m1009 lifts and gears

[86cucv]

I have a m1009 and want to know what is the best 6 inch lift to use and what gears do i need, to run 35 inch tall tires?

 

[Cucvnut]

oh boy, Did you do a search?

This has been cover a lot. so here is a small bit for ya. 35inch tires will work but your 308 gears will hate you. I would go with 3:55 gears. A 6 inch lift is a lot I would either use a ORD or superlift or build your own from parts. you will need longer drive shafts and have to either lower the t case(I dont like that method) or have the front drive shaft built the correct way. Also longer brake lines and other things. I would look in to Cross over steering(you will need a flat top dana 44 passenger side knuckle for this) lots of people leave there steering stock it works just does not turn the best. If you have anymore questions please feel free to ask.

 

[patracy]

Nut is right, except for the gear ratio. 3.55 is a ford ratio. Closest GM ratio for the 8.5" 10 bolt is 3.42. Next option is the 3.73. 3.42's would get you almost back to the same cruise RPM as the 3.08/30" tire. But it'd be about 100rpms slower at 65mph. With the power the 6.2 puts out, and the weight the larger tires place on it, I'd go for the 3.73's. They'd only increase the rpm's about 90 rpm at 65mph, but you'd gain a little more leverage. The good news is, both 3.42 and 3.73 were common gearing found under trucks from this era. Look for one with a OD transmission though. The TH350'ed trucks are more liable to have a 2.73, 3.08, or 3.42 geared axle. Unless you're planning on swapping the gears in your housings.

 

[gmcv2500]

Why do you plan on 6" of lift for 35's? On a civilian 3/4 ton pick up I ran 36" hummer tires with a rough county 4" lift. I am planning on using the same lift parts on my M1009 along with some body work to fit the modern 37" hummer tire. I don't want to raise my center of gravity more than I need to.

 

[GPrez]

I agree with GMCV2500. I put a 2-1/2" lift on and run 33's without even coming close to rubbing the fenders. A 4" would be fine for 35's. My suggestion would be the Off Road Design 4" with a shackle flip in the back.

 

[danoscooter]

I too want to put 35's on my 09. How hard/cost effective is it to swap the gears in the housings? I have seen many axels on crags list and not to mention the local you pull its. Would it be easier to do complete axel swaps or re-gearing?

Daniel

 

[patracy]

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's only done simple repairs and maintenance. It's a lot more involved than simply replacing parts. You can get away with just a runout gauge and a spare "opened" pinion bearing. But for most people, it's easier to replace the entire assemblies out.

 

[patracy]

Oh and FWIW, expect to pay ~125-150 per axle in gears, plus another 125 in an install kit per axle in parts. Couple that with gear oil/parts cleaner/silicone. That's to do it right. And it'll be a days project or so to do them both.

 

[danoscooter]

Thanks patracy, that kind of seals the deal for me! So when looking for complete front and rears what are some things that I should look out for?

I'm looking for a mild off roader that can go 65 to 70 mph on the highway.

Daniel

 

[wallew]

I have a m1009 and want to know what is the best 6 inch lift to use and what gears do i need, to run 35 inch tall tires?

In case any of your parameters or 'needs' change, here is a link to let you play with different ratio's...


Gear Ratio Calculator

 

[gmcv2500]

My M1009 had 33's without lift. I would almost think a 3" lift would fit 35's with minimal trimming at the back of the front wheel well.

 

[danoscooter]

I was kind of thinking 3 in the front and 4 in the back with 35's. Iv looked at a lot of the m1009's with 4 inch lifts and many of them look like they are sagging in the rear. Maybe that's just my OCD!

Daniel

 

[Pballer71]

I've been running 35's with a 6" Tuff Country Lift for almost a year now with the stock gears. Should I put switching the gears a top priority? What would happen if I don't and what would be the consequences of not switching them?

 

[Skinny]

I think money wise, unless you are getting a matching set of 10 bolts with exactly the gears you want in decent shape for a steal, it is not worth it. By the time you buy new gears, bearings, setup kits, carriers (you are adding an LSD or locker I presume because open is almost useless), and the time, you may as well just put in a stock set of CUCV 1 ton axles. It may be undergeared for the size tire you want but will be much stronger and locked already in the back.

I think rebuilding 10 bolts with new parts is a waste of money. Atleast go to an 8 lug 10 bolt front and a FF 14 bolt rear from a K20. Most of those rigs have 3.73 or 4.10 and you gain a lot of rearend strength.

 

[patracy]

Or go with a semi floater 14 bolt from a 88-98 Chevy 6 lug rear instead of buying new wheels and tires. The 10 bolt front end that is 8 lug that you speak of is the same axle as the front, just different spindles, caliper mounts, and rotors.

 

[vinny-socom1]

4" lift with 37" hummer wheels/tires only rubbed when I was at the NC Rally goat path/rock trails.


Vinny

 

[beltfedonly]

Running 37 inch HMMWV radials with 4 inch lift, no problem.