Gears

first post here, I have recently picked up a 2024 TRD Pro and absolutely love it. My problem is I can’t stand the gear hunting specifically driving from Colorado to Wyoming. I don’t plan on going any bigger on tires but am still considering a gear swap. I don’t see 4.10 so I am assuming 4.30 is the closest I can get to, my question is has anyone ever done a swap on a completely stock 4 runner?

thanks!

 

Are you using cruise control in hilly/mountainous areas? You can do better than it can by shifting from disappointment to not sport 4th gear.

 

Haha, yes I do, I typically will do that but the drone at 3100 bothers my wife which in turn bothers me haha. At 80 in 5th im turning around 2300 I believe if I were to go to 4.30 gears it would be closer to 2600 which is obviously higher but wondering if that would keep the engine happier and be able to hold 5th gear longer?

 

Lack of power and bad cruise control programming. My 2010 Tacoma did the same thing. Hill comes up, speed drops, computers freak out, next thing you know it drops 2 gears, goes past the set speed then drops to that speed while only upshifting 1 gear. A supercharger helped a lot but yeah I'd just use 4th instead of Disappointment in that situation. $2.5+K in gears to avoid some shifting seems like a bad investment.

 

I don’t disagree with that, but I feel that it would improve the vehicle in more ways than just that scenario. I might give up 1 mpg but I’m not super concerned with that.

 

4.56 is next lower gear ratio option. I am on stock 265 tires. Best mod i have done improving usability. Gear hunting and not being able to use cruise drove me nuts.

 

Thats exactly the info I am looking for. I assume you lost around 1-1.5 hwy mpg with that swap? I was really hoping we could do a 4.30, but that doesn’t seem too bad to me either.

 

My mpg are pretty good other than 75 mph+. The faster I go mpg decreases. But i hold 5th gear now and can actually accelerate up an incline without it dropping into 4.

Cruise control holds also now. The mpg hit for me is a non issue. Its a brick to begin with and happy with the outcome.

 

I generally drive 72-73 mph so I don’t think it would be a huge issue for me either. At that speed now I average around 21. Thanks for the info, where did you order your gears from?

 

I would recommend ECGS you cant go wrong with them. The only reason I didn't go this route is my install was done by Toyota expert that regears them all the time. Its complex you dont want to let just anyone do it. I am running Yukon gears. Nitro is common also. Install is the key imho.

 

I thought when you do regearing you say good bye to 5th. It always be on 4th gear and high rpms on highways. In return you gain more controlled / better crawl. Is it not?

Long trips I don't like to user cruise control and use my foot so I can control rpm and stay on highest gear even though speed reduces a little on uphill areas. This way I averaged 19mpg driving CO-WY with roof cargo box. I was at 5880lbs when loaded (2 adults, 2 kids, a german shepherd dog in the back and cargo for a week) .

I'm running 285/70R17 tires.

Adding some pics -

 

I was running higher rpm stock gears dropping to 4 than I am now in 5th regeared. My decision was already running high rpm might as well make it better. Off road crawl is much better regeared dropping into 1st.

 

Would a transmission/engine tune help with this? I think few companies offer it and post on here and feedback seems to be positive. I am looking at Yota tune as they do rounds here in Canada and sometimes come close to my area. I think they offer both transmission and engine tunes. If it is mostly for cruise control drive through mountains it might do the trick for much less coin.

 

Tune is definitely the cheapest route.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/regear-ov-tune-or-supercharger.699179/

$ is the only real down side IMHO. I have never encountered anyone that regrets a regear. All have said best mod and wish they had done it sooner.

 

^ This.

Get with OTT first it might surprise you. Much more low end torque, better throttle response, improved shift logic.

Source: https://www.4runners.com/threads/overland-torque-tune-ott-by-overland-tailor.27827/

After you tune you can always continue on with a regear.
4.56 might be quite a jump for stock size tires, although I know @2021venture loves his and felt it was needed after some high elevation mountain passes in CO.

 

I do have a tune, it’s a tidewater customs tune, it helped but still could use some improvement.

 

^ECGS it is then

 

If this is about road use only, I kind of agree that using 4th gear when needed, makes more sense than changing overall gearing. Even if I could justify the cost to address only highway cruising, I’d worry about potential headaches from a botched install, the chance of bad parts, or loud gears. It could end up turning a sweet 4runner into less sweet.

By sweet 4runner, I mean a lovably underpowered, yet reliable and stout.

I mean, the power is adequate close to sea level, but I’ve experienced the loss in power at high altitudes, so I guess I can understand the frustration.

 

Haha yeah, living at 7000 feet makes it a little rough sometimes.

 

Ive never heard of the tidewater tune?

Sucks because the only after market gears are 4.56 and 4.88 thats way over kill for stock size tires(30.5")

You can get 3.91 gears from toyota(fj cruiser)

 

456! My best mod.

Do it!

 

I don’t think that’s deep enough. I really wish I could get a 4.30. Looks like 4.56 it is. I’ve never really been worried about mods and what happens afterwards. It can all be fixed. I used to daily drive a 850 hp 2006 Cummins. That thing would break on command lol.

 

how do you like them? Interested to hear your results, speeds at which you travel the interstate ect. Thanks!

 

Welcome

 

Thank you!

 

On the bright side, 4.56 gears can be made equivalent to 4.30s by running 33" tires later on, even though you're not planning on larger tires at this point.

 

haha I was about to ask this. Can I get away with just a small lift to run a skinny 33?

 

That's what I was going to suggest to OP. Get 456 and put on 33s! You will love it and the 4R will look great and can go just about anywhere.

 

Lifts don’t do anything to clear tires on the 4runners IFS.
Most 285/70-17 size ATs tires clear as long as you have stock offset wheels and stock upper control arms. At most, you need to trim a bit of plastic in the forward wheel well (20 min of work). I bet 33” skinnies wouldn’t rub anything at all.

 

Good to know on the moderate trimming. I was thinking 255/80/17 anyway. I prefer the skinnier tires anyway. Looks like I have my course of action. 33s and 4.56s love this forum already! Thanks for all the help!