[5ierra]

Hey Guys, How is everyone?

I have a query as I have no idea which would be better...

I have a stock 89 Sierra (wt 1.3L) and i've got a small amount of cash i'm ready to start modding it with... this is where i require some of your wisdom.

I'm tossing up between a 2" lift, 31" wrangler tyres and 6.5:1 reduction gears

OR

front and rear arb lockers & compressor

obviously what i dont chose will come later down the track but i'm just curious to what i should go with first. I'm more leaning toward the Lockers because clearence in a SWB isnt really an issue atm... and as lockers are the most expensive aspect to buy (being roughly $3000 in one hit) i'm thinking i should get them while i have the cash, because i can purchase the other parts later down the track one by one...

What are your thoughts?

Thanks very much guys, eagerly awaiting your response!!!

[want33s]

While reduction gears are freakin' awesome................................................................................... I'd go lockers first.

[31zook]

lockers then buy gears put em in a spare case, then bolt in the new case and tyres in one go. If you think you need a suspension lift then put that in somewhere in the mix of mods. If you just bolt the 31s on you'll burn out the clutch

[smileysmoke]

i would do your exhaust first.. best bang for buck i did to my zook for on and offroad. 150 bucks

[royce]

how much driving experience do you have?

seen lots of people jump in and get lockers and just wobble over the easy stuff with the magic switches on so it seems easy, then when they start on the harder stuff that needs lockers and skill they dont know what to do

lift tyres and gears will give you useful offroad improvements while still needing to learn the skills to drive it

[5ierra]

Yeh, i never intended to put the 31's on without reduction gears, and you raise good point with the clutch, didnt think about that earlier...

[5ierra]

Bout 12months royce.

[ninjadaniel]

if i had lockers when i first started id probably have rolled my car by now

[Highway-Star]

I actually agree with Royce.

Anyway, driving unlocked is hell fun! I only push my magic button when I really have to

[SuziBlu]

31zook wrote:

. If you just bolt the 31s on you'll burn out the clutch

I have 31s with stock gearing, have had them for a couple of years now, no drama at all.

Sand is my play.

[5ierra]

ninjadaniel wrote:

if i had lockers when i first started id probably have rolled my car by now

gives the ol' sphinkter a work out though...

[tanshi]

i would start with getting the car to drive unlocked. wheels gears and suspension. learn to drive the car. as you graduate to harder and harder tracks where you will need lockers then buy them.

[Zachius]

Is this going to be a Daily Driver? Are you worried about maintaining on road manners or more concerned with offroad ability?

What terrain do you want to drive? What kind of 4wd driving experience do you have? Do you want it be completely legal?

All of these are factors.

Personally I would be pretty much agreeing with what others have said and saying lift (suspension and/or body), t-case gears and 31's first.

I love my 6.5 tcase reduction gears cause I can approach things slowly which suits my driving style.

[alien]

i agree with the rest of the anti-locker sentiment - as you're going to be a better driver if you learn to drive without the locker rather than relying on it.

do lift/gears/tyres first, drive it for a season (winter and summer) then put the locker in so you have a clear comparison point, as well as 1 years practice without the locker =)

[Fatchickscantjump]

tyres and lift will make your car loookk sooooooooooo much better as well,
lockers take the fun out of it, 31s and a lift youll go alomst anywere 'in a serria;

[31zook]

i burnt out a clutch (came with the car not sure how old it was) in one trip with 31s but i was trying hill climbs and rock sections.... never much had a want to drive sand at all...

[SuziBlu]

31zook wrote:

i burnt out a clutch (came with the car not sure how old it was) in one trip with 31s but i was trying hill climbs and rock sections.... never much had a want to drive sand at all...

I always thought when you went out to play on the dunes at stockton meant you played in sand, must be mistaken.

[2stroker]

When you are stuck fast on your chassis with 4 wheels off the ground your diff locks won't mean a thing. There is a natural progression, start basic and work your way up. A suspension kit and good tyres will get you a lot further a lot safer than sagged standard suspension, 205 road tyres and a set of lockers.

[5ierra]

Zachius wrote:

Is this going to be a Daily Driver? Are you worried about maintaining on road manners or more concerned with offroad ability?

What terrain do you want to drive? What kind of 4wd driving experience do you have? Do you want it be completely legal?

All of these are factors.

Personally I would be pretty much agreeing with what others have said and saying lift (suspension and/or body), t-case gears and 31's first.

I love my 6.5 tcase reduction gears cause I can approach things slowly which suits my driving style.

I like a very slow controlled approach too, and i have found the zooks standard transfer ratio to be to quick in first gear on descents.

I think you guys have made alot of valid points, and, thus has changed my mind, think I'll be going with the suspension, tires and gears

Had this setup in mind for a while now, going to run 2"ome springs rear, with RUF (still to figure out best way to install it... urgh that'll be fun) OME shocks all around, 30's or 31's, 6.5:1 tcase gears and f150 rims.

Edit: Yes it is a daily driver, mainly bush trail sort of wheeling, not overly concerned about legal so long as its nothing major.

[89_tintop]

if your going 30s then i wouldnt be going 6.5:1.

it would be way to low geared..

[alien]

yup - i run 5.14 tcase gears and 31's and its geared perfectly i reckon... almost bang on stock gearing on the road (hi-range)

6.5s are more suited to 32s and 33s i reckon.

[5ierra]

Ahh ok, thes are the things i need to know *taps nose*

Where can you get 5.14 gearing in brisbane

[alien]

mine are calmini 5.14s

lowrangeoffroad do gearing too - they werent doing theirs when i got mine =)

[tanshi]

4.1s are goot for up to 30s as well and are cheap in comparison to the other gears

[5ierra]

Also, should i worry about diff ratio's at this stage? Is it worthwhile changing them?

[tanshi]

to change diff ratios properly can be very expensive.

if your only ever going to run 31 as a max size don't bother.

you can always do it when you get lockers as they need to reassemble the diff any way

[5ierra]

ahh, ok, i just thought running a larger tire would put more strain on the dif.