hey everyone, i have an 88 K5, its bone stock except it has an 89 motor due to a pervious engine fire. i'm looking to make some modifications, nothing too major. its gonna be used on the beach so i'm lookin to get a soft top and winch bumper. what else should i do? i kno i want a lift, but what is the best way. its probably going to see minimal trail use if any, but i still want it to look bad ass. would a shackle lift be best with some bigger tires, say 33x.9.50's (for driving cause wide tires suck in rain). so could ya all help me out and gimme some suggestions about what i should do to make it look bad ass, but still have the balls to back it up too even tho its a street rig
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
modifying from bone stock
- Thread starter 88 Burner
- Start date
yeild2me
1/2 ton status
ok, i will answer this the best of my abilities:
first, fill out your profile, just so everyone can look and see exactly what you have, and where you live.
33x9.50's look good on smaller rigs, but they look kinda silly on large rigs like blazers. so, i would slap a set of 33x12.50 tires of your choice on your stock rims assuming you still have the 15x8's and just drive carefully pulling in/out of the driveway. i suggest this solely based on what you said-- you drive on the beach and want badass looks. you can also get the tires now, and add a 2-4" lift a little later. rubbing shouldnt be a MAJOR problem just drive it carefully until you can get the lift.
now, as far as lifts go, a cheap, easy way to lift it would be 2" add-a-leaves in the front and 2" blocks in the rear. i ran this set up for 4 years with no trouble, and it is really cheap (less than 100 bucks), you may even be able to use your stock shocks. this isnt the "preferred" way, but is safe and cheap. it will also give you a famaliarization(sp?-damn that looks to long/forums/images/icons/cool.gif) with your truck.
the soft top and winch w/bumper will complete the package, and you will be able to 'cruz' the biz-each and pimp the biz-itches/diz-udes (depending on your preference/forums/images/icons/cool.gif) in style!!!
good luck and have fun.......rob
BTW_welcome to the best place on the internet!!
first, fill out your profile, just so everyone can look and see exactly what you have, and where you live.
33x9.50's look good on smaller rigs, but they look kinda silly on large rigs like blazers. so, i would slap a set of 33x12.50 tires of your choice on your stock rims assuming you still have the 15x8's and just drive carefully pulling in/out of the driveway. i suggest this solely based on what you said-- you drive on the beach and want badass looks. you can also get the tires now, and add a 2-4" lift a little later. rubbing shouldnt be a MAJOR problem just drive it carefully until you can get the lift.
now, as far as lifts go, a cheap, easy way to lift it would be 2" add-a-leaves in the front and 2" blocks in the rear. i ran this set up for 4 years with no trouble, and it is really cheap (less than 100 bucks), you may even be able to use your stock shocks. this isnt the "preferred" way, but is safe and cheap. it will also give you a famaliarization(sp?-damn that looks to long/forums/images/icons/cool.gif) with your truck.
the soft top and winch w/bumper will complete the package, and you will be able to 'cruz' the biz-each and pimp the biz-itches/diz-udes (depending on your preference/forums/images/icons/cool.gif) in style!!!
good luck and have fun.......rob
BTW_welcome to the best place on the internet!!
84_Chevy_K10
Banned
First mod I wish I'd done. 3" body lift and new bushings. I just did one on my friend's truck the other day and finished it up yesterday and all my nightmares were BS. It was easy, just quite time consuming.
If you think you can handle it, It'd be the first $150 I'd spend. I think it'd probably take a weekend for most new people (it took us probably 6-8 hours who knows I wasn't there at the very beginning and some things were a PITA, it was pretty rusty.
Start with the 3" body, then if that's not enough, move on up from there. 3" body will help you clear 33s no problem. If that's not big enough, add a 4" softride suspension kit and run 36-38" tires. Down the road you can always go bigger, but most people think 4+3 is pretty big (me included).
Either way, start with the body lift. It's cheap and you probably need new bushings in there anyway. Throw a body lift on it.
If you think you can handle it, It'd be the first $150 I'd spend. I think it'd probably take a weekend for most new people (it took us probably 6-8 hours who knows I wasn't there at the very beginning and some things were a PITA, it was pretty rusty.
Start with the 3" body, then if that's not enough, move on up from there. 3" body will help you clear 33s no problem. If that's not big enough, add a 4" softride suspension kit and run 36-38" tires. Down the road you can always go bigger, but most people think 4+3 is pretty big (me included).
Either way, start with the body lift. It's cheap and you probably need new bushings in there anyway. Throw a body lift on it.
i have been running 33-12.50's for over a year now, and they rubbed for the first time this past weekend when i was crossing a ditch on a 45 degree angle and had to turn the wheel to the right lock, and it just barely rubbed. also the 12.50's will give you a better look. also consider wheel spacers for the rear. but if you want the lift the addaleaf and blocks are a cheap easy way to get the look.
you can see what mine looks like with just teh addaleaf in the rear and the rear wheel spacers, on the members rides page. the front is stock height. i put the rear addaleafs to eliminate the rear sag.
good luck keep us posted on what you decide and
welcome
chris
you can see what mine looks like with just teh addaleaf in the rear and the rear wheel spacers, on the members rides page. the front is stock height. i put the rear addaleafs to eliminate the rear sag.
good luck keep us posted on what you decide and
welcome
chris
CaptCrunch
1/2 ton status
The name of the game in the end is tire size/clearence... how you get there is up to you. I personally say go for a 4" suspension lift with springs all around. (I'm not a shackle flip fan... but I don't rockcrawl either). Drop your tcase. Add a sway bar correction kit and steering box brace from Offroad Design and the finally a 4" raised steering arm to correct the steering. With this setup you can run 33's, but w/ very minor trimming if you flex some you can fit 35's and it looks whicked IMO. If you are mostly flat sand or pavenment driving you probably won't need any trimming. Also keep axles and gear ratios in mind. 88's usually had 700r4 trannys which are very sensitive to heat and typically had 3.07-3.73 ratios in the axles. I would say at least 4.10 if not 4.56's would be the right ratio to let the tranny live and make decent power. Both ratios are tough to find in 1/2 ton axles so might as well step up to a stronger 3/4 ton setup IMO.
84_Chevy_K10
Banned
I think 6" and 35s looks better than 4" and 35s but that's just my opinion. I have a 4" and 35s, but to this day I wish I'd gone 6". (more suspension lift is better for the mud to a point, it gets the frame farther from the ground).
I'd start with the body lift though if you want it to look tough. It won't mess with your driveshaft angles or ride quality. It's free lift.
I'd start with the body lift though if you want it to look tough. It won't mess with your driveshaft angles or ride quality. It's free lift.
DesertDueler
1/2 ton status
RESTORE89, what wheels are you running? Because I rub my 33x12.50 BFG MTs on my burb with a 4" lift from Rancho. They are on 15x10s with 3 5/8" backspacing.
I would go 4 inch lift and flip in the rear. I would go with the EZ rides. Zerorates front and rear with the front offset one inch forward. Still need to do some fender trimming. If you leave the swaybar on then less trimming required. Probably still would tell you to get the ORD dissconnects/sway correction kit. When I tried to run the sway without them it put a lot of bumpsteer in the truck. I would also look at the ORD steering brace. These truck are VERY prone to busting the frames at the steering box and this will help prevent that. Also makes it handle much better on the street.
As for tires...9.5 inch tires....they would stink for sand. They will sink every time you get on the gas. If your concerned with wet weather traction go with a A/T. The BFG KO A/T is excelent in the rain. I'd go with a 33x12.5 on 8 inch rims to limit your clearence issue but on the street it would handle better on 10 inch rims and run a 4 inch back space if you go with 10's to limit you clearence issues. The KO/AT probably better in the sand/snow than most mud tires and not to bad on dry trail conditions. A Limited slip would also be a better selection for street but still help with sand performance.
I run the old style A/T's on my wifes K5 and they are excelent in the rain compaired to the muds on my truck. Handle excelent and ride extreemely well.
Everything you need can be ordered from www.offroaddesign.com
There is a thread for a Group buy on Specilty tops http://www.specialtytopco.com in "The Garage Forum". the more that buy the better the deal. I think a couple more folks and they are looking at a 15% discount. It's back a few days. Look up user "Top Off" and veiw his posts and might find it faster.
Welcome To CK5 Just sign and mail your pay checks to Stephen at Off Road Design for a couple months and he will get you set up. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif Also if you a site member he runs specials for us. See the ORD forum to see what he's running (He's in Moab this week so wait till next week)
As for tires...9.5 inch tires....they would stink for sand. They will sink every time you get on the gas. If your concerned with wet weather traction go with a A/T. The BFG KO A/T is excelent in the rain. I'd go with a 33x12.5 on 8 inch rims to limit your clearence issue but on the street it would handle better on 10 inch rims and run a 4 inch back space if you go with 10's to limit you clearence issues. The KO/AT probably better in the sand/snow than most mud tires and not to bad on dry trail conditions. A Limited slip would also be a better selection for street but still help with sand performance.
I run the old style A/T's on my wifes K5 and they are excelent in the rain compaired to the muds on my truck. Handle excelent and ride extreemely well.
Everything you need can be ordered from www.offroaddesign.com
There is a thread for a Group buy on Specilty tops http://www.specialtytopco.com in "The Garage Forum". the more that buy the better the deal. I think a couple more folks and they are looking at a 15% discount. It's back a few days. Look up user "Top Off" and veiw his posts and might find it faster.
Welcome To CK5 Just sign and mail your pay checks to Stephen at Off Road Design for a couple months and he will get you set up. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif Also if you a site member he runs specials for us. See the ORD forum to see what he's running (He's in Moab this week so wait till next week)
