gear questions?

Which are stronger, 4.88s or 5.29s, and what is the best brands?

 

The 4:88's would be stronger because of the amount of tooth engagement, but I never heard of anyone selecting gear ratios by strength. You select gear rations for application. As to what brand is best I am not sure what your parameters are for that. Best in what way?

 

that right there.


do the math, figure out what you want, and select gearing closest to what your math comes up with.

 

I live I Alaska, I only drive a mile and a half to work, I've set 100 of 8" toyota rear ends,5.29s are as low as I'll set up( 5.71s) never hold up off road, but I wasn't sure if 5.29 would be too weak in the ifs front of my new tacoma, I don't want any failures!

 

Nobody makes a 5.29 for the front clamshell of the 2nd gens anyway so the lowest gear ratio you have available for 4x4 is 4.88

 

I've set up several mud trucks in Florida with 4.37s in front and 4.56 rears, with lockers and or spools in both ends, without any failures, and they will totally walk all over a matched geared truck in the mud

 

Thanks BPF, I was wondering about that, because some of the rock crawlers on all pro's forum were talking about having 5.29s in an 07 and 09 tacoma, but I haven't found any place on line to buy them?

 

a 10% difference between front and rear gears isn't a big deal offroad such as 5.29/5.38s if you decide to go with a dana front axle and keep a toy rear. I've never heard of 5.29s available for the 05+ tacomas yet but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Best would be to call Nitro or Yukon and see if they know.