Regearing with 235/75/15 tires

I have a manual 2005 5 lug, and I threw the fat bobs leveling kit and some 235/75/15 tires on there last year. I live in a very hilly area and sometime have to park on steep hills that are sometimes hard to start in first on if I park facing uphill. Tbh i felt like a regear would have been nice even before I got the bigger tires.

I know the general advice on here is that you don’t need to regear with 235/75/15 but wondering if many people here have? Seems like the pumpkin from a stock 5lug automatic (3.58) would probably even do the trick but the only one compatable one I can find around town is off a tundra and has a 4.083 ratio, which seems like a pretty big leap from the 3.31 I have now. Would a 4.083 ratio be ridiculous on 235/75/15 tires?

 

I have a 2006 5 lug auto that I put 235/75/15s on and I didn't notice much of a difference accelerating from a stop. A 4.083 seems like a pretty big jump, but given the manual trans and steep hills, you might be ok... maybe a small trade off in top speed.

 

Honestly I'm not sure a tundra diff would work. Usually I suggest for people to to find a TRD sport diff from a 6 lug. Comes with 3:73 and a clutch style lsd.

 

I too put 235 75 15 on my truck in the beginning of the year and it's not super slow but definitely doesn't have alot of power in 5th gear. I'm usually hunting from 5th to 4th on small inclines on the freeway. I'm in the same spot as you, but I'm thinking of doing 410. Not much of a jump from my 358 now.

 

Have same engine/trans/diff as you, and run 235/75/15 a few months a year. I notice very little difference on how it tackles hill starts, even with a couple hundred pounds in the bed. I don't live in supper hilly area, but must negotiate some river bluffs pretty regularly.

Rest of the time I run 245/70/16.....they would benefit from a regear. Especially with more weight or a loaded trailer. But my needs are mostly highway commuting, so have not been able to justify a swap. That's where the manual shines, I just keep it in 3rd & 4th more. 5th is for the flats. Compensating for larger tires, I still get a consistant 23-24mpg.

 

I have 2011 2.7 5 speed, rwd Tacoma. It has 31/10 tires on old aluminum rims. Decided to break the bank and re gear with 4:10s threw in the Detroit TruTrac Locker. I couldn't be happier. I get 17-18 mpg city. which I guess for this truck is good. To me It drives better at low speeds, able to use 5h gear going under 45, pulls better at highway speeds. Towed my 17 foot boat once only to be reminded that it's a 4 cylinder. The Detroit locker helps a lot with traction.
Cost a ton but I don't plan to get another truck anytime soon.

From East Coast Gear Supply:
Tacoma 8.4 Non ELD/ T100/ Tundra 3rd
(DIFF-BUILD-T100)
ADD SOLID SPACER:ADD SOLID SPACER (+$45.00)
Select Gear Ratio:4.10
Shipping Options:Send Return Label
Select Core Charge:Core Charge (+$600.00) - non refundable
Select Flange Style:Used Flange
ADD LOCKER:ADD Detroit TrueTrac (T100-DET-TT)
(+$530.00)
Add Gear Oil:No Gear Oil
$1,950

 

Nice!

I'm eventually going to do the same as you, hopefully by the fall of this year, regear on 31's and install an arb locker. It's about the same price that you spent. I'm in the same boat as you, it's my only car and I don't plan on selling it so it doesn't matter. I have a twin compressor already installed in the engine bay just need to wait for either Christmas tips or a few swing trades.

 

How do find information on the specifics of the third member for your vehicle?

 

In the 1st gen section there's a bunch of pined threads, look for the oem gear ratio chart and you will be able to see what you have based on the code that's located on the vehicle information placard.


Mine happens to be A02A

Which is 7.5 with 3.58 gears, 2 pinion open diff

 

Update- the 4.083 tundra third member could have worked in theory, as they are both 8.4” but our Second gen 5 lug tacomas have 66mm spacing on the pinion flange. A lot of people have mentioned that that T100 and first gen tundras also use the 8.4” 3rd member but as far as I can tell toyota used a 60mm pinion flange on all these trucks,(until 2005?) so unless you are willing to redrill or replace the pinion flange (both of which feel a tad too complicated for an amateur mechanic like myself) they aren’t really the best option.

Also, different gears can’t be swapped into a manual 3.31 third member for whatever reason, which is why you can’t even use them as a core for ecgs.


so it sounds like the only easy/viable regear options for a 2gen 3.31 5 speed 5 lug like mine would be -


3.58 ratio from an automatic 2nd gen 5 lug


3.73 LSD from a V-6 second gen Tacoma TRD sport


3.91 LSD from 2005-2006 double cab limited tundra (?)


4.10 without e locker from certain 2nd gen 4x4 and pre runners

That being said I don’t have the money for an expensive third from ecgs so if any 5luggers in so-cal want a 2002 tundra 3rd member with 4.083 gears to either swap/redrill the pinion flange or to use as a core for ECGS, or if anyone is getting rid of their 3.58 automatic gear let me know.

 

woah, pricey but worth it? i try not to get my 5 lug in any precarious situations around here in the winter but it still happens sometimes, this might be worth considering for me.. did you end up going with this? what has your experience been with it?