Stock gears with locker and 34.6”?

Anyone just installed an arb air locker in the rear diff and put almost 35’s on without regear? How bad is it?

 

You’re thinking of buying a $1300+ locker, $500+ worth of air on board and electronics to run it, ~$1000 of labor to do the rear and you don’t want to spend the extra $700 on gears that are already gonna be apart?

That don’t make no sense Ricky!

 

What this guy said

 

Actually, the locker isn't that much. I already have the onboard air (have had it) and run the back half of a dealership so no labor. One of the perks. And yes, I am trying to stay inexpensive since I have a wedding to pay for this year - the locker is a must for future trips, but technically so are the gears - but if I end up paying for truck parts before the wedding I'm pretty sure it'll cost more than the whole truck is worth HAHA! I was just wondering if anyone has put larger tires on stock gears and how bad the response really is. I felt the difference when going to 33's, just wondering. At the end of the day, I will likely end up re-gearing, but just in case.

 

Man, so you already felt the difference in upsizing 2", you want to jump up another 2" and not regear while you have it all apart? That's silly.

 

You can do it but you will hate the truck, and your transmission is going to run super hot.

 

Even with Toyo ATIII 285 /75 R16 tires:
RPM's will be much higher than normal. On the highway at 75 mph climbing a hill at almost 5K rpm. Cruising at 75 mph = 2.5-3.3K rpm.
Very sluggish take off from start, passing very difficult without high revs.
Gas mileage also suffers big time...

 

These days, most techs don't have the knowledge to properly set a pinion gear - If this were a GM 10 bolt, I could do it since the SS has blown many times at the track. In theory, it's the same but with the truck it's a way different setup than I'm used to. So, setting the pinion depth scares the hell out of me because if that's done wrong, the whole job is done wrong. That's why I am considering it. At the end of the day, I will likely just wait and re-gear anyhow... just looking for feedback.

 

That and the cost for the fully built one from ECGS is insane with the $1500 core charge applied. If my ex wife didn't take 47% of my salary, I wouldn't even be considering cheaping out LOL!

 

I literally have 0 complaints with my truck on 35s/stock gears and the tranny doesnt care. If anything, the tranny still runs cooler than factory since I pinned the tstat open.

 

It's been 5 years and I regret not doing it - after all the other mods. Now at 180K I am thinking it's time...

 

That is great that you have no complaints. But even the op said he felt a difference from stick to 33” tires. So 35” will be even more.
And there is no way your transmission isn’t working over time. Do you have a temp gauge for your tranny oil? I have 265-70-17 and climbing hills here in NorCal in the summer my tranny gets to 210-220. With 35” tires….,I don’t even wanna know

 

Do the regear. I don't consider it an option even at 33 inches. At 35 inches, unless you are driving on flat terrain to the mall or work and nothing else, you will need it.

 

Yup, have a ultragauge. Daily driving my tranny temp is usually ~100-110 degrees over outside temp. So the normal 70 degree day, its around 170-180, which stock the thermostat is set to 190-195 so thats what these trannys run stock at.

Uphill pulls, say up Snoqualmie pass I do 80mph up a decent grade in 4th gear, i can get it up to 190-200.
This is with a slightly larger cooler, and the trans tstat pinned like they should've come.

Bone stock with stock tires I could get the tranny up to 220-230 floored uphill, so theres that.

Gas mileage wise, I got 15mpg at 80mph on my drive from Mt Hood to Seattle last night. If I cruise at 60mph exact, I can get it up to 18 or so. In between 60 and 80, the thing gets 12mpg lol.

 

Manual tranny is gonna run super hot?

 

I stand corrected lol.

 

If I was going to run 35s, I’d rather regear than get a locker (if I had to choose). You’ll be feeling the benefits of the regear every single time you drive the truck, but how often will you need the locker in comparison? I think you should do it all at the same time, but gears>locker IMO.