Lifted or Stock?

4X4 is not always required. We ( the EX and I ) had 2 different lifted 2WD Fullsize GM trucks. In the 6 Years we had them there were only 4 times that we really could have used a 4X4 instead of a lifted 2WD.
Adding the solid front axle, and a transfer case add weight to the vehicle - and with the price of gas extra weight isn't a good thing.
I have a 4runner with 4WD and we have the old Heavy Chevy - 76 3/4 ton 4X4 when 4X4 is really required.
I live in the country and we usually see a significant amount of SNOW each winter, and I have driven my static dropped 89 maz reg cab through numerous winters. Now a lifted 2WD Maz on 31's would be great to have to bash through the drifts that form across the roads to get to work in the winter - and having decent ground clearence and large tires I could bash the feilds and gravel pits just for the hell of it.
I'm talking about more than just a lift and larger tires. I am wanting functionality and suspension travel. Ya I could put in a straight axle to get it in the air, BUT it doesn't improve the travel of the suspension.
Now some custom controll arms - A arms and some coil overs. that would improve travel Plus be able to cycle the suspension in some pretty ruff terrain.

i know what you mean.....

how about getting some tubular control arms made that use johnny joints like they use on desert racers? then throw in some coils or coilovers and have massive amounts of travel.....

i have a 93 Explorer 2wd, i am considering making it 4wd with axles from a 78-79 f150/bronco......then put in a divorced transfercase behind the stock transmission.....give it enough lift to clear 35" Thornbirds...

i want something i can drive everyday, but if i wanna go hit some mudholes, drive down the creek, play in the gravel pit, etc.....i can and not *really* worry about getting stuck as easy as i would with it 2wd....

Not so much. I thought it would help me clear the tires, but it didn't!

Ya I had made the mistake of mentioning a body lift on a pre runner site and I might as well had called there mothers some nasty names with the replies I had gotten to it - even tho I had mentioned it would only be temporary !!

i just stated my opinion sorry if i hert ur feelings lol

I guess there are different types of suspension travel. I have friends that go play in rock bed and stuff, and if you dont have a solid front axle, it can get quite difficult to get it high enough to clear. but like you said, its not about getting high, its about travel. If its travel you want, I would stay away from torsion style suspensions. coil over would be good, but way more expensive then a SAS. I understand keeping it a 2wd for gas purpose, but for serious off-roading, I would go with some soft leafsprings and a SAS, but thats just me,

now if you wanted to go with coilovers and you wouldnt mind spending some money, I would swap the front suspension for an I-beam suspension found on some hardcore pre-runners and back-half the truck to run a nice link setup and coilovers on the back. I did some research awhile back cuase I was going to make a Pre-runner to play on sand dunes, but the rocks are calling me.



I was actually thinking of buying my friends ranger with a blown engine and putting a mazda body on it and making it a pre-runner, but you know, too many projects already.

Hope this helps,
Mike

I need to make it up to Uwharrie sometime to see what kinds of terrain a 2wd could go on. They got lots of different trials. If I were gonna go anywhere, that'd be it.

Those trucks on that site are extreme lol. No Mazda of course.

Lime, what do you mean by saying the 3" body lift didn't help you with clearance for the tires? That's why I wanted the body lift

lol just saw this on Prerunner.net in reply to someone just mentioning a bodylift on a Mazda:

I could clear the 255s lifted or unlifted, except when steering. The lift just changed where they rubbed

HAHAHAHAHA Ya that's me - Stiffler.