hey all im just curious if i do a 4 inch lift and 33 inch tires if it would be too much tire for my 8.8 inch 308 rears. im planning on putting a t18 in it for starting with bigger tires but im just curious if i can do the 33s and 308s and not have to tach it up just to catch the next gear.

well any help would be appreciated thanks!

 

What engine?

A trans with a deep 1st gear will certainly help but if you're changing gearboxes anyway why not get a ZF and have an OD ratio as well, and then you can but more appropriate gearing in the axles, gain pulling power and crawl control and not lose highway fuel milage.

 

the motor is the 4.9 300 and yeah id love to have a zf but a 16 year old kid only has so much money haha plus i could pick up a t18 for 250 easliy

 

Consider hunting for a New Process 435 and a NP208F combination.

The NP435 will have to be the 4x4 model with the A shaped output flange, and the NP208F is a 2.61:1 low range married transfer case.

It'll give you a little steeper gearing than the T-18's and is just as common. Many 300-6 4x4's came with the NP435.

Regardless, either one you choose will be able to move the truck with no problem. You could leave the 3.08 gears in the rear and the 3.07 gears in the front alone and be perfectly fine for the most part. It will be a little more of a dog in 2nd gear starting out though. If you pull anything, just shift into 1st. Low speed 4x4, shift into 1st and set it in low range.

 

would it hurt the transfer case if i started in 4 low range and first gear and then as im moving i switch the transfer case make to 2 hi?

 

Shifting from low to hi in a transfer case, while moving, is doable. But, you must match the RPM presisely, or you can quickly damage the TC. Even if you get it right, it can still damage it over time.

3.08 gearing was fairly common for a 300 powered 4x4, 2wd got even taller gearing (2.73 and 2.47).
Adding 33" tires will make the effective gearing a bit taller, but the 300 should be able to handle it. The extra weigh of the tires will also have an adverse effect, but that won't be too noticeable.

I have an 80 F150 2wd, 300 C6 and 2.75 axle with 31" rear tires. I use it to pull trailers frequently, with the heaviest load being a 74 F100 on a 2500lb+ trailer. Total combined load, somewhere around 6500-7000lb. It managed ok at 55mph. Wouldn't want to go cross country with that, but did go about 25 miles.

That said, I think 3.08 gears and 33" tires will be ok on the highway and around town. Offroad, who knows.

 

alright sweet thats awsome haha yeah i will find out quickly how it does offroad haha thanks guys!

 

Just be aware, the taller/heavier tires will make it much easier to snap an axle while offroad.

 

yeah im thinking of maybe doing a 4 inch lift and maybe some 31s. ive seen pictures of them and they dont look that goofy

 

From the way it looks on my truck, you could fit 33'' tires under a stock rake and height truck with no problem. The problem comes in when the tires start rubbing on the radius arms.

If you're just going to do 31'' tires, just level it or do a 2'' lift (level looks REALLY nice on a bullnose Ford. A 2'' lift will make it look like an F250). The lower the truck is to the ground, the better the mileage will be. A 4'' lift kit won't do you any good with 31'' tires any way as the axle to ground clearance for the front and rear tires won't change. All the lift kit does is distance the frame and body from the ground and tires so you can put on bigger tires and gain the axle-ground clearance you need (suspension lifts are preferred over body lifts as body lifts just FUBAR everything in my opinion). On top of that, with a 4'' lift kit, you'll need the pitman and radius arm drop brackets, longer brake lines, and longer shocks. All unnecessary expenses to me if staying with 31''s.

My truck has the New Process transmission and transfer case with the 300 and 3.08/3.07 gears and 31'' tires on stock height. It drives really nicely and gets pretty decent mileage (will be a lot better once I finish tuning it up to the way it should be, but I digress). It also starts pretty easy from a stop in 2nd. 1st gear and 4 wheel low you can ease the clutch out without ever having to touch the gas pedal. It'll crawl at idle and you can get out and walk beside it and steer it if you want.

 

okay thats awesome. do you think a 2 1/2 inch rough country lift would look good on 31s?

 

It'd look just fine.

 

okay sweet i send ya a few before and after pics. thanks for the input