4.88’s vs 5.29’s on AT

Currently on 37’s but plan to move down to 35’s when the tread is done. Now I have an appointment to regear at the end of the month but I’m still trying to decide if I want to do 5.29’s or 4.88’s since I will be going down to 35’s. For those on 5.29’s w/ 35’s can you tell me how your highway RPM’s are? And for those on 37’s with 4.88 how is it? I will be doing mostly highway and city driving... any info helps!! So much conflicting info out there.

 

I have 4.88's on 35's and I'm around 2700 RPM at 70 MPH. But, I have a manual transmission.

 

@cadamson Lol might be a little different

 

@inksin

 

I got 35's and 5.29s and AT. Around 70 I'm at 2200 to 2300 RPM.

 

@K_Sandhu do you feel it’s overgeared? How does it drive on the highway

 

FUCK NO! This is not a V8. 5.29s are okay for me. I am glad I didn't go with 4.88's because I would have to re-do it to 5.29s. Highway driving is better than before, but 6th gear still kinda sucks because these heavy ass 35's are killing it.

 

You carrying any armor or overlanding gear?

 

I got full steel skids(front, mid, and transfer case), steel long bed sliders because I actually use them, rear diff and gas tank skid. I will be getting front steel bumper and steel rear bumper and winch.

 

Check out the 4.88 and 5.29 Mega threads, lots of info in each

 

I've talked with @NickJacq23 before about his lift but I'm still on 4.88s. Decided not to go to 5.29s. Not worth the money and effort for me to go from 4.88s to 5.29s. With 35s either 4.88s or 5.29s are gonna work great, there is no wrong answer. I got caught up in the numbers on paper and it took ECGS to point out to me that it's only 150 RPM difference between 55-60. When you stop and think about 150 RPM difference you realize that there is basically no difference between the two. Given the opportunity I'd pick 5.29s (wasn't available when I did my gearing so I didn't have a choice) but if I got 4.88s again I wouldn't waste any time thinking I shoulda got 5.29s instead.

3.90 w/35s vs. 4.88s w/35s vs. 5.29s w/35s
50 mph: 1086rpm vs. 1359 rpm vs. 1473rpm
70mph: 1520rpm vs. 1902rpm vs. 2062rpm

 

Any idea what those RPM numbers would be with 33s? I have a Nitro dealer recommending to run 5.29s on 33s for my 3rd gen mostly because of the weight bumpers skids and about 600lbs camper .... but still seems to be an overkill

 

Easy enough to figure just input the gear ratios to the calculator. http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

 

A lot people comparing 4.88 vs 5.29 with 35" tires between 60-70 mph. Any one have any info on gear comparison at 75-85 mph (Texas driving)? Will the RPM's be to high? Currently have 350# armor, high clearance rear w/ tire swing out, prinsu rack, 3" lift and 33" tires for now.

 

Nitrogear has some good information on this. I ordered the 4.88 with 35" tires. If they had the 5.29 in stock I would've gone with that ratio.

They say our transmissions have a double overdrive. Taken from Nitro:
3.91 & Stock Tire, ~1500 RPM @ 60 MPH, ~1750 RPM @ 70 MPH (NOT ENOUGH RPM!)
4.88 & Stock Tire, ~1950RPM @ 60 MPH, ~2200 RPM @ 70 MPH
33” 4.88, ~1750 RPM @ 60 MPH, ~2000 RPM @ 70 MPH)
33” 5.29, ~1900 RPM @ 60 MPH, ~2250 RPM @ 70 MPH)
*Manual trans RPM figures will be higher.

 

My 35s arent rated for over 65 mph

Anything over 65 with 5.29s and larger tires will tank your mpg, the rpms wont be too high 2500 @85mph, with 5.29s and 35s but you ll get like 10mpgs

 

I've got 5:29's on 33's plan on going to 35 when they get worn out. At 75-85mph I'm at around 2300-2500 rpms. My mileage is about 15-16mpg compared to the 12-13mpg I was getting. Haven't road trip it yet with the re-gear, so this all city driving 60miles per day. 3/4 stop and go, 1/4 highway, plus I drive my truck hard, and pass just about everybody on the road, especially those piece of shit prius things. I have steel sliders, and all aluminum skids, and soon to have over-landing set up. When I had about 500 pounds in the bed for a mountain pass trip, and staying around 60mph for 150 miles, my mpg was around 17mpg and about 2100rpm's. I don't regret getting the 5:29's from Nitro Gear at all, and am glad I went with them and not the 4:88's. I have road trip coming up in a couple of months and will be able to give more detailed information on rpm's and mpg's

YMMV.

 

Thanks for the info what elevation do you live at?

I want the 5.29 gears but average around 80 mph to keep up with traffic in Houston "city" freeway driving. There are alot of overpasses w/ coastal winds that kills my speed and mpg. What worries me if I start loading the truck or pull a trailer am I going to be screaming in 5th or even 4th gear? Obviously I'll have to drop the speed to probably around 70-75 mph.

Whats crazy is I drive my wife's 4runner alot and those speeds and rpm are very similar to stock! Not sure how toyota thought they could drop the rpm/gearing on a lower displacement engine with similar HP/TQ and be okay.

 

I'm at a whopping 500 feet above sea level From what I gather towing trailers seems to be ok and your rpms won't be sky high. But you do want a little higher rpm when towing any way. Just stick the thing in manual and keep it in the gear you want if it's too much of a concern. I haven't towed anything yet with so I can't speak from any experience, just from what I have heard, read, and or watched on you tube.

 

Guess I will need to install a resonator or get rid of the flowmaster super 44 bc its loud at +3K RPM which is what really bothers me with higher RPM's.