5 lug 31s risk?

Do my 31s hurt the tranmisson? I haven't regeared yet just wondering if I should regear or keep them for trails only.

 

My gears feels pretty good feels a little sluggish just got to Slam it some

 

Depends on what transmission you have - automatic or manual? Either or, your transmission is working with a less than optimal gearing ratio that has been messed from the stock 26.9" tire/rim circumference, to your anticipated 31". Automatic transmissions have an easier go with 3.58 final drive gearing in the differential, and can be relatively easy to swap out to a more appropriate gearing like 4.10. Replacement OEM 4:10 gearing drops into place. For the manual, with a lower final drive gearing ratios in a third member is that incompatible with anything else that Toyota uses in their model range. In that case, you are looking for a rear axle assembly or a third member from a 2nd Gen Tacoma SR5 4x4 with the 4.10 ratio also. Hold on to your visa balance, this is going to put a dent in it, if you are going to go Full Monty on a Manual 5-lug.

East Coast Gear Supply (ECGS) also has plenty of goodies to spice up the third-member conversion. Arb Air Locker, Detroit Tru-Track, etc. Drool.

I currently run 29.3" 225/75R16 - a moderate % increase from OEM. It's about as far as i would want to go, in terms of overall tire circumference, without addressing the need for re-gearing.

 

HackD am I hurting my truck by driving with the stock gears. I mean is it the end of the world if I keep the stock gears. I don't mind the slug ride with the 31s as long as I'm just losing mpg and power. Am I doing serous damage because if I am then I will start working my ass off to get it regeared. Thanks for the advice and info I'm running automatic stock gears with the 31s. I never really go past 2.1-2.5k rpms unless there is a epic hill or something. Idk if I'm hurting my truck but on hills in stock wheels I was still doing those rpms and more some times 3k.

 

Don't drive like it's a racecar and you should be fine, it's a Toyota!

 

Rolis12 you coming to the meet on August 14.

 

But if your slamming it doesn't that hurt the tranmission. I'm trying to keep my truck to get to 200k+ miles so far at 26k. Regearing seems like the best call for engine life and drive ablitiy. Called the east gear supply this morning and they said they have the 4.10 for the truck just need to find someone who can do the job correctly before I order them. I'm gonna just do the damn shocks and regear and hopefully be at peace for a while and keep doing simple maintence. I plan to keep the truck till it dies so I don't mind modifications as long as it improves driveable ty and engine life or doesn't hurt engine life overall. I do plan on doing a long travel once I can save up enough for a daily driver or something so that might be 5+ years. I do plan on making this truck a racing or trophy truck once I'm older and have money to spend. As of now it's my daily driver, but I will let you know how much it costs and who does the job for me if you want and maybe you could do the regear aswell if you wanted. I will let you know who does it since you live kinda close if you want.

 

With even my conservative tire up-size, (225/75R16), with my manual transmission and stock 3.307 final drive gearing, building up and holding higher RPM's before shifting is a necessity - otherwise the power output 'mushes' out. It isn't hard on my manual transmission per say .. but it certainly isn't kind on gas mileage to do so, especially in stop and go highway conditions.

A re-gear will become a necessity if i increase tire size beyond what i am running now. For the manual transmission - it's on the border cost-wise, of affordability and logic to do so.

 

For what it's worth, you can fit the third member from any 2nd gen non TRD 4x4 or PreRunner. I have a manual 5lug, I just lurked on the for sale section for a while until another member was selling the third member off their 2009 prerunner, bolted straight on - super easy. Total cost was a quarter of what you're probably about to spend and 2 hours of mine and a friend's time. I'd lurk for a little while on the for sale section before buying new. Jump on your local thread and see if anyone has the equipment and is willing to help before shelling out all that money. Just my two cents.

 

For auto you say as long as it's not 4x4 TRD or prerunner then you say you used one from a 2009 prerunner, I don't understand. I have an automatic too and I want to regear to 4:10. I work right next to junk yards but I'm so confused on what Tacoma i can take the 3rd from. Please help

 

As i understand the parts compatibility - it's a matter of clarification of his wording.

As long as the 4x4 or Pre-runner version is NOT a TRD edition - it'll work. TRD's used different components in the rear end, as part of that feature package. SR5 4x4 versions are compatible - I've also seen Pre-runner SR5's referenced as compatible.

I've got a very large auto-recycler with a regular inventory turn-over that is local, that i need to start keeping an eye out on, myself ..

 

HackD to the rescue as usual Thank you!!!!!! now to look up tutorials on swapping

 

Exactly, thanks for clarifying. 4x4 or PreRunner 2nd gen tacoma is good as long as it is not a TRD model.

 

How does this pertain to an automatic? Is it as simple as looking for an automatic version?

 

Auto versions, you just need the replacement gears for the gearing ratio of your choice from ECGS or similar.. a simple re-gear is good for the automatic stock 3rd member... and a lot cheaper.

 

Thanks HackD. Regearing is quite nuancey, a job for an experienced professional. A 3rd member swap is straight forward, doable by any home mechanic. Ring gears and a pinion are cheap, paying someone to install them makes it an expensive job. (Importing a complete 3rd via the swap program through ECGS would be excessive) If it's possible I can find a viable 3rd in a 411, or 427 "bolt in" there's a considerable savings to be had. That said. Is it as simple as looking for an automatic version of a non TRD, 4x4 or Prerunner with an automatic transmission?

Thanks

 

Yes, there is a fair bit of knowledge required with re-and-re'ing gears - but it is cheaper on a cost basis, even factoring in a mechanic's time.

Everything that i have read up on, in doing a third-member swap, is that it is a 2-3 hour job with an extra set of helping hands.

I am not sure on the requirement of it needing to be an automatic transmission model - i have not seen any info that differentiates between the two, in regard to these uprated third-members being compatible or otherwise to our 5-lugs. The issue is with the 5-lug manual's oddball 3.307 final drive gearing ratio and, spline-count/incompatibility of the gears used in the manual transmission variant, rather than with the actual transmission that is being used.

I have checked the ECGS pricing and shipping costs to get one to Ontario - it's stupid expensive. Throw in the factor that the manual version 3.307 is not accepted as a core-return, and there is another $400.00 USD on top of the price of a replacement ECGS 3rd member assembly.

All in theory. I have not actually pushed the button on this myself, obviously.

 

I will keep the automatic stock gears I'm still averaging 18-20mpg. It's a little slow, but I still can manage to get that 20 mpg. I put lucas oil lubricant and it works magic.

 

Lucky I only get 17 going average

 

I'm wanting a powertrax locker !