I am getting some 5.38 gears here pretty soon and I'm looking at running some 40" tires. I have the right wheels but without more lift I am going to have to cut the fenders or lift some more. The 315's on the 12" wide rims barely clear the fenders in the front right now. I have no bumper so that isn't a problem.

Anyway, I am thinking about putting bigger shackles in the front, they can be had for about $60. Then maybe adding the F350 blocks to the rear, that should make it pretty balanced. (not sure where to acquire those blocks, anyone have a part number?)

The reason I am thinking more lift is that with the expense of the gears and tires I am not really going to have enough left over to put on the bushwhacker cut outs which is what I really need. The bushwackers are about $550 for all four and it is a custom install, I would want to do color matched paint and all that jazz.

What I am worried about when applying slightly more lift is will my poor factory drive shafts be able to take anymore. I already have 8" of lift. I know Dubbs put a front driveshaft from a 6.0L on his truck, he said it was a bit longer. Right now I don't seem to have any driveline related problems, no vibrations or any of that sort of thing.

I could probably come up with a way to cut without putting buswhackers on to save some coin.

So I guess the question is, should I lift more and not worry about the driveshafts or cut the front fenders?

 

Hack 'em CC!

 

I should have made this into a poll

 

#2..........hack.

 

Hack Just do it man lol

 

Sounds like a hack attack!

 

Stewart

 

If you like your current lift situation and your driveline is in good standing then I vote for wheel well cuts. You can come up with some home brewed flares. I mean you're already running no bumper up front. Why fuss with expensive color matched flares when you're just going to tear them up wheeling anyway.

You could use boat dock bumper material (comes in rolls) or old fire hose for flares. Maybe find some used flares on fleabay or craigslist and make them work.

Whatever you do have fun doing it and let the good times roll.

 

Stewart... I do not understand your post ^^^


I am sort of thinking of hacking AND lifting more, so any advice on my driveshafts would also be welcome.

 

The trends of wheeling off road are to keep your CG as low as possible and increase articulation. Should make for a more pleasant and safe off road experience.

Before there were cars, horse-drawn hackney carriages provided transportation to city dwellers. Carriages have been replaced by taxis, but a taxi driver's license is still sometimes called a "hack license"; and taxi a "hack". Stewart has my kind of dry humor.

 

Thanks for clearing that up.
I also need to come up with some clevis quick disconnects for the swaybars to increase that articulation. I have those end links pulled so tight that I have almost no articulation at all, great on the road but not so great off-road especially with open diffs.

 

I normally remove the end link bolts and wire one side on the anti sway bar to the lead spring. Works great, but not as convenient as a quick disconnect.

 

Mine too.................New York hack attack.

 

You don't want more lift.

My old wheeler was wider than it was tall, had 7 inches of lift total, and ran 44s.

 

I am going to look at these tires tonight
39.5 superswamper truxus tires groved for mud!
They won't fit as it sits right now


But these ones will mud tires
I wouldn't have to cut to run those. I made an appointment to look at them tomorrow.