What would you do next?

I have a winch bar and winch on my truck now. I am contemplating what to do next between lift/tires, a full set of skids, and sliders. My truck is a DCLB, and I use it for camping, hunting, fishing, kayaking, and some off-roading. Most of my adventures are in VA, WV, and western NC, and it's primary job is a daily driver, headed toward capable off-road but still daily driveable rig. I'll never be taking it on super hardcore stuff, but I tend to go places your average 4wd owner probably wouldn't go. I am leaning toward skids, then sliders, then lift/tires. I am afraid if I do the lift/tires first, I'll get more adventurous, and my risk of tearing something up probably goes up too. If I do the others first, I get more protection first, and then can do the lift later. I also feel that extra protection is more important right now with that long ass wheel base. I am having a hard time deciding between skids and sliders but I think I want to do the skidplates first, as I've never sat this truck down on the rockers, but have drug with it before.

What order would you do them in?

 

I would do tires first for sure. Everything else, then lift last. The lift isn't gonna help you much besides give you a meaner look and a bit more clearance. Low priority imho

 

I did lift. Then skids. Then wheels/tires.

Skids provide great protection. However, they inherently reduce ground clearance.

A lift will improve ground clearance, thus providing protection when off-road.


Ground clearance is a big deal if you're going over steep obstacles with a DCLB

 

good point! Great photo. I just think some other items he listed are a bigger deal

 

I rode behind a guy in Moab June 1-6th who had a DCSB with full skids. No lift. He dragged his skids on EVERYTHING (left paint and aluminum transfer on lots of rocks). All we heard from him that trip was how he was getting a lift really soon.

He was glad he had the skids granted, since he had no lift, because they did protect his undersides. But had he put a 3" lift on he likely wouldn't have bottomed out much either.

It ultimately comes down to how and where you'll be driving.

 

yeah reading his post it sounds like a lot of forest trails. I can't wait to get my lift LOL

 

I did my lift first. Then started doing body armor to replace the stock parts that were getting bashed up. Gave me an excuse to spend money.

 

Id say nice lift, get your suspension figured out(plan ahead for how much armor you will be using). Then tires and maybe wheels if you have extra money. Then bumper and skids. I did my bumper first because I really needed the weight of front because my front end was really stiff due to 700 lb springs.