Going for a beefy stock look. Tire advice wanted.

[Jaysonb]

I put a 2" lift on my 80 k10. I like the beefy stock look, I have 31/10.5/15 on there now. I'm thinking either 33/12.5/15, or 33/10.5/15, or just sticking with what I have. What do you guys think? Here is how it sits now.

[77K10Silverado]

What brand 2" did you use? I have only seen the 2.5" out there.. It looks good! I'd like to see what 33/10.50s look like. I dig the tall skinny look myself!

[Jaysonb]

I went with the rough country lift. I read that it might ride a little rough, but it rides MUCH better than it did stock. A few months ago I was doing some work on the rear end, and found a cracked leaf, so I put stock replacement springs in. Then it looked jacked up in the back with the new springs, that's why I ended up just putting in the 2" lift. I like the way it looks now, and I was kinda leaning towards the 33/10.5/15s, I like the tall skinny look also, just not sure if it would take away from the beefy look.

[05duramaxhd]

this truck was on ebay last year it had a 4" with 33x10.5x15 on the stock rallys, I like the look of a 12.5 better but its your money and your truck. you will be more limited on the 10.5 as many manufactors don't offer anymore

[05duramaxhd]

This was one of my past trucks 2" with 32x11.5x15 on 15x10 wheels

[y5mgisi]

33x12.5 have my vote! They just look so good on the stock rallies! What shocks did you use with the lift?

And just FYI to the fella that asked, tuff country alsl makes 2" lift springs. They offer them in ez ride and heavy duty. I really want to get a set of the 2" ez rides for my 78.

[Jaysonb]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

33x12.5 have my vote! They just look so good on the stock rallies! What shocks did you use with the lift?

And just FYI to the fella that asked, tuff country alsl makes 2" lift springs. They offer them in ez ride and heavy duty. I really want to get a set of the 2" ez rides for my 78.

The rough country lift came with shocks. I really can't believe how much nicer the truck rides. I'm glad I didn't spend more money on a fancier lift.

[y5mgisi]

Man i wish i lived in your area! I really want to compare some lifts!

[68post]

Looks fine now !
You will change your gearing a good amount with two inches of tire height , which will have a negative effect on your brake performance and acceleration - also your mileage.
Half ton trucks generally have 3.07 gears and don't like having less gear.

I think you'll also have tire/fender interference with 33's and only two inches lift.

[slotard]

Depending on the current gearing, taller tires might help. I have a '73 C20 with 4.11s and 30.5" tires, and I don't haul much... taller gearing would be very helpful.

[Jaysonb]

Unfortunately it has 3:07 gears in it. It has a new motor, and pulls around with the 31s fine. 33s going to make a huge difference? Gas mileage seems to suck no matter what I do, so I'm not to worried about that. Everything is new or rebuilt, had it dyno tuned, and the best I've done is 13.5 mpg. Maybe it will get a little better when it warms up.

[68post]

Originally Posted by Jaysonb

Unfortunately it has 3:07 gears in it. It has a new motor, and pulls around with the 31s fine. 33s going to make a huge difference? Gas mileage seems to suck no matter what I do, so I'm not to worried about that. Everything is new or rebuilt, had it dyno tuned, and the best I've done is 13.5 mpg. Maybe it will get a little better when it warms up.

If the engine is a 350 it will be less noticeable, but 13.5 combined is not bad mileage, not great , but good. Winter fuel does suck for mileage too.

[Jaysonb]

I was hoping for around 15 on the highway, 13.5 is the best I've done on a 150 mile round trip to work, mostly highway, driving like a granny. Its a Goodwrench 350, and I think a little healthier can would help boost the mpg a little.

[GRADYS Performance]

Convert it to a TH700R4 and get a lot of benefits in mileage and lower gear performance because of the difference in transmission ratios.

[OldGMJon]

Originally Posted by GRADYS Performance

Convert it to a TH700R4 and get a lot of benefits in mileage and lower gear performance because of the difference in transmission ratios.

hey what is your mileage on that 85' with the 454? My 84' only gets 8 MPG and a whole lot less on grades.

[Jaysonb]

Originally Posted by GRADYS Performance

Convert it to a TH700R4 and get a lot of benefits in mileage and lower gear performance because of the difference in transmission ratios.

I don't think a 700r4 would work real well with the 3.07 gears. The th350 is rebuilt, I just rebuilt and installed a NP205, and had to redo the drive shafts for that swap, I would never make my money back with a 700r4. I can live with the milage, but if going to 33s will knock me down to below 10, I'll just stick with what I have.

[GRADYS Performance]

Originally Posted by OldGMJon

hey what is your mileage on that 85' with the 454? My 84' only gets 8 MPG and a whole lot less on grades.

Since I put the 4L80E in it I only have 1 trip on it but it has improved drastically. It went from 300 miles on a 40 gallon tank to 300 miles on 5/8 of a 40 gallon tank. Take in mind a fill up is about 33 gallons for a 40 gallon tank. I hope to get more accurate next summer but I am guessing at least 12 mpg.

[68post]

Originally Posted by Jaysonb

I don't think a 700r4 would work real well with the 3.07 gears. The th350 is rebuilt, I just rebuilt and installed a NP205, and had to redo the drive shafts for that swap, I would never make my money back with a 700r4. I can live with the milage, but if going to 33s will knock me down to below 10, I'll just stick with what I have.

You don't necessarily need a bigger cam - just a better cam. Do you have headers 'n duals ?
I had a C & C with a 14' box and a Goodwrench engine and it picked up mileage and some power, (mostly torque), with full length headers and a very good dual exhaust I made for it.

Goodwrench stock replacement engines are notorious for compression being aprx 7.8-1, an excellent candidate for a pair of 305 heads.

For best mileage - tune your carb's idle mixture screws with a vacuum gauge, advance the timing , and install a set of quick advance weights 'n springs in the distributor.

[Jaysonb]

Ended up going with 33/12.5/15 good year wrangler duratracs. Just cleaned up and painted my wheels, I'm real happy with the look now.

[rich weyand]

I did Tuff Country EZ-Ride +2 in the front, +3 in the back. Got it from Tuff Country directly during one of their sales, and had them mix-and-match the parts I needed to get the mixed lift. It evened out the fender well gaps above the tires. Here it is on 31x10.5R15 BFGs. It would certainly fit 33x12.5R15. Those *almost* fit without the lift. Minor rubbing at extreme ends of steering travel on uneven ground.

[Jaysonb]

Looks good Rich. I may send you a pm about how you set your motor up. I wanted bfgs, but they didn't have any in stock, and I wanted to get it done before the boss had second thoughts, the 31s that were on the truck only had about 4000 miles on them.

[rich weyand]

I'm around. ;-)

I like your look as it is with the 2" lift and 31s, BTW.

[y5mgisi]

Looks great!

Rich, if I may, how do you like your ride? And what shocks did you use?

[rich weyand]

The ride is great, much better than before. Better tracking on the road too. I did put in new shackle bushings at the same time to tighten everything up. Those don't come with the lift packages.

I went to a 2" front lift not because I wanted a lift, but because I wanted positive arch in the front springs. Negative arch front springs are always going to ride like a brick. I went to 3" in the back because the different gaps above the tires due to the deeper front fender cutouts always bothered me. Made the thing look like it was dragging tail to my eye.

I went with the Tuff Country SX8000 shocks. I just got the whole package from them. Their dealers already had them kitted out -- you know, 2" all around, 3" all around, etc. -- but I had Tuff Country put a mixed lift kit together, and then they gave me the kit price.

[Ski-me]

Showed up a little late, but like the 2.5" and 33's on Rally's (15x8). I DON'T like 33's on 15x10 rims. Sticks out too far and too much rim exposed.

33 x 12.5r15 on 2.5" lift.