So you decided to build an off-road/overland rig. You’re probably going to do things like add bigger tires, and a bunch of additional weight. Naturally, this will have a negative impact on performance. There are only so many things you can do to improve how your truck feels and operates. Besides forced induction, regearing your truck is one mod that stands to have a big impact.
As far as gears go, we’ll be focusing on the 5.29 option from Revolution Gear & Axle.
Spoiler alert: You may experience higher torque, better responses, better MPG, an MPH difference, and more.
I’d like to send a special shout-out to Stellar Built for installing the gears. This is a rather lengthy and complicated process. What takes them 2 days (sometimes shorter) may take you way longer and there’s little room for error.
Find It Online
- 2016-2023
- With 8.75″ Rear Axle (factory locker): Check Price
- With 8″ Rear Axle with Aftermarket Locker: Check Price
- With 8″ Rear Axle with Open Carrier (no locker): Check Price
- 2005-2015
- With 8.4″ Rear Axle with Open Carrier (no locker): Check Price
- With 8″ Rear Axle with Factory Locker: Check Price
Table Of Contents
Understand What You Get
Most manufacturers now provide complete kits for gear set upgrades. These kits include all the parts, excluding tools, to complete the job and replace wearable parts.
In my Revolution kit, we got the gears, shims, bolts, bearings, thread locker, and more. It’s important to note that not everything included may be used. For example, shims are used for proper spacing, and then the rest are left aside.
Revolution Gear and Axle is a veteran/family-owned company that has been in business since 2012. Their background in gears and driving systems however, is in the decades. Their support team is there to answer any questions you may have, and their complete set of products is top-notch for any build. They build their gears in high-end factories and have a killer reputation for quality. Their products are certainly not cheaply made.
Initial Impressions After Regearing
Regearing your truck is one of the mods you can’t see, and it is often put off because of its cost. The difference was instantly noticeable after getting into the truck for the first time after the upgrade.
After about 15 minutes down the road, I wondered, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” We have all done that before—you finally do something that you have put off for YEARS! Now that it is here, you can’t imagine life without it.
If I could go back now, my first two modes would have been skid plates and the regear immediately. This was how the truck should’ve come from the factory!
Improved Torque
The first thing you will notice the most is the improved torque. What was a slug off the line now is a slightly quicker slug. My truck is heavy with the camper, 35s, and gear, so it’s not winning any races.
All jokes aside, the noticeable ratio change improves its acceleration. You no longer have to wait for the truck to enter the power band to actually start spinning the tires. You restore some of that factory feel you get with a stock truck.
Friends of mine with manual 3rd Gen Tacomas would drive my truck and be amazed at how much slower it was. The manual trucks have a lower ratio differential and lower final drive ratio. With the 5.29s, they reported that the torque is now comparable to what they had when stock.
Improved Fuel Economy
Now, to answer everyone’s burning question… Will regearing save me money on fuel? I have tracked every fuel tank I have put in this truck since I purchased it. With data to back this up, we can finally answer this question.
My truck’s state without the gears averaged around 12-14 MPG with combined driving. This is without factoring in the 11.55% size increase calculation for the 35s over stock tires.
After, according to the data, the truck gets 13- 15 MPG under the same conditions. So, to answer the question, yes, it does improve fuel economy. However, not enough to make this the sole reason for regearing. Gears primarily lower ratios to provide torque, slower, controlled offroad speeds, and better driver feel. But technically speaking, if you drive enough miles, and they will pay for themselves in gas savings.
Does It Affect My Speedometer?
The short answer is no, but here is why. The speedometer on your dash is calculated at the hub of the wheel by the speed and ABS sensors. Your truck’s computer then interrupts that data to calculate an accurate speed.
That means anything after the truck’s wheel bearing or hub will affect speed, but anything on the drive train will not. This is why a larger tire size creates a speedometer difference, but regearing or swapping a different transmission does not.
Factory Gearing
The factory automatic gear ratio is 3.90, and for a manual transmission, it is 4.30. The question above is full of opinions and differences in vehicles, most commonly different tire sizes.
A stock automatic Tacoma that hauls a load occasionally would be considered to be geared “correctly”. The lower gear ratio allows it to cruise down the highway in 6th gear at a very low RPM to conserve fuel.
However, part of the Tacoma heritage is building them for off-roading and work. Once we go down these paths, we quickly move into a realm where the truck is no longer geared correctly. Upgrading will increase the truck’s performance and responsiveness, helping it move more easily through extreme inclines while weighed down by additional gear.
On a semi-final note, if you’re adding a bunch of parts (which ultimately increase stress on vehicle), new gears help to reduce this strain and ensure component lifespan.
Final Thoughts
Gears are one of the mods that have the biggest impact on your truck’s feel and drive. But in a world where aesthetic mods often take priority, they fall to the bottom of the list – to the owner’s own detriment. That $2k 50″ lightbar you use twice a year is NOT a better way to spend your money… After having firsthand experience now, I was left a little speechless. This was a mod I should have done years ago, myself also guilty of the things I’ve mentioned.
Truly, this is how the truck should have come stock – some people argue it actually should, and I can see why. Especially after the larger tires and added weight of my camper, this mod should have been done sooner. If your truck has big tires, a bunch of weight, or does any sort of towing, I would spring for the 5.29s.
It is often debated whether to use a 4.88 or 5.29 ratio. I would honestly say anything with a 33″+ tire size should be matched with the latter. The primary factor here is torque. Even with tires of varying weights and wear patterns, having enough makes all the difference.
