you 4.10 already?

 

He is a 4 cylinder and not a V6 guys. Mark's (IDTrucks) Tacoma has the factory 4.56's with his 4 cyl (although it is a 1st gen, not a 2nd gen and he is running 33" tires on it). RPM's may run a bit higher but that is probably what you are looking for to get more power out of your 4cyl.

Although I should ask, are you a manual or an auto? That could make a difference, both Brian and Monte are manuals and Mark and I are autos so we can run the lower diff gears without having stupid high rpms. I am running 4.88's with 33's and love it. I run about 2700 rpm on the freeway at 75mph.

 

If its a work truck I'd go with 4.56 gears. I ran 31s with 4.56 gears and I have a V6. It ran a little high on the freeway but it did great around town and hauling stuff. I could only imagine the benefit for the I4s.

 

Marks is like that due to the automatic gear box. instead of a manual.


Honestly 4.30s would be perfect. But idk if you can get that for 2nd gens.

 

Yeah I realized that halfway through my post. Haha that is why I asked if he was a manual or auto.

4.30 is an option for 2wd but there is no 4.30 ring and pinion for the 8" clamshell. Same with the 5.29 otherwise I would have went with 5.29's instead of 4.88's.

 

lol 1st gen ftw haha

 

Driving my 4x4 DBCB V6 Auto on the freeway 75mph and <2000RPM really sucks.

My old 90 Toyota Pickup ran better. It was a Manual though so I think that is why it was better.

I regret not getting a manual on my 2008.

 

They've been around longer so there is more aftermarket stuff available... the 2nd gen market needs to step up!! Haha

 

yea i know.

but still, you'd think they would have them by now.

 

Maybe by the time the 3rd gens come around (which I am expecting in 2015) they will really start dropping mods for the 2nd gens and more people will be modding out their 2nd gens as heavily as a lot of 1st genners do.