Keep factory RR diff lock when regearing?

Thank you all in advance. I have a 2nd gen 6 speed manual trans. trd offroad taco and I have ~33s (285/70/17, but I will get bigger) tires.

I now have convinced myself I want to regear, and will likely get Nitro 5.29.

the question is, with the regearing, do I KEEP my factory installed RR Diff lock, or do I have to get the optional ARB locker? I would prefer this not to turn into 3K+ worth of work. I have the ARB bumper and winch, and its feeling heavy.

 

I have a 11 6speed running 285/75r16s 10plys and been wanting to do the same thing.

 

I've been in this same boat for a year or so. My plan is to eventually go to 35's. I'm already trimmed and have a pretty aggressive CMC. I reached out to homer taco and had a discussion as he is the only one locally I know that has 35s and 6 speed. He is running 4.56 and claims it is too low for highway speeds. I used a calculator and came up with 4.30 taking me almost back to stock in all gears with 35" tires. I'm not sure how much a 33 would effect it. 5.29 seems like it will be way too low unless you plan to trailer your truck to the trails.

As far as keeping the e-locker, well that is why i replied. Consider this my follow dot.

 

ok, for those following along, I have reached out Nitro,

here is the reply:


"So, yes the gears and install kit will work for the rear OEM locker you have in there, unless you would like to go with a ARB locker."

so it looks like getting the "nitro With OEM e-locker gear kit" means that it will preserve the stock-lock. or lockstock?

anyway, yes i will for sure go to 35s and I think I think with a manual trans I will go ahead with the 5.29. I mean I guess?? is it too low??

 

Probably too low. Depends on what you mainly drive. Most with 6spd and 35s run 4.56 and its just a hair higher than stock on the highway.

 

FYI, i dont think ARB makes an air locker to replace the factory elocker.... and the "8.4in" 3rd members found in the non elocker axles do not drop into the elocker housing.

 

My two cents. 5.29 gears on a 2nd Gen Taco with a manual is super low/over geared for someone with 33s or even 34s. To get back to stock with true 34s you only need 4.30's. However if you've added a significant amount of weight, (heavy tires, armor, gear etc.) going to 4.56 might be justified and what I'd recommend. For the 2nd Gen you also have to remember the Manuals and Auto are different. 4.56 Manual roughly equals the 4.88 Auto.

 

Other way around... auto's have a taller OD gear vs the manuals. (and its why manuals are epa spec'd at less highway mpg)

 

ok so I have a bit more weight, ARB bumpers and what not, running 33s but will get 35s with a manual 6speed. maybe at the most I get like 4.88.

 

Also, to add to this, plenty of people have busted ring gear teeth on E-locker axles with the factory 3.73 ratio. When you go lower gearing(Higher numerically), the gears get even weaker due to a smaller pinion gear. So, with a scale of,

barely strong enough------------------------->much weaker

I wouldn't go higher numerically than needed.

Conclusion- 35" tires, E-locker, and 5.29 gears is just asking for busted gears, if you do any serious offroading.

 

ok, so the pinion gear issue, that is upgradable also, no?

 

ok, sorry I should've quoted, but! if I get the Nitro OEM e-locker kit, it comes with a new pinion set, so does that help the breakage issue? or do I need to RTFM to undersand which gears we are talking about.

thanks for the discussion, this is super helpful.

 

This!!

 

The smaller pinion gear with a higher numerically gear ratio is just a fact of life. It applies to all axles. If you start out with a super strong Ford 9", you can use any ratio you want. But starting out with a weak Tacoma E-locker, it's just going to get weaker.

 

Yes, the manual epa HWY rating is lower than the auto, but that's because the Auto 5th gear is taller than the 6 speed manuals 6th gear. Personally I think the 6th gear in the manual is way to close to 5th gear, and reverse is way to high. However my point is still valid, comparing just one of the transmissions speed (6th gear in the manual vs. Auto 5th gear) doesn't paint a complete picture. Just ask Nitro or ECGS, 4.56 Manual = 4.88 Auto on the 2nd Gen.

 

Correct. Lower gears will allow the easier use of a manual, but if OP was looking to stick to close to stock rpms at highway cruising then...

 

Considering he's looking at 5.29 or even 4.88 it doesn't sound like he's trying to return to stock ratios and Hwy rpms with 34s or 35s. Also my earlier comment is to help him avoid a trap that I see some 2nd Gen 6 Speed manual guys fall into. Example a 2nd Gen MT owner sees another 2nd Gen Auto Taco with 35s running 4.56 where the 2nd Gen AT owner says, "I wish I went with 4.88 for blah blah reason". So the 2nd Gen MT owner then thinks oh maybe I should get 4.88 for mine to avoid buyers remorse like the AT owner has. If that 2nd Gen MT owner does that, they will be significantly over geared because again the 4.56MT = 4.88AT, so a 4.88MT is closer to 5.29AT. If the 2nd Gen MT owner were to go with 4.56, they would already be equal to a 2nd Gen AT running 4.88.

 

o k ok ok. I think 5.29 might be a bit aggressive, and if ANYTHING, look at the 4.88. I mean, 95% of my driving is just street (although New England roads are only sorta paved some of the time). so either 4.56 to 4.88.

 

^^^^^
This is exactly why I am seriously considering the 4.30 when I go 35's. I've spoken with a couple of MT guys and they run 4.56 and wish they had 4.30 for roadtripping to trails. I've also been pretty interested in a taco box as well instead of a re-gear. I feel like on rocks it would give a far better feeling of control and save the clutch.

 

When I'm completely loaded down with camping gear, my truck struggles to maintain 75 on stock gears and 35s on any kind of incline. Same goes for headwinds. Stock gears are fine on a daily driver, MT, with 35s and very little added weight. My last weigh-in without my camping gear, but all my accessories mounted, was 5300 pounds.

I'm doing at least 4.56 because it'll take some of the stress out of the clutch wheeling over big rocks.