Regear or wheels/tires first?

About to install the paid off mod next month and was going to get new wheels and tires. Currently running 315/75R16, tires are coming to an end and could use new ones sooner rather than later but not like dangerous to keep using for a while. My plan was to switch to 17” wheels for more tire options, and change to a 35x11.5 tire. This would be about an inch skinnier, but close to an inch taller than what I have.

I was mechanically challenged when I bought this truck but have since learned a lot. So I’m not sure if the previous owner re geared or not. I’ll have to figure that out.

My question is, since it’s going to cost me $2000+ for wheels and tires, and $1500-3000 for a potential re gear, only one can happen at a time. Which should I do first? Is it okay to run 35s on stock gearing for a while? Or should I re gear and maybe just do tires for now?

PFA

 

I'd wait / save and do them both at the same time. If you go tires first you'll want the gears. Gears first you'll want the tires.

 

Fair point. Although if I re gear first, I think it would be okay given my current tire size. Only problem is I’m not sure if my tires will be okay for the time it would take me to pay off the re gear.

 

I suggest that regear first then get wheels/tires combo. That way, your truck will go better with regear.

You can also regear then keep the tires/wheels that you have on right now. No need to get new ones unless you want much bigger tires.

 

I have 34s right now, I only wanted to try 35x11.5 to have a little narrower tire and to have a C load instead of E, but 35 is the biggest I’ll ever want.

 

You have factory gear or what? I mean what you have right now.

 

Not re-gearing would not be a potential safety issue. I would do tires if you need tires. Then that may help with you deciding what gear ratios to go with. On my 2nd gen I am running 285/75/17's and went with 4.56. Most people will try to convince you to go 4.88 or 5.29(mostly the 3rd gen guys) With the 4.56 and the 285/75/17's I am about 200rpm higher at 70mph than I was in stock form. I use this web site when comparing all gear and tire size impact calculations. www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

 

Yes

 

Talk to @pearing he's runnig 35's on stock & wheels the hell out of his truck.

 

I’m not 100% sure, I have to check.

 

That makes sense. And yes after reading a lot on here I was thinking 4.56s would be ideal.

 

Care to chime in @pearing ?? Haha

 

Don't understand the Ha Ha, so let me peruse this page and I will get back to you... I am and I do so lets see.

 

If you bought the truck like that, then previous owner might have regear it before sold it to you. If you aren't sure, then shop can check the gear for you and tell you which gear it has. If it has at least 4.56, then you are good.. otherwise you can go up gear, such as 4.88 or something that they have for 2nd gen.

 

Okay. My 2 cents: you will be fine with 35's and no regear. There was a page on here somewhere all about this insidious posing. In my opinion, you have a LOT of work to do to make 35's fit and not tear the heck out of things before a regear matters. A regear is not where you need to focus first. If the truck gets used, even with skinny 35's it will rub in stock form. If that picture is your truck, it looks like you already have McNeil fenders, so some of the work is done-Pinch weld? CMC? 35's are big on our little trucks and they like to rub.

I do wheel my truck and a regear is in the future, but I needed to get all the contact/pinch/bind points sorted out first. I am running 35x12.5 and they will probably always rub somewhere. I am now feeling ready for 5.29s. Everyone has their own ideas. I rock crawl so I want as much as i can get before I do a doubler.

Truck will be slower off the line. Not a sports car so who cares. Will struggle with some larger rock features so use the winch until you get the gears. Mileage is terrible. Oh well, not a Prius either. 35's are a significant offroad advantage that more than makes up for the lack of gears inches at the moment... If you have specific concerns ask away.

 

Yes the pic is my truck. Thankfully most of the clearance work is done, pinch welds are hammered and CMC done (but I was going to do a whole CMR). You make good points. I just didn’t want to wear out the transmission or anything because I plan on keeping the truck for a long time.

 

.3” difference in diameter shouldn’t require a regear.

315/75/16 is basically a 35”

 

Yeah I can’t remember if the previous owner had mentioned if he regeared or not, it was almost 6 years ago now.

 

Post doesn’t state if auto or manual. They are different.

 

Tracking that, Im just saying I’m not sure what gear ratio is in there now because I’m not sure what the previous owner did. So if it’s the stock ratio, I want to regear it, but also want to switch tire sizes also since I’m due for new ones.