Offroading, lifts, tires and more - I'm a total newb to this stuff.

[welbster]

Hi all - as the title states, I'm a total newbie to offroading. But I also live in the Hualapais along the Arizona Peace Trail and own a 2016 4x4 RAM and kinda want to do the trail. If you're not familiar with the Peace Trail you can find info at https://arizonapeacetrail.org/

Mission is thus: I want to do the trail, but this machine is also my daily ride for work and due to other things happening in my life (pending retirement to a place that isn't Arizona in 2 years) I don't want to spend a ton of money jacking up/enhancing a truck I won't have for much longer. My research and discussion with other offroaders boils down to "if you take the easy routes and skip the moderate/hard stuff you shouldn't need much of a lift (2"), or maybe just bigger tires."

So here I am, hoping that some folks who know a helluva lot more about this stuff than I do are willing to share their wisdom. If I put on 20" rims/tires will I get the 2" of clearance one of the offroaders I talked to thought I might need? Or do I need to do a lift? I have street tires, so I'll need something with a more aggressive tread anyway, so tires seem the way to go for not a lot of expense and the ability to do the trail that I want to do. What are the tires experienced offroaders use? Do I need new/better shocks/suspension? Most importantly - what in the heck am I missing or not understanding?!??!?

I'm well aware that a ton of this is subjective, but any guidance is greatly appreciated.

 

[olyelr]

If you are not much into offroading, why not just rent a side by side to use to do the trail?

 

[Daniel Ortiz]

@welbster , I also went for a minimal build due to daily commuting, and the fact that my part of Texas is flat as a pancake.

You can see the mods in my "About" section. Mainly just 2" level (front suspension lift) courtesy of Bilstein 5100 struts, smaller wheels and high-profile all-terrain tires for airing down and grip. I may go to 35" tires next, but that is about all.

If I win the lottery I might put upgraded upper control arms, 1" spacers in back, and boost front lift to 2.8". But thats just splurging at this point.

 

[Phirebeard]

Lift makes room for larger tires and will increase your approach/departure angle slightly. Tires give you ground clearance. If you have the factory 17" wheels, you can go up to a 315/70r17 with a 2" front level which is ~34.5" tire. More sidewall is better for off-roading. The Bilstein 5100s are ~$300 and tires that size will probably run you $1000 plus depending on brand.

 

[welbster]

If you are not much into offroading, why not just rent a side by side to use to do the trail?

Thanks for the response. Around here I'd be looking at ~$350 a day for a multiday rental, and so far I haven't found a place willing to part with one for the length of time I want to go. I'm planning to take the trip slow - 10-12 days with camp stops in between. $3500-$4200 will buy be an awful lot of enhancements to the Beast, and I'll get to use it for other trips later.

 

[welbster]

@welbster , I also went for a minimal build due to daily commuting, and the fact that my part of Texas is flat as a pancake.

You can see the mods in my "About" section. Mainly just 2" level (front suspension lift) courtesy of Bilstein 5100 struts, smaller wheels and high-profile all-terrain tires for airing down and grip. I may go to 35" tires next, but that is about all.

If I win the lottery I might put upgraded upper control arms, 1" spacers in back, and boost front lift to 2.8". But thats just splurging at this point.

Nice truck! It sounds like you sort of went the route I'm going - offroad on a budget. Does that meet the need that you were looking for, or are the control arms a "I wish I'd done it before the wife found out how much it cost" kind of thing?

 

[welbster]

Lift makes room for larger tires and will increase your approach/departure angle slightly. Tires give you ground clearance. If you have the factory 17" wheels, you can go up to a 315/70r17 with a 2" front level which is ~34.5" tire. More sidewall is better for off-roading. The Bilstein 5100s are ~$300 and tires that size will probably run you $1000 plus depending on brand.

Yep - I'm factory all around. Are the levels easy to do yourself or is it best to take it to a shop? I'm comfortable enough doing most basic maintenance on the Beast, but I don't want to get out of my depth with this stuff.

 

[Daniel Ortiz]

Nice truck! It sounds like you sort of went the route I'm going - offroad on a budget. Does that meet the need that you were looking for, or are the control arms a "I wish I'd done it before the wife found out how much it cost" kind of thing?

@welbster thanks! Yes, it's meeting my needs more than enough. Actually I had bigger plans for the truck earlier on, but started realizing larger mods would be a waste considering the terrain within 500 miles from where I live, which is not very difficult. Mostly sandy beaches and some moderate hills. I currently have 9" of ground clearance, which will go to 10" after I get the 35" tires on. All more than adequate. You'd have to assess if it's enough for your terrain in Arizona however. For me, it's plenty and still well-mannered on the roads.

Yep - I'm factory all around. Are the levels easy to do yourself or is it best to take it to a shop? I'm comfortable enough doing most basic maintenance on the Beast, but I don't want to get out of my depth with this stuff.

The Bilstein 5100 ride-height adjustable struts are an example of a 0.7" to 2.8" lift in the front, just enough to "level" out the truck, to remove the rake they are built with, which is intended to keep the truck level when the rear end is loaded down. That's what makes the Bilstein 5100s nice, you can dial in the level of "level" you want, and they have some other subtle benefits over other forms of leveling kits, such as front spacers, which are cheaper, but limit travel a little bit more. The Bilstein struts also give you a firmer front suspension (beware, some people don't actually like that). I find larger profile tires tend to cancel out the stiffer suspension, so that it all ends up feeling very sturdy without feeling jarring.

As for installing them, I opted for a shop to install. I don't have much experience working on suspension, and compressing the springs looked a little sketchy with DIY spring compressors. Shops have nicer spring compressors that are safer. BUT, it can totally be done at home. There are several YouTube videos of people doing them themselves. Just get it aligned after you're finished.

 

[IDSandman]

Put Bilstein 5100’s in the front set to 2”, if you opt for 2.8” you should replace the UCA amd will need taller springs for the rear and rear shocks as well. If you run 20’s you can step up to the 275/65/20, 34” tall tire for more clearance.
I did the Bils at 2”, 1” rear puck to keep it ass high a bit as I tow. My next move will be the taller tire. It offroads much better than stock now.
You can do the mods if mechanical. Having a buddy with a strut press or somewhere to take it is key. Saved me a bunch of time and headache. My buddy and I did mine in 4 hrs total, front and rear.

 

[Travelin Ram]

Spending a bunch of money on a truck you don’t intend to keep is no better than throwing it at a rental. You’ll never see that money again.

I’d rent a Jeep for 2 weeks myself. Ten days in a SxS will get old. Even a bone stock Wrangler from a car rental agency will be more capable than your truck, and you can get weekly rates.

 

[IDSandman]

Spending a bunch of money on a truck you don’t intend to keep is no better than throwing it at a rental. You’ll never see that money again.

I’d rent a Jeep for 2 weeks myself. Ten days in a SxS will get old. Even a bone stock Wrangler from a car rental agency will be more capable than your truck, and you can get weekly rates.

What he is wanting to do should only cost $600ish, Bils lift. That won’t get you far in rental fees plus his truck will ride and look cooler while he owns it and will sell quicker.

 

[Danny Phillips]

I put 35's on my 2015 2500 6.7 and they fit fine I do some mild off roading, and only had rubbing when turning around backing up a hill.