Howdy yall...this is my first posting on the boards. I have a 98 F150 4x4 single cab with the 4.6. I just put a 3" body on there and am running 285/75R16s on the stock rims. I have a 3.55 rearend and it has limited slip. I want to put 35s on the truck because i love the way they look, but being a student can't change gears and wheels and tires. Too much money. I'm happy with performace now, even with the change to 33" tires,so my options are:

1)35" Tires+Stock Rims+New Gears = $2000
2)Same Tires+Wider Wheels+NewGears= $2000
3)33" tires+new wheels+same gears= $1300
4)New Gears+same tire & wheels = $1300
I know you probably don't give a flip but i don't want worse performance than i have now, but i want to fill the wheel well up some more, any help would be awesome yall, and opinions. Thanks a lot!
-Chris

 

I have the 315s (35s) with the 4.6 and 3.55 gears and can live with it....tires and rims is my choice....You can save more money and get gears later....if you buy gears and 33s you will want bigger tires later and you will be right back here.....Dave

 

Thanks for the opinion. I'm really trying to spend the least money possible right now, and thats about the cheapest option. I'm just worried about getting bogged down in sand at the beach and stuff. I did talk to a friend who can do the gears install for $800 but I'm not sure if my parents will let me do that...they say i can "only spend so much on a mode of transportation"...what do they know anyways...but thanks for your thoughts...anyone else?
-Chris

 

I would go with 33" tires, and new rims. I've got 33" and new rims and a 3" body lift, and have not noticed any degradation in performance. Follow the links in my signature for some pictures.

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• 2000 F-150 XLT
• 5.4 LITER TRITON V8
• 4X4 OFF ROAD PACKAGE
• SHORT BED EXTENDED CAB
• BRIGHT RED CLEARCOAT
• DARK GRAPHITE GRAY INTERIOR
• 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC W / MANUAL 4X4 SHIFTER
• 3" PERFORMANCE ACCESSORIES BODY LIFT
• 33X12.50X16.50 BFGOODRICH ALL-TERRIAN KO'S
• AMERICAN RACING BAJA'S 16.50X9.75 RIMS
• FORD SOFT TONNEAU COVER
• BLACK POWDER COATED STERLING EQUIPMENT NERF BARS
• BLACK POWDER COATED STERLING EQUIPMENT BRUSH GUARD
• TWO BLACK 150WATT DAYLIGHTER'S BY KC HILITES - TOTAL 770,000 CANDLEPOWER

• IMAGE #1 • IMAGE#2 • IMAGE#3 •

 

And I can still smoke my tires......will be fine in the sand wont bog down......Dave

 

Well, you are both sounding encouraging...I've been worried about losing all this power if i get any bigger tires, but you both sound like it'll be fine. I wish i had the 5.4- that would help a little. I'm thinkin now i may just get wider wheels as my tires are not too old (about 20,000miles) and get the gears cause i'm craving the performace. However, i'm definetaly headed towards the 33-35" range hear real soon...thanks a lot, but one more question- Dave, you've got a really similiar setup to mine. do you have pics? and how deep of sand do you go into? Me and my friends go to the beach a lot and the sand is pretty loose. I get semi-bogged down (in 2WD) in the loose stuff right now, that's why i am afraid of the 35s(315s). But is there much of a change between the 33s(285s) i have now and the 315s as far as performance, cause i can deal with what i have now. Thanks a lot again, and anyone else have suggestions? Experience maybe?
-Chris

 

Yes there is a noticeable change, but here is the problem by changing the gears now and not the tires...Are you ever going to get bigger tires ? Probably if the lift bug bites you..OK you change gears for the 33s, now you want 35s you are going to be right back to the performance you are at with the set up you have now....I have gone from 255s, 265s, 285s and now 315..I will change the gears to 4.56 sometime next year..but it I would have changed gears before this I would have to do it again...$$$$$$$..I have gone to Corpus and the sand is the same there in Galvaston......my tires are wide so I kind of float over sand..Dave [img]//albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=688963&a=5018235&p=30597883&Sequence=[/img]

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1998 F-150, SC/Flairside,oxford white 4x2,4.6,auto,3.55s,nerf bars,cls 111 towing,bed liner w/mat,Eagle polished wheels 16x10 w/Yokahama Geolandars 315/75/16s,all plastics guards/bug shields,air raid/k & n filter, superchipped, duals out the back corners, flow master 3 chamber, snug top lid, f-150 online sticker back window-honk if you see me!!! Fabtech 3 1/2 lift,3" spindles, 3" body lift=9 1/2 inches of lift, lift lips.coverking dash cover, Lumi Logo's (front and rear), clear front corner lenses, muth mirrors,dash mounted CB, (TX Chapter requirement,lol),personalized license plates, Superlift traction bars,Image tail light covers (painted).and it still fits in the garage, yeahhhhhh

San Antonio
DWESSELS89@AOL.COM