Hi everyone,

I've been reading some posts here about re-gearing and I have a couple of questions. I had 225/75r15 on my 2wd 99 4runner and recently installed 15x8 wheels with 31x10.50x15 yokohama A/Ts. I also installed the Revtek 3" lift. I noticed a significant decrease in power, especially going up hills. Time to re-gear right? What is a 3rd member and ring and pinion? What's a locker? How much should I expect to pay (ballpark figure) for regearing a 2wd? Anyone know f a reputable shop in So. California?

Also, the truck feels like it's very "loose" while driving (feels like a gust of wind can easily blow me over). Is that from the lift? Will changing the swaybar and swaybar link bushings help this?

(pardon the newbie questions )

thanks in advance!

 

Im still new but, I think I can answer some question for you. Regearing is the thing to do. Your speedomiter is already messed up since your running thoes big @$$ tires. Once once you geargear it may get better or worse. I replaced all my bushings with poylurathane ones from the guys over at Wheelers Offroad.com they are cool cats. That fixed some on my body roll. but the higher you lift the more the center of gravity goes off. So slow down, and take turns a little more mildly. As for the gear Im gonna get my done here in hawaii, its kinda of expensive. The labor will chew the hole in you walet

 

Did you have an alignment? If not get one right away. When I lifted my truck I drove it for a day and it was pretty bad as far as handling. I had it aligned the very next day and it was much better.

 

Ok where to start, the ring and pinion are the gears in the axle. The 3rd member is the removeable part of the rear axle that houses the ring and pinion gears and bearings. A locker is an optional part that fits into the 3rd member and locks the differental together so that the wheels can't spin independently.

I would say around $400 to regear just the rear axle, if you get good quality gears, like US gears or Precision Gears. Don't waste your money on cheap gears like Genuine brand gears, yes they have a lifetime warranty but it doesn't include labor and labor is at least $200 for a gear setup.

Yes, getting the gearing to match your tire size will make a big difference

I can't image your swaybar being worn out , but maybe the bushings are.

 

gonna go get an alignment tomorrow, hopefully it makes a difference.


I got a couple of quotes for re-gearing and one said $945 (600 for parts and 345 for labor) and the other estimated $950-1000. Does that sound right for a 2wd or am I getting ripped off?

 

Too much for 2WD. Gears aren't that much. I don't think the whole job should cost over $500 including the gears.

 

If you are even remotely inclined at modifying I suggest you pull the third out of the rear axle undo the 4 bolts holding the drum or disk assembly and slide the axle out about 8" on each side remove the 14 bolts holding the diff and the 4 bolts holding the d/s take the 3rd member in complete and have them do it as a bench top job. it should bring the total gost of parts and labor down to about 375. I can get mine done this way here in vegas for about that cost or less. the rear axle should take roughly about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to remove..

 

thanks for all the help everyone. =)

I called around for some more quotes and found a mechanic who will charge me $300 for labor if I bring in my own ring/pinion/install kit to re-gear. He also quoted me an additional $150 for labor if I want an ARB locker installed.

Question is: What size gears would be best to get power back in my 1999 2wd 4-cyl 4runner with the 31" tires? I do about 60% highway driving (like to cruise around 70-80mph) and 40% off-road to get to some rock climbing areas. Do you guys think the 4.56 should do the job?

thanks again for helping a girl out. Glad I found out that I was getting severely ripped off with my earlier quotes for re-gearing a 2wd.

 

[QUOTE=jb9237]thanks for all the help everyone. =)

Question is: What size gears would be best to get power back in my 1999 2wd 4-cyl 4runner with the 31" tires? IQUOTE]

What size gears do you have now?
Is it an auto or manual transmission?
Were you happy with the stock gearing before you changed to bigger tires?

 

[QUOTE=mt_goat]Not sure what size gears I have now. I went to a few different websites and they all say different things (from 3.58 to 3.909). Axle code on my VIN sticker is A02A (model RZN180L-GKPSKA) and came with 225/75R15 tires.
It's an auto transmission and was pretty satisfied (could be faster but i know it's only a 4-cyl) with the gearing before changing to the larger 31" tires and 15x8 wheels.

 

Ok, the $900 quote for ring and pinion part and install seems in the ballpark. Once you take out your 3rd member and monkey can install a lockright or a detroit ezlock (I use detroit ez) bc they just replce the spider gears. But if you want to install an ARB or Detroit, or any other locker like that(one that replaces the carrier, which the ring gear is bolted to) Then i recomend having it done buy the guy doing the ring and pinion but thats up to you whether or not you want a locker. As for the ring size 4.56 at least. I have a 3.0 v6 and an auto my truck came from the factory with 31s and toyota put 4.88 in the diffs (from the factory!!!!) now i run 32 11.5 bfg muds and i can cruise at 75 no problem. So if my truck needed 4.88s with a v6 than your 4banger would probably enjoy 4.88

 

You need to find that out somehow. Maybe a trip to the Toyota parts dept with your vin# will yield some answers.

 

try this link and see if it helps. from what i could gather you have a 7.5", 3.58 gears and a 2 pinion open diff. http://www.brian894x4.com/Gearratiosanddiffs.html . you may have to copy and paste to get it to work, this is the first time ive tried this. hope it helps.

lee

 

OH if you have a 7.5 raer than thet changes things in my post i thought you were 8in. sorry

 

There is always the manual way of measuring the gear ratio too. It is not perfectly accurate, but it's better than not knowing at all.

I have done it by taping a string to the drive shaft and marking the wheels where they touch the ground (bottom dead center), then drive or roll the truck one wheel revolution and count the wraps of string around the drive shaft and estimate the partal wrap. If the drive shaft spins 4 times plus about a half turn then the gear ratio is probably 4.56:1 and you have 4.56 gears. If the drive shaft spins 3 times plus about a half turn then you probably have 3.58 gears, etc...

 

NO, $900 to regear a rear end is NOT in the ballpark! $900 for both front and rear on a 4x4 is in the ballpark. If you carry in your third you should be able to get it done for around $400 or less all done parts and labor.

 

2wd rock climbing?

 

Yeah, $900 doesn't even sound close. Gears cost $200 brand new, a master rebuild kit is about $100 if it's even needed. I think I got quoted 200-300 for labor. I'll have to check my spreadsheet when I get home.

I do know it cost me $400 in labor to have an ARB installed and regeared for the front but I didn't remove the 3rd member for them. That's still not close to $900.

 

Thx for all the help!

I called the toyota dealer and asked them to decode the VIN. THey said that I have the 3.909 gear ratio.

I also called another shop (a 4x4 specialist that's been mentioned here on yotatech). He quoted me $500 for the parts & labor (4.56 gears and bearings). He said if I didn't need new bearings, it will be $100 less.

What do u guys think of a LSD vs a locker for the type of driving I do? The only off-road my truck sees is the 1.5 mile dirt road (mud/snow in the winter) to my house (up in the mountains) and dirt roads to some rock climbing areas. I've never gotten stuck but I slide in the mud/snow (reason why I got the more aggressive tires). I do about 60% highway driving. Do I even need a LSD or locker?

 

2wd to get to the rock climbing areas, I climb the rocks.