Help a brotha out

Yep, A couple of years after we were married I bought a new bow and figured she wouldn't ever know the difference. A couple of weeks later at a shoot a buddy asks me "Hey is that the new bow?" right in front of her. Yeah, that didn't go well. So thirty some years later she has always known what I am doing.

 

Take it off-road from time to time on a rainy day. haul a boat. And a daily driver.

 

So, I am guessing you got a new buddy after that.

 

Quite eye catching on the front page!

 

Nice pic!

 

OP take everything you are told here into consideration. I haven't read an off base suggestion yet. The first and foremost thing to ask yourself is just what do YOU want to do with your truck? Street use and maybe some fire roads you'll be ok with a spacer lift and blocks although you may not like the ride as much. If you want to go off road then what @yorttam83 stated is pretty well spot on. These trucks are pretty darn capable stock. If off roading is your goal then I might suggest, as he did to focus more on armor first. Better tires are a plus but don't have to be larger than stock size for now. See just how well the truck does and then focus your desires more on needs than looks and as you build the looks will come along with it anyway. If you just want looks then by all means have at a lift and wheels and tires to make yourself happy. If you want it to be functional off road then approach it like a tool and see which accessories you need for the tool to get the job done. IMHO
If you are determined to go the lift route first I would humbly suggest something in the middle. Call a vendor and see if they will put you a package together with Bilstein 5100's for the front left on the "0" setting and a set of Old Man Emu 885 coils for the front yielding about 2 1/2-3" of lift and a 3 leaf progressive AAL for the rear with extended Bilstein 5125's . This setup should be around $800 or less. It will yield you a nice ride while being pretty darn good off road. You can easily spend about 2x's that on just front coils alone.
I stand by my first suggestion however. Have fun and don't wheel alone.

 

Yeah pretty much and he got an ass chewing from me.

 

Yea, I know I'm very lucky with mine. She just helped me hang 3 more ducks on the wall...... In the dining room/kitchen.

 

Just wheel it as is until you find out what you really need and don't need. No sense in pissing money away now just to piss more away later.

JMHO

 

Do you still shoot?

 

Very little. I worked part time at a pro shop and shot for Elite archery and the shop. I shot all around the central east coast. I tore my right shoulder up the first time about 3-4 years ago and they operated and fixed it. Just as I was getting back to shooting I completely tore it up at work and now have a permanent disabillity in it. I can shoot but it hurts I am going to try and hunt with it this year for the first time in years. I'd like to get back into indoor competitions but I'm not thinking 3D will be doable as much anymore. I have a whole shop inthe basement and all the competition bows are still sitting just waiting. I had just picked up a new hunting bow before it happenned but not letting it go it just plain shoots too good.

 

My shoulder sucks too.
Good luck! Hope you get to keep shooting.

 

We will see i guess 30+ years of body work and welding took it's toll I guess but thanks

 

Being that I spend a lot of time in the desert in the winter with snow and what not, I knew there were things I wanted with this truck. And, I knew what not to do again. I wanted armor, but knew from my last truck, don’t do the suspension for armor before the armor. So I went with the fox 2.5 lift and an aal instead of ome 886 with hd Dakar’s like my 14’. Then added armor suck as my bumper and sliders. Then added a custom bed rack. Not sure what I’m going to do cool wise now as I like the way it rides and it’s plenty high enough. The wheels and tires were moved over from my 14 to this one because I knew I hated the stock tires. So the dealer did that on their dime.

Long winded I know but my point, like others. Use the truck and see what you don’t like. Or, research what you know you want and shop parts in the correct order. Sliders for me are a must before wheels and tires. And my 14’ would have had them and everything else armor wise if I wasn’t involved in an issue with a certain vendor that took our money and ran. As for spacers vs coils, not sure about 3rd gens but 2nd gen trds had an issue blowing suspension on spacers. Even the tundra did. So I personally would avoid them since you can do Bilsteins and ome could fairly cheap. My 2 cents but your money in the end. Looking forward to hearing what you do and welcome to TW.