I have to agree with this. I have a 3.0 5 speed runner on 33's. I HAD 4.56's gears. Then I went to 4.88 gears. If I had a more powerful engine, I would have stuck with 4.56's simply for the fact that it made for lower rpms on the freeway. With 4.56's the speedo was dead on so stock gearing was resolved. However, with the 3.0 5 speed 4runner with 287,000 miles on the original motor, 4.56's made me downshift a lot on the freeway hills. 4.88's mean I set the cruise control, turn on the AC, and go up every hill in 5th no problem.

I vote for 4.56's with the 3.4L 5 speed 4runner. I believe you'll be very happy with the acceleration and 4.56's will improve fuel economy over 4.88's.

Frank

 

here's my take on the 4.88's with 3.4 V6 Auto

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~rtam/gears/gears.htm

 

Lots of good info here. interesting to see all the different takes on tirees and gearing. Bottom line is after reading all this you have to decide what will work for you. I've driven 4 yotas three quarters of a million miles and I know precisely what I would do... but I'm not you. (I would match up 4:88s with 33s, and 5.29s with 35 or 37s. Auto or manual.)

There is one thing I gotta say though. I have a 245 hp V8 pickup w auto. It downshifts on hills. I have a 180 hp sporty car w 6sp. I downshift on hills (the bigger ones anyway.) I once had a 320hp twin turbo 3000GT. Okay, I didn't have to downshift for Anything unless I wanted to Pass going Uphill <grin> (which I did all the time...) But that was NOT a relatively heavy 4wd runner or truck with the aerodynamics of a brick. You guys gotta let go of the downshifting thing - downshifting on hills is reasonable and proper. If you overgear you're winding it out all the time and that's not good either. There are more than 2 gears in the tranny - use em all!

 

same here.