First off, so you now what i have, my truck is an 84 stock 4x4 22r Pickup, with only 116k miles.

i know there are a lot of options for trucks out there. I want to be able to generally off road with my truck, no rock crawling, no mud boggin, just general wheelin. I need to know what my best setup would be for my truck. If I could keep the stock rims and tire width, but just increase the height that would be awesome. I found this guide, http://www.off-road.com/trucks4x4/ar....jsp?id=186526, which was really helpful too.

I would also prefer not to have to regear my truck. However, if it is not too expensive to have done, I might consider it (I dont know much about re-gearing in general). Also, I realize that I have many options, including mild lifts (2-3") and bigger tires, or just bigger tires (such as 31's or 32's) without a lift. For my situation, would a body or suspension (or combo) be needed, or is it just not necessary?

So, in a nutshell,

1. Would it be better to slightly lift my truck for general wheeling

2. What would the best lift be for me (body, suspension, both)

3. What do you recommend about my tire situation/regearing

Thanks for your help

 

lifts are generally for clearance reasons (bigger tires, hard angles, etc...)
i had 32" tires without re gearing but the mileage and gear ratios were crap.
if it were me and i did not want to put much $ into it i would go up one maybe 2 sizes in tires (if your stock size is 225/75/15 you could go 235/75/15 or 31/10.5 15) just buy some with good traction m/ts or aggressive a/ts. and throw in a lockright in the rear ($250).
my 2 cents

 

so you think one or two sizes bigger? Should i keep my stock alloys or should i get new? I dont even know the difference small vs. big rims really makes...

What size are you putting on your 85?

 

we are putting 235/75/15 on there since it is a auto, but there is 31x10.5/15s on there now from the PO. i put 16" wheels on my 80 because they make a more heavy duty tire for the 16" wheels. but 15s are fine

 

sorry man i am new at this what will a rear lockright do?

 

do a search. some people love them (like me) and some people dont. but it is a "ratcheting" locker. but they are easyish to install.

 

you'll learn the most by researching yourself. Read up on threads about wheeling in the forums. It seems like you don't really know what you want (or what things are for that matter).

If you want to keep it stockish, then just get some all terrain tires and a lock-right or something. Shouldn't cost more than $1000. Once you get into suspension lifts and bigger tires money starts flying out the door very fast.

 

in short, a locker turns your truck into a true 4x4 machine.... most of the time only one wheel turns, a locker, "locks" your diff turning both wheels. You should definitely do a research on lockers, i dont remember where or who said it but, i remember reading that a set of lockers on a stock truck will get you further than those with crazy lifts/tires and no lockers.

Its definitely a good start, Im hopping to get 2 soon

 

For general wheeling you will not need any kind of locker! Your truck will take you anywhere you want to go with minimal modification at all. Upgrading to 31's would be a good investment and if you think you will need body protection on the trail sliders are another good investment.

 

As for your question about lifting...you have a solid front axle so you have leaf springs front and rear there are a couple ways to lift the rear of your truck, however you will only want to use lift springs in the rear...

1. blocks
2. lift shackles
3. lift leaf springs
4. 63'' Chevy leaf spring swap (however this requires fabrication)

1-3 are bolt on/in...lift leafs being the best way to lift, then shackles then the worst and least preferred, lift blocks

 

a locker will make it so you can get yourself into the trail and out again with no tow needed..stock youll need a friend for a tug almost gaurenteed... atleast around here... the mud and snow and big ruts stops most stock trucks... i know because i tired taking all my stock toyotas out on a few trails around here and i always get mad and end up locking the rear!


ever try getting up a slippery hill with no locker...
never wheel alone!

 

I have been able to go almost anywhere I've wanted to go stock, and where I haven't been able to make it, a locker would not be necessary to get where I wanted to go...easier yes, but who wants to take the easy way?

Lockers are for the rocks and mud not trails with ratings below 8...which is not "general wheeling"


For "general wheeling" you will be perfectly fine stock...

Perhaps if the O.P. specifies what he means by "general wheeling" we can help more.

 

Before my 81 got turned into a truggy, I was running a 3" suspension lift, 32x10.50 MTRs,and a LockRite in the rear only. The only other thing I did was removed the front swaybar. The places it would go was amazing. It came stock with 3.90 gears and it was borderline. 5th gear was not useable most of the time and I live in flat land at a low elevation.
The LockRite would be nice for you because the gears dont have to be setup. just remove the 3rd member and remove the spider gears. No special tools or knowledge.

 

Buy a rear locker, winch and some MT tires and you'll get anywhere you care to go.

 

By "general wheeling" i meant basic trails. No major rock climbs, swamp bogging, etc. I am not familiar with the grade system used for rating trails and therefore could not tell you what grade. I would like to take it in a decent amount of snow as well. At least the equivalent of what my uncle's stock 2002 f150 could handle.

Do you all have a preference, mud terrains or all terrains? I live in the nw, so a lot of mud, snow, etc., not a lot of dry areas unless im east of the mountains or at the beach, neither of which happen too often.

So basically, i am an entry level wheeler that wants to get out there and hit the trails. Done it before as a passenger and loved it. Now with my yota its my turn to drive. Haha. So more or less i am thinking a mild 1-2" body lift, 31x10.5s or 32x10.5s (not sure which), a rear locker, some body armor, a winch and a hell of a good time?

 

Sounds like a good plan except you won't need that body lift, it will do nothing except raise your center of gravity...you don't need it to clear your tires because 31x10.50's or 32x10.50's will fit stock (32x10.50's may be hard to find 32's are usually in the 32x11.50 size) the body lift will cause more problems than help you.

If you didn't know...a body lift just raises the body off of the frame higher, the frame stays at the same height, it does not increase your ground clearance. A suspension lift on the other hand lifts the body up increasing the ground clearance by the amount of lift you lift it by. Tires increase the ground clearance under the axles.

 

Well this is way off topic but how does that flowmaster forty sound on your truck (89silverpu)? I was thinking about that or a magnaflow, but is it worth it? Does it sound nice (granted it is a four banger) or does it just come off as ricey? (and no im not doggin your ride i really dont know thats why im asking...)

 

It sounds really nice, not ricey at all it actually sounds like a healthy v6, I have a modified airbox and the exhaust pipe is chopped about a foot from the muffler so its a little louder too, but when everything was stock and just the flowmaster it wasn't loud or ricey at all!

 

It has a deeper tone to it, not high pitched like the ricer mufflers sound...

 

yea see my truck is a four banger not a v6. So im trying to figure out if i can just pronounce the sound without it sounding bad.

So is it possible to keep my stock alloys when upgrading from my stock 235/75/15s to a 31x10.5s or 32x11.5s?