Need some truck insight for future rig...

[Stomis]

Well I'm kinda stumped on what I should be looking at this fall for a new truck. Its either gonna be an extended cab s10 or an extended cab 89-98 fullsize.

If I got the fullsize I was going to build it with the expectation of going to alaska with it down the road. I dont wanna say thats a pipe dream but I started thinking it would be sorta dumb to build a big badass truck on 37s or 38s just for one trip when there is NO local trails that would ever necessitate 37s.

I had wanted an s10 previously but rethought that maybe a fullsize would be a good idea since I am 6'5" 240lbs. Then last night I was on Pirate browsing some ranger builds and started rolling over in my head that maybe I should just build something more mild thats suited to where I live and what I have available to me...

The build options in summary would be.

Fullsize truck, ext cab short bed. d60 front, 14b rear. Leafs at all four corners roughly 5-7in of lift and 37s.


The s10 would be ext cab, short bed. 3 link with panhard with a radius arm on the drives side. waggy 44 front with 8lug chevy outers, narrow c&c 14bff rear. 35x10.5 mts

I'm really starting to lean toward the s10 for a few reasons. I've always wanted a SFA mini truck and never got to finish my yota. The trails around here can get tight and I'm not gonna want to squeeze my dd down jeep trails. I think I should be more oriented towards what I could wheel everyday vs building some big bad rig for a place 5000miles away.

Gimme some insight guys. Pros and cons of each help me out here.

 

[dfl701]

your a big guy, i would stay away from a mid size truck. your going to end up wishing you had more room. the extended cabs are not that big. my buddy has an extended cab yota and he wishes everyday he got the crew cab.

if you go full size you can always build it with DD in mind. keep it on 35s for street use and then find you some cheap off road tires. you can just switch them and with the full size bed you wont have any problems hauling them to alaska or anywhere else you want to go.

 

[nvrenuf]

...maybe I should just build something more mild thats suited to where I live and what I have available to me...

The build options in summary would be.

Fullsize truck, ext cab short bed. d60 front, 14b rear. Leafs at all four corners roughly 5-7in of lift and 37s.

...

This ^

Imo, all the coolest parts in a neat build may not be worth it if you can only wheel a few times a year. I'd stick with something you can jump in a wheel local but would still do well if you trailer it to parks. It's also fun to drive it to work or bbq's every now and then so don't let it get out of hand and become non-streetable.

 

[Stomis]

This ^

Imo, all the coolest parts in a neat build may not be worth it if you can only wheel a few times a year. I'd stick with something you can jump in a wheel local but would still do well if you trailer it to parks. It's also fun to drive it to work or bbq's every now and then so don't let it get out of hand and become non-streetable.

See thats the thing is this is going to be a DD I shoulda put that lol.

The reason I'm starting to lean away from the fullsize is because for one I carry my size well (not as well as a couple years ago when I was 205 lol but...) and two is that I've driven plenty of mini trucks. My friend had a ext cab yota for years and I had one too. I had no problems in them.

My biggest concern here is that when I go to wheel locally I'm gonna constantly be saying **** I cant fit down there...

 

[nvrenuf]

I only picked the full size because it was simpler as opposed to the smaller linked truck. If I wasn't so buried in my K5 project I'd like to build a 94+ 4 door S10 probably on a lwb frame leaf sprung with bigger tires. I love the look of Mnorby's current S10 but don't need the complexity of a linked suspension.

 

[Stomis]

I only picked the full size because it was simpler as opposed to the smaller linked truck. If I wasn't so buried in my K5 project I'd like to build a 94+ 4 door S10 probably on a lwb frame leaf sprung with bigger tires. I love the look of Mnorby's current S10 but don't need the complexity of a linked suspension.

Well if I get in over my head I'll put leafs infront of the s10 hypothetically but I was looking at some radius arm minus one upper builds on broncos last night and it looks very simple and is very functional.

 

[79rustyk10]

I have actually been thinking the exact same thing lately

 

[sope]

I'm downsizing as well. I'm goin 1 ton extended cab s10 on leaves. Should be ready for fall. It will be pretty much a trail rig only though. I have lots of reasons for doing this. The main reason is my frame is wrecked and I found an already exo'd s10 frame and cab for a great price. The other reason is I get pissed off when I can wheel with and out wheel other rigs but then the trail gets tight and I have to park mine and watch.

 

[Stomis]

I'm downsizing as well. I'm goin 1 ton extended cab s10 on leaves. Should be ready for fall. It will be pretty much a trail rig only though. I have lots of reasons for doing this. The main reason is my frame is wrecked and I found an already exo'd s10 frame and cab for a great price. The other reason is I get pissed off when I can wheel with and out wheel other rigs but then the trail gets tight and I have to park mine and watch.

Yeah I'm pretty sure I'm going the s10 route. The idea of fitting on all the jeep trails around here is appealing.

 

[496truck]

I built an S-10 Blazer 2 door with YJ axles. I used All-Pro Toyota 4" lift leaves up front, spring under for stability (no sway bar) and stock rear springs over the axle. The build was surprisingly simple and cheap. And it was extremely capable. Those front springs were very flexy but having them under the axle kept body roll in turns down to a minimum, for a lifted 4x4. I was rolling 33s cause of the rear axle but would've upped to 35s if I had something stronger. It was almost a DD by choice cause it was more fun and got better mileage than my 8.1 truck. Drove great on the street, no bumpsteer or loose feeling steering either. Was even good in the snow covered roads in the winter, even with Lockrites in the front and rear. The small body width was key in these tight northeast trails. I'm 6'2" and 220 and fit comfortably in the stock bucket seats. I wouldn't hesitate to build another one, with stronger axles of course, and I would have no problem going with leaves again.

did someone say pic whore?

 

[blowedupmotor87]

They're kinda rare but I think a crew cab S-10 would make an awesome build candidate! ZR-5!

I'd lift it, SAS it, and move the rear axle back just a couple inches to keep the tires away from the cab corners. IIRC, the exterior dimensions for the crew cab are identical to those of the extended cab so, you'd have the same functional size but a lot more interior space.

I don't know if the ability to haul 4 people is of any consequence to you or not but, the ZR-5 or the fullsize would be the way to go! The jump seats in the S-10 extended cab don't really qualify as seats IMO (plus, I think the later model 3 door trucks had only one jumpseat?)!

 

[496truck]

^That's what I was thinking of if I was going to build another one^ A CC short bed on 35-37" with JK Rubi D44s.

 

[Stomis]

I would LOVE to do a crew cab but they go for $7500-11000 around here and I think thats ridiculous. I found one locally that needs a little work for $3500 but nows not the moment for me to buy. Gotta get rid of my project car and my 87 first.

I'm gonna go with a second gen ext cab short bed. If it wasnt or the fact that I'm looking to carry all my tools with me in the bed I'd looking for a first gen blazer like that.

After doing some research plans so far are:

dana 44 high pinion narrowed 6" to bronco width. Chromo superiors with 297 joints. 4.88s true track posi (still doing research on this thing)

Gonna run spring under up front. I may steal your idea of yota springs seeing as how theres quite a few companies out there that make new packs for a really good price vs getting crappy rancho or skyjacker springs.

Plus with the spring under I can run inverted T steering nice and nigh without paying for milling knuckles, steering arms blah blah blah for crossover.

For the rear I'm thinking spring over on a shaved 14b dually rear. Someone finally came out with hubs that repattern the 14bs to 6 or 5 lug and also narrow it by 3in total. It'll be awesome, 6 or 5 lug (whatever I go with in the front) and a 58" track width. 4.88s and a detroit here.

I'm gonna run 35x10.5 TSL radial SX's as long as they actually start making them again...

 

[sope]

I wouldn't go less then 1 tonnes if the plan is 37's or bigger. I'll be running full width just cause I don't have the skill or money to narrow them. When I need tires H1's will go with them to narrow it up a bit.

This is my starting point. My axles, steering, shocks, tires and probably a lot of other stuff will be going on this. It's an extended cab on an S Blazer frame. I'm waiting for it to be delivered.

First time I'll be wheeling something that wasn't built by me entirely. It will be weird.

 

[Stomis]

I wouldn't go less then 1 tonnes if the plan is 37's or bigger. I'll be running full width just cause I don't have the skill or money to narrow them. When I need tires H1's will go with them to narrow it up a bit.

This is my starting point. My axles, steering, shocks, tires and probably a lot of other stuff will be going on this. It's an extended cab on an S Blazer frame. I'm waiting for it to be delivered.

First time I'll be wheeling something that wasn't built by me entirely. It will be weird.

O noes you bought redders truck!!?

Thats my favorite s10 ever...

As far as narrowing goes the front axles are actually very easy. Bust the C weld loose. Beat the inner C off the axle, throw the housing in a good self squaring chop box and trim it. The shafts have to be sent out unless you have access to a machine shop and even then I believe splines are quite difficult to cut.

I plan on narrowing a high pinion dana 44 to bronco length and using superior chromo bronco shafts. Should be way overkill for 35x10.5s on aluminum wheels.

 

[sope]

The internet makes the world pretty small when a truck from Duncan BC is known by people in New Jersey.

 

[Stomis]

The internet makes the world pretty small when a truck from Duncan BC is known by people in New Jersey.

Dude I watched his build on pirate and a canadian site. I loved that truck man I hope yo only make it better.

 

[sope]

hard to say. I'm pretty sure I have less budget then him. It will go 1 tonne, instead of 9" and 44. I have the low max and doubler from the original build.
l'll see about shocks but probably low end. I'm gonna start with the 4.3, and see how I like it and if I don't will go with my TBI 305. It will get my hydro assist. I'll start with the front waggy's and rear stock s10 springs and go from there. I'm sure I'll be making all kinds of adjustments as I go.

I needed a new frame and I couldn't pass up the price on this stuff. To complete it with my parts will cost very little. Redder has now built a Grand Cherokee that's already seen Moab.

I'm really gonna miss my rig I've had it for years.

 

[Stomis]

hard to say. I'm pretty sure I have less budget then him. It will go 1 tonne, instead of 9" and 44. I have the low max and doubler from the original build.
l'll see about shocks but probably low end. I'm gonna start with the 4.3, and see how I like it and if I don't will go with my TBI 305. It will get my hydro assist. I'll start with the front waggy's and rear stock s10 springs and go from there. I'm sure I'll be making all kinds of adjustments as I go.

I needed a new frame and I couldn't pass up the price on this stuff. To complete it with my parts will cost very little. Redder has now built a Grand Cherokee that's already seen Moab.

I'm really gonna miss my rig I've had it for years.

\

Mind my asking what you paid for that truck? If ya threw 37s on it youd be pretty damn good to go.

 

[Stomis]

Bringing this back. I sold my supra and the truck is going on ebay tomorrow so I'm beginning to look around for the truck to begin.

Theres lots of $500 s10 blazers around here so thats the route I'll be going. I kinda forgot about how much I wanted a rig I could sleep in the back of and a blazer would be perfect.

I was hoping you guys could help me find another build that I'm having a damn hard time finding. It was a green box style blazer, pretty sure it was 4 door. The guy did a spring under, very low and trail like. Pretty sure it was on 33s with a waggy 44 then the guy switched to an HP F150 axle. This ringing a bell with anyone? I coulda sworn it was linked somewhere on here but I'm having no luck and google is flooded with about twice as many garbage builds as it was last year.