You can run 35's on the stock 3.55 gears, but your truck is going to be a dog and get very poor milage. 4.56's would be a better fit, so start saving for those. When you do your gears, it is the perfect time to do some lockers too, so save for that too!

BTW, 5" of lift and 35's would work well. 36's would probably rub off road. If you do a 3" body lift and a 3" suspension lift for a total of 6", then 36's would be doable.

You have to do the same amount of work putting a 2" coil spacer in as you do putting a 3" one in, so you might as well do the 3". You will also need an add-a-leaf for the rear, and longer shocks all around.

Good luck to you.

 

It wont hurt but down the road you will want to , im running 3:55 gear on 35s and she is a dog, doing mine this spring so get done what you want and then figure out about the gears.. 4:10 gets back to factory setting for 35s...Im going with a 4:56 little more TQ ..Good luck and happy $$$$ $$$$ $$$$$ $$$ $$ $$$$$$$$$$
i forgot you will need your speedo redone..

 

When I swapped in my one ton axles, they came with 4.10 gears. At the time I had 35" tires and my speedo came back to darn near perfect, but my 99 runs off the tone ring in the rear end. I'm not 100% sure on your 97, but I think it also has a tone ring for the speedo unlike the older trucks that used a t-case gear for that.

Look at the top of the rear differential. If it has a two wire harness plugged into a sensor, then your speed signal comes from that sensor. When you have the correct tire/gear ratio, your speedo will read right without having to do anything more. You can on the later years like mine also have the speedo recalabrated through the PCM, but if you get your truck geared back to a stock power curve, the speedo takes care of itself.

So long winded explanation boils down o this, if you run 3.55 gearing and 35" tires, your speedo is going to be off, but may be corrected when you swap gears if you have a tone ring speedo sensor.

 

Would it be okay to run 36s on 1/2 tons you think? I wouldn't go any larger than that.

 

Come on !!!! you really want 40s....[sm=coolness.gif]

 

Im runnin 35's with a 3in body and coil spacers, i'd say you could definately run 36's. Prolly even 37's with minor rubbing.

 

4.56 gears and 35's runs your ratio up to about the equivilance of 3.93 with stock tires...which was optional on some trucks...not sure which ones, but my friend has one that is identical to mine except for she has 3.93 gears and maybe a LSD factory...but thats it.

 

how exactly do i find out my gear ratio. i looked on the axle but couldn't see anything. maybe i missed it. the only reason im not doing a 3 inch coil spacer is because id have to change shocks. but im ganna try to squeeze 36's under 5 inches of lift. thank yall