ok here is the deal i am kinda stuck on what to do...

i am getting some new tires and wheels and i think i want 35" now but i don't have the money to lift it yet and not even sure i want to lift it either because i love big tires and low CG. so what should i do?

Buy the 35" tires, throw in a locker and trim fenders as nessisary?
buy 33" tires, locker and no trimming.
wait and save for the lift and wait on bigger tires and the locker and not trim fenders.
or other?

also i should add that i think i could run 35" tires without a problem because even at full stuff into the fenders the 33" tires have a little over an inch all around.

 

you should be able to get away with little fender trimming. I'm running 35-14.50 TSL boggers on my stock 79 bronco. I just had to trim in a few places and it's hard to tell that I did. I'm not sure how much diffirent your Short bed sets to my bronco though. by the looks of my 78 F150 longbed 4x4 it seems it'll take quite a bit of Trimming on the front to clear my 35's. But it clears my 33's easy with no rubbing. If any thing get a leveling front coils or lift coils and the rear is easily lifted by shackle flips and such. There is a way to lift the front 2-3" by using 2wd F250 and F350 coils. Which the info is on this link

http://www.off-road.com/ford/bigbron...-79_lifts.html

 

Save for what you want.......do it right the first time. You wont be happy otherwise.

 

well see the thing is that by the time i could really afford the lift i want i would need new tires anyways so i am not sure. and i think the most i would lift would be 4" so fender trimming would probably happen no matter what. but keep the input coming, i like to know what you guys think.

 

35's and larger are golden for heavy, V8 Fords. Get the lift or fender flares to cut out your fenders (bushwacker has some good cutouts), and do it all at once. I wouldn't dream of taking my Bronco into something nasty with my 33's, but I have a whole different attititude about where I'm going with the bigger tire. And I am locked at both ends (Traklock (limited slip) front and lockright rear).

Dan Q

 

Get some 15X10 wheels and 33 tires and an EZ Locker or Lock Right for the rear. .Aussie will have one for the 9" rear eventually but they are currently working on the 8.8 so I've been told. They do have one for the Dana 44 front for $199 What is your gearing? Thats something to consider when running 35's. Off course you got the hoss of 400 so you may be able to break something . . . hopefully a chevy or Dodgie thing. Lifting your rig later won't be a problem and those wheels will allow a good rang of sizes.

Good Luck!

 

As was said, save up your coins and do it the way you want otherwise you'll always be unhappy. In the meantime, start dating a stripper and have her pose on the hood as much as possible, wherever you go. This will help ease the pain of not having the lift you want every time you look at your rig. Post pics in your gallery

 

hey texan. you could put a body lift on her and get the tires you want. this will allow you to run the tires you want and it wont take away from your funds like a sus. lift would. a body lift has many advantages in a situation like this. you can lift it up to 3in no problem and fender trim if you want. also it leans toward your idea of keeping a low center of gravity. hope it helps.

i like the stripper idea pro. excellent advise!

 

yea, well this is what i have come up with now.
i was already planning on getting new wheels in the 15x10. so now i am going to get 35" tires for now, because it will be a very long time before i lift it. (like 5 years!) also with some more measurements i am pretty sure i can clear 35" with out too much trouble. i have come to realize that i don't mind trimming the fenders now becase if i trim them for the 35" when i lift the truck i will want to go that much bigger with the tires, meaning i might have to trim anyways. i never really liked the idea of body lifts to i don't really thing i want to go that route, beause if i lift the truck i want the benifets of more travel in the suspension. i looked into the aussie locker and think i might run one of those up front and a lock right out back. or if aussie make one for the 9" soon i will get one of those. the main reason i can't get a lift is because i have so many other things i need to do with this truck. it need some wiring help, new stronger front axles and u-joints and new stronger rear axles. i don't like to break on the trail. but i still want to have fun but not be the weakest link in my off-road club!
now another question. what do you guys think for gearing? right now i have 3.55 and they seem ok. but i think 35" will start to push it. i thought about 4.11 gears but then though about running 38" tires so that may not be enough and i don't want to regear twice. so would 4.88 be ok with 35" for awhile? maybe 5.13?!

oh yea and Pro... pics are in the gallery... haha, maybe a few more to come...

 

4.88s would be a good choice for the 38s. You'd be winding your engine up on the freeway with the 35s though. 4.55s are about the most I'd go with 35s if you run on the freeway.

I don't see any pics of a stripper on your hood in your gallery

 

hey you didn't say she had to be stripping in the pic.!

 

Thats too funny, I missed that. You DO have a pic of your girlfriend on your hood. Stick her in a thong on your hood, snap a pic, then we'll talk

Thats really the only thing I miss about being young. The young chicks!

 

haha, i'll see what i can do! Kinda cold outside. (I feel a slap coming on...)

 

ahhh 4.88s ... make sure you post some pics of those 38s and yur fender trim!

haha i looked at his profile after you posted that stripper comment pro, how ironic that he would have his girlfriend on there.