Had to choose between a full lift kit or just new tires for my old Bronco

My 1996 Bronco was fine for light trails, but I wanted to try the tougher stuff near Flagstaff. The choice was a $1200 full 4-inch suspension lift or just putting on a set of 33-inch mud terrains for about half that. I went with just the tires, thinking it was the smarter first step. After a season, I'm hitting the skid plates way too often on rocky climbs. Has anyone else started with bigger tires and then regretted not doing the lift first?

3 comments

3 Comments

andrew8545d ago

Yeah, I did the exact same thing with my old truck. Put the biggest tires that would just barely stuff in the fenders, saved the cash for the lift. Spent the whole next summer scraping over everything. The extra tire height helps, but you really need that extra belly clearance the lift gives you for the rough stuff. I ended up doing a budget lift myself a year later, which was a pain. If I had to do it again, I'd save up a bit longer and just do both at the same time.

sean_walker455d ago

That Flagstaff granite will find your skid plates every time.

-1

juliahall5d ago

Ever think about how much a full tank of gas changes your ground clearance? I've watched guys leave the trailhead fine but start dragging on the way back after burning twenty gallons. That extra weight really makes the suspension sag.