December 2009 4x4 Truck Repair Questions - Nuts & Bolts

Submission Information
Confused? Email your questions about trucks, 4x4s, and off-roading tech using "Nuts, I'm confused" as the subject and include a picture (if it's applicable). Digital photos must measure no less than 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file. Also, I'll be checking the forums on our website (www.4wheeloffroad.com), and if I see a question that I think more of you might want to have answered, I'll print that as well. Otherwise drop it old-school style with the envelope addressed to the address below. Letters published in this magazine reflect the opinions of the writers, and we reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, or other purposes.

Write to:
Nuts & Bolts
4-Wheel & Off-Road
6420 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515
fax 323.782.2704.

Email to:
nuts@4wheeloffroad.com

Answer: You can fit 35-inch tires with the 6-inch lift kit, and maybe even a 4-inch lift kit. My '86 1-ton Chevy longbed regular cab Army truck has a 4-inch Skyjacker lift kit, and with minimal trimming on the rear of the front wheel openings it clears 37-inch tires. I did this because I wanted a low center of gravity with as large a tire as possible. Most suspension companies recommend a 6-inch lift for clearing 35-inch tires on your truck, and that is probably a better idea if you are not interested in trimming the body at all. I wouldn't recommend the 3-inch body lift at all, as it will do nothing for performance and will complicate things like fuel lines, steering column, and shifters.

Many companies out there offer a kit for your truck: Rancho, Superlift, Skyjacker, BDS, Rough Country, and Tuff Country, to name a few. Offroad Design also specializes in this body style truck and can answer all your questions, plus it offers a shackle flip kit that may be an even better option for your truck.

Also on your budget, check out the tire and wheel deals from our advertisers, many of which offer discounts when you buy wheels and tires together. And remember, you'll need 16- or 17-inch wheels to better clear the big brakes on your truck.

Sled-Burban?
Question: Do you think the Chevy IFS like in your red truck sucks way too much even for fire-roading with 33s? Light wheeling? I'm considering a Suburban for family trips because I can sleep in the back.
D. Freiburger
via 4wheeloffroad.com

Answer: Nope, I don't hate IFS. Just make sure it's the heavy-duty eight-lug version. The 9 1/4 front diff is pretty strong, and a simple fabricated case 'cage would help it, plus there are gears and lockers available for it. Leaving the height stock and just trimming to fit bigger tires would be my suggestion.

Oh, and replace all tie rod ends and the steering, pitman, and idler arms for sure. Brakes are kind of weak, but you could upgrade to hydroboost without too much drama. Otherwise it's not too bad. Run it till you get sick of the alignment problems, and then stuff a Dana 60 up front.

Does the Suburban have barn doors? You got to have barn doors for a camping truck. And in case you didn't know, the throttle-body-injected 454 is a gutless boat anchor.

Get The 411 On The 44-10
Question: I have a Dana 44 from a Pathfinder van conversion. It has the flattop steering knuckles and 69-inch wheel mount to wheel mount surface. Is it worth the time involved to move the spring perches inward to fit it under an '85 Chevy K10? Thanks.
Adam
via 4wheeloffroad.com

Answer: You already have a 10-bolt in the front of your K10, and doing the work to swap in an oddball Dana 44 isn't really worth it in my view. Moving spring perches isn't too hard-just some cutting, grinding, and welding on at the proper width and angle-but the strength gain from a 10-bolt front to a 44 front would be so minimal that I'd hold out for a Dana 60.

Answer: They don't trust you because they don't know how a girl could possibly be a better driver than them. It's pretty basic, ever since Fred Flintstone first started driving his log-axled rock car, men have assumed that they alone should be behind the wheel.

Another issue may be your age. When you are driving you often need to make split decisions, and having the experience of many years of driving can help you instinctively make those decisions. That being said, many older drivers get stuck in a rut of bad practices, so I'd never say all young drivers are good or bad drivers just based on their age.

Another thing I've noticed is there are people who are drivers alone, and they really do not like riding with anyone. Either they think they are a better driver or they just cannot trust anyone else being in control of the hurling pile of glass, rubber, and steel they are riding in.

Or it might be the fact that you painted your fingernails to match your belt buckle, though I'm not really sure why they would be so concerned about that. Whatever reason, I say keep on truckin', and don't worry what the guys think.

Don't Dump Cool Junk
Question: I have a '67 M715 and I'm in the middle of a drivetrain swap. I pulled the original Jeep Tornado 230, the T-98 four-speed, and the NP200, and I'm replacing it with a 400 small-block, TH350, and NP203. My only question is what do I do with the original drivetrain? I'm trying to find somebody doing an M715 restoration project. I know these trucks/engines are 40 years old, but I'd still hate to dump it all at the scrap yard when somebody could use it for a resto project.
Rocky H.
via 4wheeloffroad.com

Answer: My first suggestion would be to give them to my boss. He likes old Jeep parts. Otherwise find a good military vehicle website like Steel Soldiers (www.steelsoldiers.com) and post them for sale in the classifieds section. You could also post them in the forum section of our website, 4wheeloffroad.com You may not sell them, but you'll likely find someone willing to take them for free. Another option is to find a local military truck parts yard. They may take or even trade you something for the parts.

Fat-Wheeled Ford
Question: I have a '96 Ford F-150 Extended Cab shortbed with a 4-inch suspension lift and 35x12.50s on the stock wheels. I am going to buy a new set of wheels and tires in six months or so. I'm going to go with the same tire size and 15x10 rims. My problem is the tires rub the trailing arms when turning, so do I need to get the new rims with a certain backspacing or do I need wheel spacers-and if so, how much? And do I need all four the same?
Matt
via 4wheeloffroad.com

Answer: Two different things are happening here. Your narrow stock wheels are probably making your tires bulge and making them wide, but at the same time your stock backspacing may be too close to the center of the truck and swinging into the trailing arms. Also, most companies recommend their 6-inch lift kit for 35-inch tall tires. Find the name off the lift kit, call the manufacturer, and ask what backspacing wheels you'll need to run your 35-inch tires on 15x10 wheels without having them rub, but also not stick outside the wheel wells too far. Most suspension companies recommend no more than 4 inches of backspacing. If you have the wrong wheels already, then wheel spacers are an accepted fix, but if you're ordering new wheels I'd recommend getting the proper backspacing to start, and get all four or five the same.