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Tires and locking diffs

1K views 16 replies 3 participants last post by  muddybronco 
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#1 ·
OK, I see that a lot of you actually look at profiles so I went back and added some more to mine. I have an '86 351 4-barrel, it has 32X11.5X15 on it now and they are about finished. I checked some specs on-line that said these tires were the max size for my truck without lift, but, these tires rub if you crank the wheel too far. What would you guys recommend for me. If you look at my profile, I spend a lot of time in muddy corn and bean fields in IL. Also, my truck is a daily road driver so I am looking at the best gas mileage possible without taking from offroad capability. I guess I should mention that we usually have a few inches of ice and snow in the winter. Now, here is what I want to overcome. I buried my Jeep Cherokee last week in a corn field because the !@$@ tires weren't worth crap. I have some cheap AWR tires that I will never buy again. The bronco was at home that day because of the problem I had which I stated in another post. I think either of my trucks would have made it with the right tires. In case you are wondering, I was trying to drive out to my goose decoys to pick them up at the end of the season. Anyway, I am really worrying about the differentials on the bronco. Without locking diffs I think a 4-wheel drive is really limited in deep mud. Also, last summer while I was shelling corn, I left the field in my Bronco. It was very dry that day. I parked in a dry ditch and the tall weeds blinded me from seeing the deep drop off to my right. I turned the vehicle right into it and hung the truck on 2 wheels, one in the front and one in the back. The truck didn't look too good with those tires jammed up into the fender. Needless to say, I couldn't go anywhere in 4-wheel drive because the one hanging wheel in front and the one hanging in back were spinning. What would be the best and least expensive way of getting part time locking diffs on a vehicle that is also a daily driver?

 
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#2 ·
Just with my experience, I have 31-10.5-15 they also rub when you turn lock-to-lock they hit the radius arm, not much but enough so I was thinking of putting wheel extenders on. Haven't been able to find them yet. As far as the diffs. The cheapest I have found with the best quality is Power-trax lock right there about $300 but I noticed the difference when we had a snow storm not too long ago.

Backyard Builder-If I ain't drivin it I'm under it!
 
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#4 ·
I have (32X11.5X15 BFG AT's no lift) on my bronco and they performed quite well at the deer lease this year. (The lease is in South Texas and is usually dry as a bone, but this year it looked like one huge mud bog) Mine also rub, however I just don't turn as hard. The truck had 33X11.5X15 MT's when I bought it. They fit, but the rubbing was worse. These were not good highway tires. If I was only going to use this truck for offroad mudding, I would go back to MT's. As far as lockers go, I don't have them, but this is something I want to add. How do the above mentioned lockers perform on the highway? What about ARB's? Does anyone have these on their truck? One final question, are lockers a do it yourslef project? I know that most people will not do anything to a rearend that might effect the ring and penion.

 
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#5 ·
hey riding high, I used to hunt in Zavalla county (south of Uvalde) before we got our lease in Mexico. What county are you hunting in? Didja see any muy grandes out there this year?
-mike

Oh, and let me answer some of yer questions....
The lockers perform the same on the highway as normal ones would, unless it is slick, and then you would have better traction, unless u ran a spool. (don't run a spool)
arb's are by far the best, and if you have the extra 2 grand, it's definetely the way to go in my book.
Don't try to do this yourself. I've had problems in the past with people installing mine that did it a lot, but it takes exact measurements and keen knowledge, so make sure that you take it to someone who knows what they are doin. (If you live in San Antone I can give you some great recommendations)


 
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#6 ·
Actually, I hunt in Val Verde county which is on the fringe between true south Texas and West Texas. The usual class of deer, though larger than the hill country, are not in the same class as deep south Texas deer. We may see true 140's, where you guys are probably see 160+'s.
Where do you hunt in Mexico and how does that work, Leasing land in Mexico?


 
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#7 ·
That's cool. What are you guy's paying a gun?

We've been hunting on a 45,000 acre ranch about 2hrs south of the border by a small town called Anauga. It's 500 bucks for the lisence to hunt in Mexico, and it's about 3,000 per gun to hunt. This might "seem" expensive, but hunting in deep south Tx that's about how much it is. I've hunted the King about ten years ago and back then it was 4,200 per gun and there just weren't any quality deer there. My friend Rusty was taking a look at some of the aerial photos of some of these monsters that the ranchers gave us, and we noticed that the ground was unlike any terrain in the King that we had ever seen. So, then we started to hunt Mexico, and have had awesome luck down there. One of the crappy things about hunting there though is that you can't bring the deer back to the states. You have to cut his head off and retrieve it a few months later after deer season has ended and say that you just found the horns to be able to get them through customs. So, that can be a bitch. Oh, and the Army there always has checkpoints driving through Mexico. If they decide to search your vehicle, and they find guns, they can keep them and throw you in prison there. So you have to be reeeeeealy nice to them. But, other than that, hunting in Mexico is freakin awesome. It's soooooo bright at night, it's like it's daytime....and the sun sets on the mountains of Monterrey....oh, and we've already pulled a 190 typ out of there /wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif But it's really cool, the deer never see humans there, so they're more curious than anything....It's like you can get 20 ft close to them downwind before they get spooked. Anyway, I highly recommend it and it's worth the extra bull**** to hunt there.
-mike
 
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#8 ·
We pay $1750 per gun. We have a ranch house and 4000 acres. I hunt with 10 others. It sounds interesting to hunt in Mexico. Have you ever taken a guided hunt down there. This might be a way I would consider it. My father owns a villa in porta varta (sp) so I am aware of the drive through Mexico. Do you have to fill the policia's palm with money when they stop you.

 
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#9 ·
I just had my rear-end reworked. I had 4:56 gears put in along with the ARB air locker. I love this thing!!! I find that I don't even need to lock in 4 wheel at times, just simply flip the witch to turn on the compressor, then flip the other switch to activate the locker. I would definately recommend the ARB, but I really don't have experience with any other type. I just like the idea of being able to turn it off for regular street driving. I hope to put one up front soon, but they are costly. I forked out about $900.00 bucks for all of it. The compressor I installed by myself and it is real straight forward AND easy!

1991 XLT
4" Rancho Susp Lift w/6 RS9000s
351 Motor [5000+ miles]
New E40D tranny w/all steel replacements+shft kit
4:56 with ARB in the rear. Tire pumpup kit
35" BFG Mud Terrains
 
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#10 ·
Man, that sounds like a nice Bronco. I have heard about the air lockers but didn't know of anyone who had experience with them. Thta $900 I assume was for replacing the rear end and adding the air locker?

 
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#11 ·
No. The $900 was for the locker and the compressor only. I thinkn the shop charged me $150.00 to put it in since it was already opened. I paid around $2300.00 for all of the work. New rear end with 4:56 gears front and rear, New axles, ARB locker installed and a compressor.
OUCH! It hurt my wallet at the time, still trying to recover, but I had her out in the mud a few times already and I would say it was WELL worth it!

1991 XLT
4" Rancho Susp Lift w/6 RS9000s
351 Motor [5000+ miles]
New E40D tranny w/all steel replacements+shft kit
4:56 with ARB in the rear. Tire pumpup kit
35" BFG Mud Terrains
 
#12 ·
I'm debating between lockers and big tires. Around here it's pretty rocky but there's lots of mud too. The problem that I usually encounter is deep ruts, not bottomless swamps like in lousiana and florida. So I'm thinking of running 39's on the factory axles, which would maximize my clearance. I think if I ran 39's and a locker then I would be breaking axles daily, and eating my 39's alive on the street. My original thought was running a smaller tire, like 35" BFG's and putting in lockers, but if all 4 tires are off the ground then does it really matter if they're all spinning? :) Not really.

Of course, I could always go to one tons and run lockers and 39's, but the bigger differential would turn the 39's into 35's, as far as running in ruts. So it would bring me back to 35s and lockers, but cost tons more.

Anybody want to comment on my logic? Sounded good in my head but I would like some opinions.

(plus the 39's will scare the hell out of anything in front of me, which is a plus :)

It's a Jeep thing? My Bronco thing will run over your little Jeep thing.

Muddybronco
 
#13 ·
One more note back on topic, though. If the only time you go out in the mud is to retrieve your decoys, then I don't think it's worth it to put a bunch of money into your truck. Borrow somebody's 4 wheeler and buy a trailer for it so you can load them all up on the trailer. If you have a LOT of them then make several trips...they get good gas mileage :)

It's a Jeep thing? My Bronco thing will run over your little Jeep thing.

Muddybronco
 
#15 ·
Heh, I'm sure it will eventually come to that. Or maybe 47" Firstone SA Tractions. (biggest street legal tire) I don't think the transfer case would like that too much but it's worth a try! Maybe at the end of the summer. We'll see :)

It's a Jeep thing? My Bronco thing will run over your little Jeep thing.

Muddybronco
 
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#16 ·
Riding high,
Nah, never had to apy the federalis. The policia, yeah, but it was a totally different situation that had absolutely nothing to do with deer hunting.

Muddy,
Either go 35x18's, or 39x18's. That would be a sweet setup. What I think you need to do is sit down and figure out how much money you are going to spend (as accurate as possible) and go from there. What do you want to do with this truck? Are you willing to spend three years and thirty thousand dollars on making it the best possible off road Bronco with the coolest sh!t? What is your goal?
-mike

 
#17 ·
I don't want to put a whole lot of money into it because I will probably end up buying an off-road only truck this summer, and sink money into it. (44's and 1-tons, you know). I've had my eye on this old 5/4 ton military truck for awhile and I think I'm gonna go make an offer on it this summer, hopefully he wants to part with it. With 1.25 ton axles and 5.87 gears, 4 speed granny, and waterproof jeep i6 engine, it wouldn't need much improving on. I think 44's will fit by just doing a spring over. I'll probably just end up putting 35 mt's on the bronco and get it regeared and be done with it. Good enough for occasional mud slinging!

It's a Jeep thing? My Bronco thing will run over your little Jeep thing.

Muddybronco
 
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