Regear VS tune

Ok so I got a 2018 TRD Pro with a Westcott lift and 285/70R17 just wondering if I need a regear or just a tune will help . it feels kind of sluggish

 

A KDMax tune will set you free. A tune and a set of 4.88's are even better. But tune first, then gears.

 

Tuning ‘refines’ the hardware you have. Tuning a truck that is severely underpowered and undergeared can always help but if you’re thinking tuning will bring 6th gear back in all its glory with a lifted truck and larger tires the answer is definitely not. Will it help? Yes.

Basically if you’re lifted with larger tires and stock gears your truck will remain a little sluggish even tuned compared to your truck off the dealer lot brand new in stock form. A very nice combination is regear the truck to offset the changes of lift and tires and then have the truck fine tuned with its new hardware.

 

Why not both?

I'm going 5.29's and the KDMax as soon as the gears go in (hopefully soon, ordered early November). Not sure how heavy your 285's are, but mine are beefy bois cuz they are e-rated. Average 285/70 is like 32.8" but mine are also 32.99". Plus, I plan on going to 285/75R17's or bigger next time. Maybe a full send on 34's possibly 35's.

Save your tranny... get the gears.

 

I have a tune via paparee (kdmaxx)
But I'm thinking of going with 4.88 soon.
With the gear like a fridge, bedrack, water, rtt, etc etc... it's sluggish and mpg isn't great.

 

I think most people who are running "lighter" tires and no extra weight will say 4.88's - like 265's and 275's, but if you add weight and/or have heavier tires then go 5.29's. Lots of info out there. Honestly, I feel either one is a better option than stock. Even 4.88's with a stock setup would be a better option. Manuals with 4.30's seem to be doing fairly well though. But that's the trade off.

My tranny is pretty much choking to death currently, lol.

Also, in case you have not seen it yet:

KDMax Pro Tune Thread

5.29 Mega Thread

 

Thanks guys for all the helpful information

 

Gears then tune. You don't wanna end up paying for a retune.

Gears will make the big change. The tune makes it a lot better. I regard mine within a month of getting it and I got the KDMax a couple months ago. I definitely recommend KDMax, but there are other good ones out there.

 

Just out of curiosity, and this seems like a good thread to ask, I'm running a stock tire size (though not stock tires) and am interested in regearing to 4.88. I currently have the KDMax tune so I would have to get the ECU reflashed after installing the new gear set, but that's a minimal concern in my book. Does anyone have any feedback on running 4.88's on stock size tires? I'm considering doing this for towing and to be able to tap into a little more revs when in 4WD high.

 

4.88s works well on stock tires. Some even recommend 5.29s on stock tires.

You will need to retune if you have the KDMaxxx. Any other tune will be the same. If for whatever reason you had another tune that didn't offer a 4.88 version you would have to either switch to another tune or flash back to stock.

 

If a KD tuner is charging you for a retune because you got gears after the initial tune, they are getting a little greedy IMO. Most of us don't do that.

 

5.29's and KDMAX Pro tune together have been awesome. If you have the means to do both, do both.

 

My tuner @alfredogarciia said I have one free retune, and will pay a small fee if I want more after that, including any upgrades to the tune later on. I can imagine some sort of $25-50 fee for the third retune being fair. The tuner has to make time to meet with you and get you tuned. If you have to drive across Houston to retune some guys truck I think $50 would be a fair price.

 

Also, why don't you guys have some KDMaxxx stickers?

 

I'm curious, what's the difference between the tune on factory gears and the version flashed once 4.88s are installed? I wouldn't have imagined any retuning is necessary unless one was messing with individual gears to make them longer or shorter. I think the biggest thing preventing me from jumping into this is finding a shop that works on Toyotas that I trust to pull the transmission out and apart. I do business with a great shop for my fun car, but they really only work on European cars. I appreciate the input, all!

 

I don't really know tbh...

The shop doesn't touch the tranny, just the diffs. I don't think they're considered part of the tranny. I would look for an independant differential expert. I did that and got regard for $700. Both diffs.

 

We do buddy! Many of the guys offer them on the KD thread all the time. Give an ask and you'll be answered - they're cool looking stickers too!

 

@TWTaco (Dave) posted this pic on his thread. We have lots of different vinyl decals.

 

I'm running 285/70R17 (32.8") tuned with the OVTune 33" tires version with more aggressive tip in. Feels pretty good on stock gears but my tires only weigh 50lbs each since they're SL so I may do 4.88 gears down the road once I add some weight in the bed. The tune definitely helped with the sluggish feeling and feels pretty much like stock tires. If you are running mud tires with more rolling resistance and E load then it may be a different story.

If you have the hardware to tune yourself (tactrix cable + ODBII port dongle) I would do the tune first since there wouldn't be any cost to flashing except for buying the tune packs. If you feel the tune is not enough then do the gears and flash again after gears are installed. Really depends on your budget, tune is less than 1/2 the cost of gears + install labor.

 

tune first and then gears. I have both.
285’s are heavy and a better behavior in the power and shifting from the tune will tell you if you should go with gears next…not to mention much more $$$

be sure to check out the new Nexus tune by @Mooseditty17