Best Tire for..
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 318
Likes: 1
From: Florida
Why would you want to think outside the box? My box is nice and cozy. 
I am not a fan of body lifts, just because I don't like the look. A truck I was planning to buy awhile back had 44" tires and could clear 54" tires easy. It had a 4 inch body lift or so. Pretty ridiculous.
I am not a fan of body lifts, just because I don't like the look. A truck I was planning to buy awhile back had 44" tires and could clear 54" tires easy. It had a 4 inch body lift or so. Pretty ridiculous.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,026
Likes: 0
From: Renton, WA
This is even more true on your truck and mine, us having crew-cabs. The bed (if you had one) flexes rather easy but not the cab and not the hood and fenders. With our cabs being so long the amount the frame wants to flex between the rear cab mount and the raidiator support is huge. I'm sure you've had trouble trying to close your hood with the truck twisted up.
Yes this is mostly an arguement for strengthening the frame, IMHO if you want a body lift, stack two frames, or build it into a cage, that will take care of both problems.
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11,273
Likes: 100
From: North Dakota
By increasing the height of the body mounts you are weakening them. The spacer acts as a lever, torquing the cab and bed mounts. This is all made much worse by mow much our frames can flex when we get twisted up. The forces on these mounts are huge and eventually they will rip themselves apart.
This is even more true on your truck and mine, us having crew-cabs. The bed (if you had one) flexes rather easy but not the cab and not the hood and fenders. With our cabs being so long the amount the frame wants to flex between the rear cab mount and the raidiator support is huge. I'm sure you've had trouble trying to close your hood with the truck twisted up.
Yes this is mostly an arguement for strengthening the frame, IMHO if you want a body lift, stack two frames, or build it into a cage, that will take care of both problems.
This is even more true on your truck and mine, us having crew-cabs. The bed (if you had one) flexes rather easy but not the cab and not the hood and fenders. With our cabs being so long the amount the frame wants to flex between the rear cab mount and the raidiator support is huge. I'm sure you've had trouble trying to close your hood with the truck twisted up.
Yes this is mostly an arguement for strengthening the frame, IMHO if you want a body lift, stack two frames, or build it into a cage, that will take care of both problems.
Thread Starter
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 0
From: Olympia
*Runs into part store*
QUICK! I NEED 20 cans of fix-a-flat!!!
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,026
Likes: 0
From: Renton, WA
i guess i never thought of the leverage thing, but i have not had problems with the hood or doors when its twisted. i have 6 cab mounts,(i added two right behind the front seats) so there are 8 total for the cab and front clip. i guess i don't know how much leverage diff it makes adding the body lift, but i don't think its enough to shy me away from it. If you don't like them thats just fine. but the stacking frames is a bad idea(IMHO) but the lift into a cage would work. and stiffen the frame at the same time.
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11,273
Likes: 100
From: North Dakota
its a 78 regular cab long box frame. i moved the front axle forward and the rear axle back.. the wheel base is about 145 inches now.. and i have built almost all of it myself...
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,026
Likes: 0
From: Renton, WA
Ah, so your truck doesn't really, clear 44s and tuck them with just your body and suspension lift. You moved the front axle forward as I was thinking I would have to. Also you don't have a front bumper to clear, and no bed to clear.
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FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11,273
Likes: 100
From: North Dakota
ya no front bumper... but i moved the front axle in order for the tires to clear the headers not the fender... i did have to trim the back part of the front fender though...if you want to fit 44s with no triming i have no idea how much you would have to lift it. i'm sure if i did have a box i would have had to trim the rear fenders though..
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 3
From: Grants Pass, Oregon
Prozon,have you considered the fact that running enough lift to clear 42 or 44 inch tires is going to raise the center of gravity of your truck a lot,unless you plan on doing a lot of cutting and trimming of fenders. Those off-camber sections of trail where you tend to slide sideways now,are going to be worse with additional lift.
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11,273
Likes: 100
From: North Dakota
Prozon,have you considered the fact that running enough lift to clear 42 or 44 inch tires is going to raise the center of gravity of your truck a lot,unless you plan on doing a lot of cutting and trimming of fenders. Those off-camber sections of trail where you tend to slide sideways now,are going to be worse with additional lift.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 3
From: Grants Pass, Oregon
True,but in snow in particular,oftentimes sliding sideways is a serious issue,whether you catch a tire edge on an obstacle,and possibly tear a sidewall,or keep sliding off to the side with whatever consequences that may bring....
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,338
Likes: 3
From: Grants Pass, Oregon
Im not sure where your located hav24, but prozon is up in Wa state,and a lot of there wheeling in the snow is similar to what we get here in the mountains of No Ca,lots of fire access and old logging roads,where slipping off the side of the trail isnt a healthy option....It all depends on what kind of terrain and slopes your driving on,and for all i know,you are driving the exact same kind of terrain that im describing