33's with 4.56 or 4.88

01 Tundra on 33's looking to gear down to 4.56 or 4.88 for towing. Anyone run either combo and what are your rpm's like at highway speeds?

 

@Darkness has 4:56 with 33s hopefully he will chime in

I would say go with 4:56 for 33s. 4:88s will make your rpms a bit high at crusing speeds i would think.

 

Can someone educate me on what ratio stock gears are, and how hard it is to change gears?

 

You’ll want to get gears done. They are very difficult to do at home and get correct. I believe stock ratios are 3:91 or 4:11.

@Tundra2 @Professional Hand Model

 

Stock gears are 3.91. I regeared to 4.56 for my 33s and it’s a bit higher than stock. You run out of RPM pretty quick with OD off. At 60mph with OD off I’m at 3000rpms.

 

There are a lot of gear ratios from the factory. You can look up your vin and find out what it cane with.

4.56 and 33s is not necessary but it did bring back acceleration and power. RPM with this combo will be slightly higher than stock but it doesn't hurt your fuel economy. If anything I found better fuel economy with this combo than with stock gears (3.91 in my case) and 33s.

I would never advise to change gear ratio to save fuel, it is a lot of money to spend when driving style is the biggest influence on fuel economy by far. That said, don't believe the old notion that higher rpm (within reason) equals less miles per gallon. On old carburetor motors that math is true but on more modern fuel injection vehicles with good ECU programming that isn't the case. Lightening the load on the motor let's them run more efficiently (to a point, this doesn't mean 5.29 gears and 3k rpm will get you 30mpg). You can get close to stock mpg by lowering the strain.

As far as RPM at highway speed, at 70mph I am somewhere around 2300. This can actually be in your favor if you have aftermarket exhaust as the drone zone is between 1900 and 2200 rpm, an unintended benefit.

 

Thank you for the replies. Probably will go with the 4.56. I threw 4.88's in a old jeep on 33's and it was a beast till 70 mph then it was screaming. Looking to do the same with the Tundra but not have the rpm's at 3,000 at 70 lol

 

If you plan to be near the limit of your towing capacity (or tow very often), stepping up to 4.88's may be worth it. Especially if you are at higher elevations.

IIRC another member here did as he towed a lot and was happy with it.

Otherwise 4.56's.


With 285/75r16 (33")

4.56 65mph = 2225 rpm
4.56 70mph = 2400 rpm

4.88 65mph = 2375 rpm
4.88 70mph = 2550 rpm

 

How much you planning on towing? I’m on 33’s with stock 3.91’s and CAT scaled my little tent trailer and bed full of gear and GCW was little under 10k. 75mph all day long and still got 11-13mpg. But I have the VVT.

If I was towing a big travel trailer maybe I’d consider regearing. But if I’m going to regear, I’m moving up to 35’s and 4.88’s

 

I have a big enclosed trailer I pull for lawn care during the week when I'm off and a 16' car trailer I use often. Last time I pulled it down to Florida I was searching for gears with OD off doing 65 the whole way and no one wants someone on the highway doing 55