Not sure where to start, looking for suggestions

So I'm not sure where to start with this build. I've been thinking of getting a new truck, mostly because I've had this one for almost 20 years. That said, I don't have a payment on it. so instead of putting thousands as a downpayment for a new truck, if you had $6-8K to put into updating/upgrading your truck, what would you do?

It's a 1998 SR5 4x4 extended cab - pretty much bone stock. 160k original miles. have pretty much kept up on general maintenance. just had to get new front brakes (rotors and all), and a new battery. replaced starter last year. so the motor is pretty solid, and now the brakes.

It's my "daily driver", but I also do a bit of off-roading a few times a year, but looking at doing more. mostly easy/moderate trails. not really into the rock crawling thing. the trailer does not go off-road.

But here are some things I'm looking at:

Suspension: currently stock suspension. not very comfortable on long drives. bounces around on chattery roads. sags when I hook a 3000lb trailer. probably the first thing I need to do.

what suspension kit/set-up would you recommend? quick glance at the forums looks like people like Bilstein set-ups, others to look at? what other things do I need to consider? I'm running 31's, open to going to 33's for a bit more clearance. would that require re-gearing?

Front bumper:
probably self explanatory. steel bumper to add a winch. I do a fair amount solo, so it would be nice to be able to get out of situations. mostly why I just do easy/moderate stuff, but never get out too far. plus the clips on the left side of my bumper broke and you can already see it sag in my avatar. means it's time to replace, right?

Locker(s): would be nice to add a rear locker, maybe a front too for those times when you lose traction.

the rest are mostly cosmetic. add a bedliner, maybe better seats, sunroof would be sweet.

So is it worth putting this into this truck? seems like it might be.

I'm also not too mechanically inclined, plus I don't have the space or probably the tools to do this, so this means taking it somewhere. That said, if there are folks in the SF north bay area that know how to do this work, I'm open to turning a wrench and getting dirty.

I should also add the wildcard- wifey’s opinion. I think she’s wanting a new truck.

 

Hello and welcome. I’m in pretty much the same boat. I just bought a 98 as a project truck that needs minor work or stuff I want to change for looks and comfort. Al ost everything you list has been fixed on my truck. Belts, brakes, battery starter, all lighting works. Very minimal rust. I’ll be watching this post for everyone’s opinions.

 

A locker I wouldn't worry tooooo much about. Especially since youre 4x4. I'm 2wd with no diff lock and I've run Cleghorn here in SoCal no problem.

Bumpers are pretty much just for looks unless you're crawling or racing so that might be a wast of money as they can get expensive

If your drive train is solid, I'd say either save up that money for future repairs. Or invest it in bigger tires and upgraded suspension.
You have a lot of choices, you can get new leaf springs, better shocks (King or Fox) all around, and uniball uca's. Or you can go long travel although I wouldn't recommend LT unless you really wanna off road more and know what youre doing with LT. Bilstein 5100s are also a very good choice. For just replacing your factory shocks.

I have 33s on my 1st gen. You dont HAVE to re-gear but it may save you gas and a little power if you did. Also clearance will be a bit of an issue, you will need to trim the pinch weld in your rear wheel well and you may need spacers.

 

If all the routine stuff is up to date (fluids, belts, brakes, etc), the only thing you might "need" is a suspension upgrade, which all depends on your budget since setups range $500 to $5,000... I don't have much experience but I've been reading a lot about suspension, I'm about to pull the trigger on the full OME kit ($1,200 ish). The other popular option is Bilstein 5100s, maybe add a leaf, and use stock/Eibach/OME springs for less than $1,000. OME and Bilstein are very popular because they're cheap and they get the job done, "bang for your buck."

You can get to 90% of places without any additional mods. But if you really want to spend your money, my own priorities would be armor, recovery, comms, lights, and new seats. The builds section is full of information if you need inspiration.

People say 33" tires are pretty much perfect for 1st gens, but you really don't "need" to go above 31" which is the biggest size you can fit before you have to start modifying stuff.

I'd say it's worth it to maintain the truck instead of buying a new one, if it only has 160k well-maintained miles.

 

I’ve been able to get in and out of 100% of places I’ve gone in stock config, and I’ve been surprised by what can do, but I don’t get too crazy.

The suspension would definitely need something. Any time the road gets rough, or on washboards, I feel like I’m auditioning for Drift II. If I were to upgrade the suspension, how much would that improve the ride? That’s one of the main complaints of wifey, is that is that you feel everything. Was fine in our 20s, not so much as we approach or 50s. lol

 

Normally I would say fix it and drive it but you’ve owned it for 20 years. Surprise your wife with a new truck then go to town. Edit: Hell, yeah

 

It's always going to be a 20 year old truck, so in that sense you can't expect it to be as smooth and quiet as a brand new car these days.

I haven't done mine yet, but everyone who replaces their 150k+ original suspension says it's night and day. I have heard that Bilstein will be a little bit stiffer, meaning better on-road manners, whereas OME will be a tad softer, or more comfortable off-road. Again, not from experience here, but in theory I tend to agree with people who say stick with full OME kits because it's all engineered to work together as opposed to mixing and matching Bilstein shocks with OME coils, etc. Wheeler's Off-Road is highly recommended by users on this site, you should hit them up for more suspension info.