Hey everybody, glad to be here. I just bought a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 after trading in my 2005 4x2. Ive gotten an intake, exhaust, a 2.5" leveling kit, hids, tinted windows and step rails and now Im ready for the big upgrades. Now this is what I want to do and hopefully some more experienced people can give me some advie and point me in the right direction. I want to do a 6" suspension and a 3" body lift(even though I heard not to go over 1" of bl), and with that I want to run atleast 37" tires (Mickey Thompson MT's) on a 17" or 18" wheel with 4.88 gears or a 5:13 with a trutrac. Can I run this tire? bigger? can the axles handle bigger tires? Different gear? please advise if I'm on the right track or how I need to change it.
Thanks, Ryan

 

You bought the wrong truck, trade it in on one WITH a front axle, THAT they even make 4.88's for and THAT can handle the size, weight and angle of 37"+ tires.

I do like the fact that you are looking at Mickey tires though...

 

power wagon

 

ok, point taken....so what can I do to the wrong truck thats not a power wagon?

 

Actually yes a Power Wagon would be ideal, but you could do what you want with any 2500. The problem with the 1500 is the CV's in the front, the IFS is just nowhere near as strong as a live axle truck.
I personally don't believe in anything over 35's, but some run 37's and have been OK, so far. That's why nobody makes 4.88's for our fronts or anything higher for the rear or the fronts.
If you HAVE to run 37's get a true 6" suspension lift (by true I mean a brand that is REALLY 6" - some companies call a 5.5" kit a 6, but you need all of 6" to clear 37's.

I have over 25 years in the woods, with 4x4s and I've seen many, many trucks break down off-road. The highest percentage of suspension/front end failures by a landslide have been IFS trucks with 37" or taller tires.
I had a '98 Dodge (2nd gen 1500's had a solid DANA axle) so when I got the '04 I didn't even give it a thought, until I went to lift it.
IMO get somewhere between a 4" or 6" suspension lift and 35's, with 4.56's and either an Auburn or TruTrac LSD.
If you go with 37's you may never ride 'em hard enough for an out right failure, but you'll be replacing worn front end components much more frequently.

Here's a couple of pics from what happens to CV's with big tires when you push 'em a little:

 

thank you very much. I see your opinion on this forum is respected very highly so I will take your advice and just stick with a "true" 6" suspension lift and 35" Mickeys with a trutrac lsd and 4.56"s. Again thank you very much. Would you recommend BDS, Skyjacker or Fabtech?

 

nah, he's just an ******* with a lotta **** to say



but def agree with going no more than 35s on IFS truck. Dodgenitto is kinda getting away with it, but going to 37 and 4.56 or even greater at the angles those shafts will see with that much lift is asking a whole lot of them.

 

i've done a fair share of rock crawling, not in the Dodge though. I was running 35's with an IFS front end. Depending on your aggressiveness, you will break. i went through a few cv's, so get ready to learn quick trail replacement for those. If i had it to do again, i wouldnt waste the time or money on a "suspension lift". Save some bucks, and get a solid axle (live axle, whatever you want to call it), have it geared by the pros, and be done with it. You will save yourself the headaches of a breaking ifs. but remember, no matter what you decide to go with, once you alter your truck's suspension, and you get out there and are running it hard, your gonna break. just be expecting it.

 

My point exacty, which is why I've been saying forever that 35's are a MAX. I don't condemn anyone for doing exactly what they want to their trucks, I just try to let people know what my 25 years of owning 4x4s tells me what to expect.
DodgeNitto has a great looking ride, along with a few others who've done 37s or even higher on their 1500's. Even if he doesn't have a failure off road, I'm sure he'll be replacing components at a faster clip than most. If it breaks, he'll fix it or have it fixed, he knows the risks and that's fine.
I just am trying to have guys avoid the inevitable "I was trail riding with my truck and the POS Dodge busted a CV and bent or destroyed everything else down there as a result. Cheap crap truck" post when we learn somewhere much later in the thread that "oh, btw, running 38" boggers on a 6" suspension and 3" body kit". Because I flame the hell out of those stupid SOB's...

 

Thanks for the compliment, I guess, but you havn't been here long obviously, around here I'm known as the "Rodney Dangerfield" of the moderators...

I'm a lot more familiar with just about ALL the kits for the '02-'05 torsion bar front end 4x4s, and not so much with the coil over front end kits. So I'm gonna defer a bit and see if a couple folks with the newer kit chime in.

You can also post the question in the "Off Road" section for maybe a quicker response...