hey guys, i just wanted to share my plans to see if anyone had any advice for me:

305 or 315 BFG on 16x8 rim
exhaust
headers (pace setters?)
*pulleys or gears, i need help there
3 inch body lift
cold air intake
throttle body

little things:
clear corners
billett grille
window tints

*im stuck on the pulleys/gears because i hear with larger tires the tranny is stressed a whole lot more, someone told me id be alright but any advice would help

 

with 305's, i see no reason to regear. with 315's i would, but you don't have to. for more info on some pulleys, check out www.troyerperformance.com to get a look at some. They give you a whole write up on the benefits and drawbacks of the pulleys.

 

Even stock there is a reason to regear! regearing with a lower (higher numerical) gear is a great bang for the buck performance mod! Although it doesnt "give" you hp, it will get more torque to the ground and increase acceleration and towing!

~Colby

 

I thought regearing a 4x4 cost about 1200 bucks. Anyway, I don't think he will have to regear to run 305 with all of the performance mods he is doing. It's only a 33" tire, so wouldn't going to say, a 4.56, kill his mileage? I have 285's which is also a 33, and with a cat back and k&n my performance is still better than it was stock. I realize that the 305 is 12.5 inches wide and the 285 is 11.5 inches wide; that wouldn't make that much difference, would it? I'm not trying to prove you wrong or argue with you, just wandering for myself as well.

 

How much is regearing? I want to go to 3.73 gears, I have 3.55 right now with a 4.6 V8 and it is slow to get going. I want to try and pickup some giddy up.

 

thanks guys, i really appreciate all of your help, i think you have saved me some money- now im pretty sure im gunna go with the pulleys and wait a little for the gears.

 

Spend the money on a tuner before pullies. You'll get more performance, and they can adjust your tire size to which will correct any potential problems with the tranny.

 

Your right, he can run stock gearing. It will lose a slight bit of get up, but it shouldnt be to noticeable.

My point about gearing though is that it will really give you some bottom end get up, my experience is that you will feel regearing more than any of the other bolt ons. Some say you might lose a mpg or two, but to me it isnt significant. My friend regeared with 33's to 4.56's and man, it was a whole new truck! He only had a 4x2 though, so it is ALOT cheaper! His mileage actually went up, and from what he figured, it was do to it being undergeared with stock gearing for the size of tire that he put on.

You wont need to, but in the future it would be something I would look into!

~Colby

 

This is what I was wondering about also. The tuner will reset shift points for the tranny to go with your new tire size, correct? That seems like it should really help with performance and wear on it if you don't regear right away.

I've seen lots of new trucks on the Ford lot for sale with 285 bfg's right from the factory with Waldoch packges, which is 33in. tall, so how bad could it be going to a 305 or 315?

In fact my local dealer has a new '04 down there now with a pro-comp lift and 315/70/17 bfgs. It's all decked out. It's got the 3.73 gearing.

So that has me thinking that even with 3.50, which is what I also have, it shouldn't be that big of a leap to run a 315 without a gear change, especially with some performance mods and the tuner.

You guys agree?

 

keep the info comin guys, this is helpin alot, how much would takin the truck to a tuner run me?

 

We're talkin about the Hypertech powertuner. You buy it and do it yourself. It just plugs right in to your truck and reprograms your truck's computer to optimize performance, and you choose what you want/need to change.

I think they run about $350 bucks or so.

 

ohhhhh

i get it, is there anyway it could mess up my truck? and so basically i do not need to re-gear right away.?

 

I had stock 3.55 and 315/75/16 tires. I regeared to 4.56 and my power went up and my gas mileage went up very slightly. I also have a superchips tuner and that is great for fixing the speedo and adding more performance to the truck. As long as you follow directions you cant mess your truck up. Its pretty easy to do.