Put 37” tires on stock Power Wagon

[buckeyexx]

I agree with most of your post. A quad, sxs, or any type of atv is made for going off road but to say the power wagon is a semi capable off road machine is non sense to me. Pretty sure it’s what they were built for straight off the factory line. Can it go everywhere an atv could go no but it’s an off road machine. Now a regular 2500 4x4 that is another story.

 

[Dean2]

Buckeye - I agree, of the full size pickups, even ones designed specifically for off road, I would put the Power Wagon right at the top of the list for capabilities as delivered. My point is 37" tires do not materially improve on the as delivered capabilities.

Off road capability exists on a continuum. I have owned G Wagons, Land Rovers, Land Cruisers, Range Rovers, Forerunners, Toyota SR pickups, Pathfinders, Jeeps, of various vintages and versions, Suzuki, Lada and a raft of others, including full size pickups. Given the width, weight and length of a Power Wagon it is not going into the same places a 2 door Jeep or Suzuki will, even if they are all in bone stock factory trim.

I am not trying to disparage the Powerwagon, it is amazingly capable for what it is, but you also can't fight physics. If you are 2 feet too wide you aren't going through that rock opening or between those trees. At 7000 pounds you aren't going tiptoeing through the skeg, no matter how wide and tall the tires are.

My whole point is, get the right unit for the job, spending an extra $20,000 kitting out an $80,000 Powerwagon is not going to make it into a Sherp or even a well rigged out Jeep that still seats 4 and is road legal.

 

[4xdad]

I think you’re right to a point. There’s no way my 9000lbpw can go where my 6ft 400lb quad can go. That being said me and the missus can’t sleep in the quad and the quad can’t tow the truck. The right tools for the job. I like the way the 35s work and look only slightly better but no major modifications or costs just a program er to tell the computer to change the tire size

 

[62Blazer]

In regards to off-road capability, I guess it's all relative to what you are comparing it to. As somebody who has ran highly modified off-road rigs (everything from quads, SxS's, and fullsize trucks) I will say a stock PW is just average, or maybe even marginal. I've ran a Chevy K5 Blazer off-road for years and it has progressed from 33" tires and limited slip front and rear diffs, to 35's, replacing the rear limited slip with a locker, replacing the front limited slip with a locker, going to 38" tires, and then 40" tires. I will say that the K5 on 35's and limited slip diffs would out perform my PW on 37's in 9 of 10 conditions. Most of that is because of the much heavier weight and the overhang/ground clearance of the PW. The only advantage in some situations the PW would have is it has more power and a longer wheelbase which helps in some situations. Compared to the K5 with 40" tires and lockers front and rear there is absolutely no comparison.
Now a stock PW compared to a stock regular 2500 is a decent difference in off-road ability......but still only so many places a 7k+ lb. fullsize truck on 33's can go. I do think that going from a 33" to 37" tires make a pretty big difference. 2" of ground clearance may not sound like much, but it makes a big difference.

 

[crazy jerry]

the axles ,shafts ,tcase ,ujoints and every other nut and bolt on them k5 look like tooth picks to the pw running gear. ya the very short wheelbase is nice but aside from that ,give me the pw every time

 

[4xdad]

Had both love both. My 84 gmc Jimmy was my fave it got me into wheeling my pw has all the things I wish Jimmy had

 

[Corvette427]

My PW is and always will be a pavement pounder. I bought this truck purely for the way it looks and its uniqueness compared to all the other trucks on the road (I see you looking Trail Boss and Raptor). Whenever someone says “why did you buy a PW if your not going to take it off road” I simply say, because I can and I’m American!



The USA has always been full of excess and unnecessary products (like the RV, Corvette and pontoon boats). The Power Wagon is the epitome of AMERICA!

 

[62Blazer]

the axles ,shafts ,tcase ,ujoints and every other nut and bolt on them k5 look like tooth picks to the pw running gear. ya the very short wheelbase is nice but aside from that ,give me the pw every time

My comment is that you size individual parts based on the overall size and weight of the vehicle. You don't need as beefy of parts when it weighs way less. That's why a Honda Civic and a Cummins Ram 3500 use different parts.
But will also say you do have to beef up components as you use the vehicle harder and put more stress on things (i.e. bigger tires). My K5 has axles out of a 1-ton truck and further beefed up with chromoly shafts to support the 40" tires and lockers. It has a rear driveshaft with larger u-joints, but really nothing else major was done to make it hold up. I've owned it for 30 years and it's been wheeled' hard for a long time so have a pretty good feel for how it holds up. I wouldn't feel comfortable on how well the PW would hold up if I put 40" tires on it and ran it the same way......maybe it would hold up okay?
Don't get me wrong, not trying to argue or anything but just giving my experience. I've broken multiple axle shafts, sheered off steering arms, broken suspension bolts, etc... over the years on my own rigs and have spent countless hours on the trail helping and fixing other rigs.

 

[4xdad]

If you have a blazer on one tons that’s not a simple mod not terrible hard but not simple either. If I was going to wheel something hard I would have a dedicated trail rig and a trailer

 

[Docwagon1776]

I think it's beyond intelligent debate that a modified purpose built machine will perform better at that specific purpose than a stock do it all vehicle. Might as well compare a C8 with a top fuel dragster then lament him slow the Corvette is and how poorly suited for road trips the dragster is.