I have a question for yall what is necessary to go offroading... Other than big tires , i figure you could easily get mud in places were its not suppose to be. I'm new to this off roading thing and don't wanna risk messing up anything, any input would be appreciated.

 

a buddy...never go alone.

 

That's the best advice you can get. There's nothing worse than sinking your truck in the middle of nowhere and having no way to get out.

Other than that, if you're really that concerned about your truck then don't take it off road. I've been taking my daily drivers off road since I started driving and the problems it causes are plentiful. I've blown two rearends, a tranny, broke an axleshaft in half and bent an upper control arm. Not to mention the electrical problems (starters and alternators ruined from water damage) and cosmetic damage (hit a submerged tree stump and put a crease across my passenger door) I've had. And this is just on my F150, which I've had less than a year. I've missed more than a few days of work because I had to work on my truck or I had to stay out in the woods waiting for a truck big enough to pull me out.

As far as making your truck more capable off road, the possibilities are endless. It all depends on what you want to spend. First and foremost, you'll need some kind of lift kit. Lift kits range from a 2" leveling kit to a 12" or 14" full suspension kit. After you lift the truck you'll have to put some bigger tires on it. Depending on the size lift and tires you got, you may need new wheels also. If the tires are big enough (35s or bigger) you should also change to a lower gear ratio. While you've got the differentials taken apart, you might as well drop in some lockers for maximum traction. After that you'd have one hell of a trail rig.

But it doesn't stop there. You could always do some engine/tranny mods such as a programmer, shift kit or supercharger. And if you plan on doing any major off roading (which with a truck like this I hope you are) you should get a grill guard with a winch and a ton of off road lights.

If that still isn't enough you can get traction/ladder bars and upgrade to a solid front axle (assuming the truck is 4x4).

Like I said, the possibilities are endless. I could easily blow 15 grand on my truck and I still wouldn't be happy with it.

 

The formula for making a truck off road ready is so simple:

Ground clearance + traction = good wheelin

How do you get ground clearance? Big tires (five of them, please...) Your differentials are always the lowest part under the truck, and the only way to get them up is to use larger tires.
How do you get them to fit? Suspension lift kit - this provides the clearance the tires need, gets your undercarriage off the ground (unlike body lifts), and if it is a quality kit, it will give your suspension the performance and durability that you'll need.

How do you get traction?
1: Use tires that are designed for the type of terrain you plan to run
2. Make sure they all put power to the ground, even when they aren't all on the ground or on sure footing. This is accomplished by using locking differentials, or limited slip diff's.

There are some other things that go into it, but ground clearance and traction will always get you where you are going.

Keep the rubber down, and welcome to the site!

 

Some very good info/philosphy's but albet useless after reading his question, lol.

 

D'OH! I guess I should read peoples' posts a bit more carefully after I have had a certain number of ...


Please allow me to edit my original post.

If you plan on wheelin without adequate offroad tires, the best mod you can get for your truck is a winch.


Welcome to the site, and post photos here if you do get into some mud.

 

the best advice i can give u is to start slow so that u get used to it put on some decent tires and get some friends together perferably some with experience. the more u see wat yer truck will and wont do the more u will know wat u want it to do and wat mods u need each vehicle and driver are different and need differnt things my truck has a 4" lift and some 33's i mostly run my truck in mud so i am running 4.56 gears which give me lot of snap off the line wen boggin or draggin in mud i am only runnin posi's do to the fact that it is my daily drivin pickup and it helps in the road manners but anyhow just keep it slow and gain experience and slowly modify to your driving ability i hate seeing trucks with every mod in the book gettin their @ss handed to them cuz the owner just cant drive it

 

If you're not going to use big tires, keep the truck out of the mud. It's quicker to just walk, and save the wear & tear on the truck because it's NOT built for mud.

 

The only thing I have on my truck is an intake and exhaust. I still trash it around in the mud, water, and sand. Now you have to be smart. If I have a bad feeling then there is no way I'm going through, but there are plenty of places that you can take a stock truck and just have fun with it.

 

Thanks for all the helpful replies ! Yes it is a daily but i kinda want to play in some dirt if u know what i mean , I'm just scared that i will maybe get water on the alternator like y'all said , lol i don't plan on like going through the jungle lol. Basically i'm really careful at what i do so i wouldn't go into a big mud hole with stock tires and no lift ahhah but thanks for the awesome replies!

p.s I'll have pics tomorrow !

I love this truck to death already its a awesome cruiser!

 

I don't know what the alternator issue you're talking about, but I've been through some major 'puddels' haha. You shouldn't really have to worry much about water unless you're submerged or hitting the water with enough force to knock something loose. The only thing you can really prepare for when you off road is how to get unstuck. Other then that, you just have to go out and get dirty and see what happens (nothing you can really do).

 

alright sounds good , i guess people make is seem that a little water mess up everything. Well i don't plan on going hood deep in water hahah

 

Just be careful, because a little water can mess up a lot of stuff. Just go back through this forum and you'll find plenty of people who went into a "puddle" that turned into a "lake". I've had too many problems with water, so now I'm afraid to even take my truck near a puddle lol. If you must cross water though, keep it slow and don't splash a lot of water.

Other than that, dude just have fun. It doesn't sound like you're gonna go bogging or anything so you'll probably be fine. A stock truck is much more capable off road than most people realize. If you break something, fix it and get back out there.

 

Spend some time "waterproofing" the bottom - extend all the breathers (axles, trans, transfer case) about a foot deeper than you can ever imagine going. The electrical stuff is where it is, but save some money for repairs.

The best advice is to not let macho make you stupid. Too many guys wreck stuff because someone "dared them to ...".

Start slow, be cautious, and enjoy. Learn everything you possibly can and don't be stupid too soon.

 

lol believe me no person is gonna dare me to do anything ahhah the truck is worth more than all their lives ahha :x