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I am pondering a tire size change...

GsxrMike

GsxrMike

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I have a TH400/NP208/4.56 gears and I am running 38.5"x15x16 Boggers. I have got myself stuck twice in the last 2 weeks because of my axles hanging up as well as my tranny crossmember. My question is this, could I go to a 44" bogger and still be able to turn them ok? I have no problem at all turning the 38.5" and my engine is strong. What does everyone think? If I did this I would simply cut my fenders to make it work. Oh and I have seen this before but I will ask again. What does everyone think of putting the 44" boggers on a 10" wide rim? It calls for 12" but I have heard of people running them on 10" wide rims. Thanks!
 
personally i think you would need more gear, 5.13 or 5.38's for the 44's. between the diameter difference and the weight diff. between the 44's and the 38's i would want more then 4.56's. that's my $.02 at least. as far as the rim width goes, i have never run a tire as wide as a 44" bogger so i don't have any input for you.

i just looked up the weight difference: 38.5x15x16- 89lbs 44x19.5x16- 140lbs so 50lbs diff each, 100lbs more on each axle.
 
y not get sum 40x16x15 swamper ltb's??? very affordable tire n if u gotta winch, dont need much more than what u have actually...those r my next tires...
 
Gears, clearance and wheels aside I'd be WAY more concerned with the fact that you have a d44 up front. Your pushing it with 38's on that axle. 44's I'd put money you break something at the least every other trip. Hell IMO I'm pushing the limits of a d44 on 36's. I would seriously reconsider what your thinking about here.

As far as the tranny and gears go, no 4.56's will not be enough. 4.56's are barely enough for 38s. Lots of guys run 4.56s with 35's on automatics.

If your axles are hanging up (theres no way its the 44) then its time to shave the 14b. If the tranny crossmember is hanging up (I dont really see how on anything but rocks) than its time to clock the tcase up and flatbelly the truck.

Bigger tires are almost never the answer.
 
I like the LTBs and I think if I decide to go up in tire size those would be my choice. Thanks!

As far as hanging up my crossmember and axles it is more due to driving through ruts and bottoming out. The first time I got stuck was driving down a creek and trying to go over a downed tree. The crossmember got hung up on the tree. The second time I had been drinking and I buried my rearend in a mud pit in 2wd and then attempted to get out in 4wd. Stomis, I respect your opinion but I don't understand how bigger tires are almost never the answer. Also the D44 is almost never going to see rocks or WOT while turning. If I do blow it up I will then get a D60 but this is what I have now and I don't see any reason to fix it if isn't broke. I also don't understand how 4.56 is barely enough for the 38s when I have absolutely no trouble turning the tires in THICK mud or up a hill. As soon as I touch the throttle the thing lurches forword. I am not trying to defend my idea but just giving my perspective and ingnorance if I don't understand what you are trying to say. Thanks!
 
I don't think you would have any problem power or gear wise going up to 44's, especially since it sounds like you are doing mostly mud. A guy I wheel with all the time (78Buford on here) runs 42's with a 19:1 crawl ratio (C6/205/4.10's) with a mild big block and JK5 ran a healthy small block with around a 20:1 and then 25:1 with 44's. You have quite a bit lower crawl ratio at 29:1 and a "healthy" motor.

A 10" wide wheel is plenty wide for a 44" tires, and I would recommend that size for wheelin' over a wider wheel. Both myself and 78Buford run 8" wide wheels on 15.5" wide tires (39.5 and 42) with great luck.

Bigger tires can help in the situations you describe......but so does driving technique and route selection. Burying the rear axle in 2wd so much you get stuck, or trying to drive over a tree so big the crossmember hangs up on (that is big considering your tire size and lift) is simply poor driving and/or decisions. Making the truck bigger is not always the answer as driving skill plays a large percentage in the over vehicle capability.
 
I agree the getting stuck in the mud in 2wd was stupid. Going over the tree was a little more tricky. The tree was laying across a creek which had made a ledge and we thought we could drop off of the ledge and continue but the ledge went off into some water and it was very deciveing on how deep it was. Plus when I went of the ledge my brand new front driveshaft turned out to be to short so it came apart went I hit the tall skinny pedal. I have that fixed now. Chock one up to driver experiance. "I don't know what to do...I'M NEW!" al la joe dirt. Thanks for the help guys! I may wait on doing ANYTHING to my blazer until after tax season because I got a feeling it is going to hurt this year.
 
Well in my defense I had been drinking, I wasn't chit hammered, I stayed in my backyard, and I never went over 15mph. I am against drinking and driving but this doesn't really apply. I should have explained before because I don't want the younger folks on here to think that it is ok. (Oh man I sound old)
 
Just because it was on your own property doesn't make it right. Accidents happen all the time and it doesn't matter where you are at or how little you've had to drink or how slow you're moving, you could still hurt or even kill yourself even on your own property.
 
I could hurt or kill myself when I wasn't drinking. I think I would be much more likely to die in an accident driving to work or walking my dog for that matter. I don't even really see how I could get hurt in the situation I was in.
 
GsxrMike said:
I agree the getting stuck in the mud in 2wd was stupid. Going over the tree was a little more tricky. The tree was laying across a creek which had made a ledge and we thought we could drop off of the ledge and continue but the ledge went off into some water and it was very deciveing on how deep it was. Plus when I went of the ledge my brand new front driveshaft turned out to be to short so it came apart went I hit the tall skinny pedal. I have that fixed now. Chock one up to driver experiance. "I don't know what to do...I'M NEW!" al la joe dirt. Thanks for the help guys! I may wait on doing ANYTHING to my blazer until after tax season because I got a feeling it is going to hurt this year.
Click to expand...

I guess one thing you need to realize that nobody how the truck is built you will get stuck or find an obstacle you can't make occasionally if you off-road regularly and push the limits of the rig....and you can't find out the limits unless you try stuff.
 
d44 should hold up to mild mud boggin as long as it aint locked. if you lock it its gnna spit out joints like theres no 2morrow with 44s.
 
Don't fix it til it's broke!

Swerve

- For your safety, stay where it's safe
 
Swerve said:
Don't fix it til it's broke!

Swerve
Click to expand...

That's what this guy said (44" Boggers on a D44)..........if you are spinning doughnuts in your backyard it probably is no big deal if it grenades, but when you are miles from the closest road and spend hours laying in the mud in the middle of a trail trying to fix it things change. Not to mention the other 10 guys that get to sit around while you try to fix your junk that is blocking the trail.

DSC06040.jpg
 
Ok, well some common sense is required. If your that far from the beaten path and you know your pushing the limits of your equipment, you need to be prepared.

Swerve

- For your safety, stay where it's safe
 
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