Choosing Wheel Widths
Question: Can you tell me what size wheels were used on the Ultimate K10 with the new 39x13.5R17 BFGoodrich Krawlers? What is your opinion on running Toyo 38x14.50R16 MTs on 16x8 Weld Racing Stone Crushers? I would be using them on the road as a daily driver along with mild off-road use.
Micah Kelly
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: We're running 17x8 1/2-inch-wide Hutchinson (609.394.1010, www.rockmonsterwheels.com) Rock Monster wheels with our BFGoodrich 39x13.50R17 Krawlers. Generally we'd recommend wheels that are within 4 inches of the tire's listed width on the sidewall. So if you have a 35x12.50-15, we'd run an 8- to 10-inch-wide wheel. Toyo (800.442.8696, www.toyo.com) recommends you run its 38x14.50R16 tire on a 10- to 12-inch-wide wheel-so it's hard for us to tell you any differently.
Weird Toyota Steering Problem
Question: I have a small problem. I own a '92 Toyota 4Runner with a 2-inch body lift, Rancho torsion bars with 33-inch Goodyear MT/Rs, 4.56 gears, a Lincoln-locked front, and a Power-Trac in the rear. My problem is I keep bending centerlinks. I have yet to find a vendor that sells a beefed-up link. And even though I have a friend that works at a Toyota parts counter, this is getting to be an expensive habit! Do you have any ideas on how to stop this? Or someone who can help me?
Clayton Campbell
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: We don't see many people bending the centerlinks on these 4x4s. It could be the fact that you've basically put a spool in your front axle and you're stressing the centerlink more than it can handle. But typically Toyotas of that generation have tie-rod and idler-arm failures long before the forged centerlink bends. The first thing we'd do is figure out whether the idler arm is still in good shape. If it's letting the centerlink lift and twist in some unusual way, it may be causing your problem. Total Chaos Fabrication (951.737.9682, www.chaosfab.com) manufactures a new super-strong idler arm.
If you continue to have this problem, look into having the stock centerlink sleeved with a piece of 0.120-wall DOM tubing. At that point you're also going to want to look into a ram-assist steering system, because right now the only thing protecting your steering box from busting is that bending centerlink.
Your Best First 4x4
Question: I'm 15 and will be getting my license soon (I hope). I love the whole sport from rockcrawling to desert racing to mud bogging. But what I'd like to know is what would be a good first 4x4? What should I look for? I don't have a large budget and I have to be able to drive it to school.
Ryan Durrant
Ontario, Canada
Answer: First of all make sure you get something that runs. Pick a mainstream 4x4 so repair and upgrade parts will be available at a fair price. Don't get too hung up on the perfect year, make, and model-because this won't be the last 4x4 you every buy. In most cases the ideal first 4x4 is a Jeep. That used to mean a CJ-5 or CJ-7, but now you might be better off with a Wrangler (YJ) or even a Cherokee (XJ) to avoid rust problems. If Jeeps are too pricey, you might also try a Ford Ranger, Chevy S-10, or even a Toyota pickup truck. As a general rule, small 4x4s always sell for less money than fullsize ones, and parts for American 4x4s will be cheaper than the same thing for a foreign truck. Also keep in mind that upgrades like off-road shocks, wheels, and tires cost the same regardless of what you're putting them on.
Torsion-Bar Sag
Question: I have an '03 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 and use it for daily driving as well as semifrequent mudding and trail driving. The suspension is all stock, with a grilleguard and MileMarker 9,000-pound winch loaded on the front. Now that it has 30,000 miles on it, the front of the truck has lost a considerable amount of clearance and the suspension sags down significantly. I was wondering if there was any way to correct this without paying too much, as I am currently low on funds.
James McKee
via 4wheeloffroad.com
Answer: First, make sure that nothing is bent or broken in your frontend and that both factory jounce bumpers (they're the orange foam bumpstops that contact the lower A-arms) are still intact. If everything looks OK, we'd take the Tahoe to an alignment shop to see if they can increase the torsion-bar preload to raise the frontend back up to stock specs. If they can't, you can order Off Road Unlimited's (818.563.DIRT) new 1/2-ton leveling kit (PN 6006-B2), which typically raises the front of a truck like yours 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Or you can order a set of heavy-duty replacement torsion bars from Sway-A-Way (818.700.9712, www.swayaway.com), which come with new torsion-bar keys to let you fine-tune your final ride height.