tires or gears first

[mysticclam]

I cant afford to do tires and gears at the same time. Was wondering which would be harder on my truck, running 3.73s and 33s for a few months or running 4.56 and 31s? My gut tells me I should do the gears first but 4.56 seems way to high. My current use would make 4.56s or 4.10s fine with the 33s but I figured the small jump wasnt worth the cost, plus I could go up tire size someday if i wanted.
So will i be ok with the 31s and 4.56 for awhile? I have a 5 speed.

 

[bmxking5]

How long do you think you'd have to wait for the money for 33s (or vise versa)? In my opinion, you should save up the money for both of them and do it at once. Imagine if you did the gears and then something happened and you didn't have the money to lift it? You'd be stuck with 4.56s and 31s. JMO

 

[boominXplorer]

deffinitly tires. I personally think 4:56 is tall for 33's because its a little too much for 35's on a 5.0.

 

[mysticclam]

3 or 4 months in between.
Ive already got my body lift on and the money for spacers and shackels. Just not going to put those on till the truck is wider

 

[slravene]

do the tires first. 3.73 and 33s wont be THAT bad....hell im going to be running my 33s on 3.55 for a few months until i can get my gears done (once i get home for the summer)

 

[rookieshooter]

Is your 5th gear overdrive, probably is. If it's to low starting in 1st dont use 1st start in 2nd gear and if your final gear is in fact overdrive, lets say 20% that knox that 4.56 down to a numericaly lower gear when in 5th.

 

[mysticclam]

are 4.56 really too much even with 33s? My whole dillema here is 3.73 with 31s seems like im slipping the clutch a lot more starting out than I used to. I live in tacoma and go up and around seattle a lot and its hilly. I already wont go through downtown seattle up the steepest hills. I was afraid with the 3.73 id kill off my clutch and that would be more money I wouldnt have. I guess I could go 4.10, probably could get them used and save a couple bucks too. I drive 50-50 city and highway so either is good. I was only thinking 4.56 cause of the future upgradeability. If im right isnt a little more work to put 4.56 in? That might be a few dollars there to. Honestly I dont want to do an SAS or run 35s on the TTB so I might not ever even really NEED the 4.56. They just seem a little more valuable. Thoughts?

 

[HappyGilmore]

do the tires first. i got 3.27s on 33s <-----yeah. its not that bad you just can really use over drive on the freeway. and if you can put it in over drive, youll be pulling it back into 4th on the slightest incline or for passing. i got a manual so its a little more clutch action than normal but it aint THAT bad. gears are my new years resolution haha. oh yeah and the gas milage sucks but i dont know whats worse: revving the engine out on tall gears with stock tires, or making the engine use alotta gas to get 33s moving.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Ask Dreamr (even though he's auto). He ran 33's with 3.73 for a long time. Killed his MPG.

4.56 with 31's and you will have a hard time NOT racing ricers. You might not even get 33's

 

[96limitedX]

personaly i would do the gears..4:56 with 31s would feel awsome.

there is a guy on another one of the forums with a '00 5.0 mounty with 4:56s and super charger and other stuff with about 30" tall tires. he says he only runs about 2,600 at 65mph.

 

[unclemeat]

IMO 4.56 axle ratio and 33 is about right for a Gen I X. I didn't do the math but it is going to be pretty close 3.73 with 31s. I did tires first and My X was a dog, compared to after regearing to 4.56 ratio. You will be fine with 3.73 ratio and 33s. But your gas milege and acceleration will suffer.

 

[rookieshooter]

Remember this is one to one, not counting any gear reduction via overdrive

 

[boominXplorer]

see 35s with 4:56's are even lower than a factory tire (29) on 3:73's. I have PERSONALLY driven a truck with stock tires and 4:56's. Sure it will MOVE! but at 60 mph your at 5k with a top speed of probibly 70.

 

[Creager]

Dude, my 32"s measure out at 30.9" and I run 4.56; it’s FINE (freggin GREAT!). Mainly because the M5R1 (5spd) has a more BROAD gear set, which balances out with the low rear end ratio more then fragment it. This so far has simply been the best modification I ever done.

My gas mileage is ~16-19, mix driving. My top speed is around ~105 miles per hour at 4k rpms in OD. On the Highway I got to stay below 65mpg if I want to keep my gas mileage 16 mpg. That should balance out a lot better once I get 33"s, but now I’m not sure if I want 33"s haha. I think I might get a bigger cam instead =)

Do the gears first... why? Because I ran 32"s with 3.27 for 4 months and ruined my tranny and transfer case. Tranny blew up after 5-10k miles and my transfer case is whining like a cat. With 100k+ miles on a stock drive line, you better do the gears first.

Also, people are more reluctant to look at the tire diameter compared to the gear ratio, in contrast to the weight they are adding to the driveline. What most overlook is the fact the gears are also making up for the difference in the added tire and wheel weight (which adds up when you put a taller tire on, let alone a wider tire). Plus the factory wheels are aluminum... putting steel (rock crawlers) wheels on your truck are also going to make a large difference.

If you had a 5.0, id say skip the gears. A 5.0 can push 33"s/3.55 with minimal notice, also the driveline has enough reserve strength to handle the added weight and diameter.

 

[mysticclam]

well according to that chart overdrive with 31s and 4.56 should be between 2500-2600 at 65. (.79 ratio is it?) I dont think thats a problem in the short term.
Im thinking I may do the rear axle and then the wheels and tires and then the front. So if it takes me a month or two extra itll just mean I wont have 4 wheel drive for a bit. I have yet to actually need 4wd in the winter here and the worst part will be past I think anyway. Doing a lot of this with tax money. Also, i agree with the weight part. 33s should be at least 15lbs heavier than stock, plus the rim weight plus its harder to turn even the same weight when is farther from the center of rotation, imagine spinning an open umbrella vs a closed one.

 

[alk8778]

I am the guy from another board runnin 4.56s with ~30" tires.

First thing i want to say is: that chart seems to be way off IMO. At 75 mph I am barely over 3,000, maybe 3,050 at the highest. Because this seems high, I like to cruise right around 68-70 mph where my rpms are around 2700-2800.

Now i do not know anything about changing tire size along with gears but i do know that with the stock tire height, going from 3.73s to 4.56s made a HUGE difference. I barelly drive on the highway, so that loss was no concern to me. Around town, from light to light, is incredilbe.

I would go with the gears first, you should have no trouble with the 31s. You will enjoy them!

Btw. have you had any quotes for installation and gears?

 

[rookieshooter]

I am the guy from another board runnin 4.56s with ~30" tires.

First thing i want to say is: that chart seems to be way off IMO. At 75 mph I am barely over 3,000, maybe 3,050 at the highest. Because this seems high, I like to cruise right around 68-70 mph where my rpms are around 2700-2800.

Now i do not know anything about changing tire size along with gears but i do know that with the stock tire height, going from 3.73s to 4.56s made a HUGE difference. I barelly drive on the highway, so that loss was no concern to me. Around town, from light to light, is incredilbe.

I would go with the gears first, you should have no trouble with the 31s. You will enjoy them!

Btw. have you had any quotes for installation and gears?

Remember this is 1 to 1 ratio tranny and transfer, not allowing for overdrive which will have a lower rpm for any given speed. And some autos don't lock up all the way. Or you can use the formula at bottom. Measure your tire for exact dia. This chart is inline with all ohters.

 

[james t]

Unless most of your driving is 80mph on interstate, you cannot gear a truck too low. I daily drove on 4:56's and 35's with NO overdrive for years. With overdrive, 33's and 4:56 is perfect especially for a V6. So what if your turning 2800 on interstate? Let it. You're gonna either waste gas spinning at a higher rpm or waste gas lugging the thing around all the time with your foot buried in it just to keep it moving.

IMHO- Id wait, save up money, and do both gears/tires at the same time.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

i agree do gears and 33 at the same time.

 

[dreamr]

Tires then gears, but you should do them as close together as possible.
Both are expensive however, which is why I ran 33's and 3.73's for quite a while.

4.56 IMO is about right for an OHV 4.0 on 33's. True my higway RPM's are a bit high, as the gear is a bit lower than the stock drive ratio. Say at 70-75 MPH they are right around 3k (5r55e in OD). In town and offroad the 4.56 are wonderful as they allow you to take off with so much less skinny pedal, and in general allow you to idle through most minor obstacles off road in 4-low.