Mod Priority List

Not saying this is right, but here is how I have done it:

1. Tires
2. Lift
3. CB Radio
4. Sliders

I agree that seat time is a precious part of it though. Tires are also an important one because it is what makes contact with the ground. Ever slipped on moss? You probably would have reduced your chances by quite a bit if you had boots on.

 

Ask someone that has hit the body on there truck before installing sliders what they thought was most important.

Slider are cheaper than body work.

 

I went out on a trail ride the other day and after that and with the input here, I'm looking to go with sliders first. There was a place where I was going to have to go over a tree stump and it was just the right height that I knew if I came off it hard it could smash my rocker panels. A little later on I found another trail with lots of low overhanging branches and that answered the question for me- a lift would make it more difficult to get thru some wooded trails.

Fully agree on seat time and recovery gear. I've given myself an allowance for this journey, so I'm going to start small and work my way up.

 

u guys are idiots for saying tires before lift... how the hell is he gonna fit 33 or 35's without a lift.

seriously.

If we are talking about big mods then a LIFT is definetely first.. of course you may do the BHLM or fog lights any time or something. that doesnt count. everything else comes later

and why rock crawl when you can run desert. its funner

Lont travel should be #1 on the list

 

Not everyone runs 33s. You can run 265s no lift. Most do tires/lift together anyway. Clearly he's not going to run 33s or 35s without a lift.

 

You have chosen wisely. Sliders are a must if you ever plan to do any serious off roading.

 

He could wheel his stock truck with sliders, skids, and 265/75 16's (on the stock rims,) and avoid 90% of the damage he is going to see on a "medium" trail. Larger than stock tires are going to provide more clearance than an inexpensive lift.

 

Uh, that's a popular misconception, but the statement is just false for everywhere except the area directly under the rear axle - and in particular the rear differential.

But when faced with a large rock - most folks won't center the truck over it - they'll put a wheel on it and drive over it at the rockers, where clearance is greatest.

On Lift vs. Tires "Which-To-Do-First" :

A 3" lift improves approach angle, departure angle, and breakover angle. It gets your rocker panels up 3" where 265/75R16 tires will raise the frame and rocker panels slightly less than an inch.

On the other hand, larger tires increase traction by increasing the size of the contact patch, and increase clearance directly under the axle. Larger tires increase total air volume, making it possible to run lower pressures when aired down, without breaking a bead. And usually when you upgrade tire size, you'll also upgrade to an LT tire with a more aggressive tread and tougher tire casing. These are big advantages for off-roading.

Ultimately, most folks won't want one-or-the-other for for trail riding, they'll want a mild suspension lift in combination with larger tires.

I'd let the final tire size I wanted dictate my decision about which to do first. If I wanted to run 265/75R16, I could do that first, before the lift. But if I wanted to run, say, 285/75R16 I'd probably lift first, because that tire size really won't fit well on a stock ride height truck. And then I'd have to buy tires twice.

(Now, lifting to ridiculous heights is another kettle of fish, as it increases center-of-gravity and total-truck height making rolling more likely and top clearance under obstacles an issue as well. But that's NOT what we're talking about here.)

 

There you go.

 

Big Balls, nothing else is really necessary...just big balls and a lack of remorse if anything happens to the truck

 

^discussion over, end thread

 

Lift
Tires
Sliders
Seat Time
Seat Time
Bumpers
Seat Time
Skids
Seat Time
Winch

 

Well, after a little more seat time I've revised my thinking some. I was out the other day and started down a trail that gets very little (no?) use. We've had a lot of rain recently and it was pretty muddy and I quickly lost traction. I decided I didn't want to get stuck so tried to turn around to get on firmer ground and couldn't even get enough purchase to turn. With the wheels fully turned I just moved straight back. This moved better tires further up on the list! But, when I get new tires I'd like 33s which of course I can't get without a lift. Not having the coin saved up for that at the moment, I'm thinking a good recovery kit is the most important purchase before sliders.

So, what I'm looking at is purchasing a Hi-Lift Extreme (thinking long-term for when I get the lift and I hate red), the Hi-Lift Off-road recovery kit, a shackle, a d-ring receiver hitch, and a towing strap along with the hi-lift mate, a jack stand and off-road base. I figure with all of that I can get myself out of most situations I'm likely to encounter for about $380.

 

Since this was bumped, I wanted to post my list again. My tires and skid have carried me through more trails (my avatar,) when compared to all of my other mods (with the exception of the TrueTrac.)

Also Monumental, you may want to pick up a Bottle jack while you are at it. Depending on the terrain and where you wheel, a bottle jack can be a better option.