I knew only someone used to seeing 44" tires on mud trucks would think 37" tires were for overlanding
Intro Xml325 38.5's with no lift 80
- Thread starter Lcshack
- Start date
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I knew only someone used to seeing 44" tires on mud trucks would think 37" tires were for overlanding
I can get my truck with 315s into overdrive earlier than 78 mph but it will not hold overdrive for extended lengths until I hit that speed. It will constantly shift. Constant shifting is hard on the tranny. Also this is a 93 so it has the A442F. One disadvantage I have versus you flat landers is I'm at 3800 feet from the get go and I'm traveling sometimes up to 10k feet. Elevation is not as big of a factor on an EFI vehicle as a carbed vehicle but you can only adjust so much with a computer when you don't have air. Also I'm using GPS speeds not speedo. I'm about 82mph at 70 mph indicated.
To keep the tranny cool you need to do two things, get it into overdrive so the torque converter locks up. When it locks up the transmission functions like a manual and it isn't pumping fluid like crazy. The second thing you need to do is pick a speed where you aren't constantly shifting back and forth between gears. This heats it up. The 80 series already has a pretty decent tranny cooler from the factory and plenty of fluid. It is a pretty stout tranny. But anything can break if pushed hard enough.
Another option you might be able to do is add a torque converter switch. I put one in my 100 series so I could lock up the torque converter in any gear. Check Wholesale Automatics in Australia. That is where I got my kit from and I also installed a bigger valve body and a temp gauge. I'll probably research this some more for the A442 as I have 3 trucks running that tranny right now and i sort of liked the switch for especially mountain driving. You can downshift and lock it up just like a manual. Although a mechanic friend of mine said that was stupid. He said brakes are cheap, transmissions are expensive.
Getting rid of your ABS will not increase your braking power. You still have the same master and the same pistons in the caliper. On my hybrid 60/80 I run 37s and it has cross drilled and slotted rotors with DBA pads. It brakes significantly better than my 93 80 on 315s. I bought the axles with the new rotors and brakes so I had no expense for them. So I don't have to defend my purchase. I am thinking about buying a couple more sets but they are so expensive.
I think this is a neat build. It is not what I would consider an overlanding build. Out here in the western deserts trucks are built to carry weight and run the smallest possible tire size you can and still maintain clearance. 35s are about the largest people go for overlanding. Most settle on a 285 or 295 of some sort. The reason being is rotating mass is a big deal when you are trying to go off road 300 miles between fuel stops. The more rotating mass you have the more fuel you use. The more fuel you use the more you have to carry. The more you have to carry the heavier the truck is. My opinion is lighter is better. Putting a winch on to get you through a rough section every so often is much better than slugging huge tires that generally aren't needed for overlanding. Of course regions vary. If I was in Alaska or in Canada driving through bogs on my overland adventure I'd go with the biggest nastiest tires I could find that I could maintain reasonable reliability of my drivetrain.
And I'm insanely jealous of being able to make cuts and reweld the sheet metal into something that looks nice. I'm not that talented.
Suspension wise I think you are on the right track with going with a low lift high capacity coil. It is all going to depend on how much weight you are going to carry. And at what speed you want to travel. The higher the speed you want to travel off road the more control you are going to need to control all the weight you've added to the axles. Going slow or crawling isn't going to be an issue for even a stock suspension unless you build crazy heavy bumpers, put a roof top tent, drawers, etc... on/or in it. But at speed you need to control that mass.
Anyway just some more things to think about.
To keep the tranny cool you need to do two things, get it into overdrive so the torque converter locks up. When it locks up the transmission functions like a manual and it isn't pumping fluid like crazy. The second thing you need to do is pick a speed where you aren't constantly shifting back and forth between gears. This heats it up. The 80 series already has a pretty decent tranny cooler from the factory and plenty of fluid. It is a pretty stout tranny. But anything can break if pushed hard enough.
Another option you might be able to do is add a torque converter switch. I put one in my 100 series so I could lock up the torque converter in any gear. Check Wholesale Automatics in Australia. That is where I got my kit from and I also installed a bigger valve body and a temp gauge. I'll probably research this some more for the A442 as I have 3 trucks running that tranny right now and i sort of liked the switch for especially mountain driving. You can downshift and lock it up just like a manual. Although a mechanic friend of mine said that was stupid. He said brakes are cheap, transmissions are expensive.
Getting rid of your ABS will not increase your braking power. You still have the same master and the same pistons in the caliper. On my hybrid 60/80 I run 37s and it has cross drilled and slotted rotors with DBA pads. It brakes significantly better than my 93 80 on 315s. I bought the axles with the new rotors and brakes so I had no expense for them. So I don't have to defend my purchase. I am thinking about buying a couple more sets but they are so expensive.
I think this is a neat build. It is not what I would consider an overlanding build. Out here in the western deserts trucks are built to carry weight and run the smallest possible tire size you can and still maintain clearance. 35s are about the largest people go for overlanding. Most settle on a 285 or 295 of some sort. The reason being is rotating mass is a big deal when you are trying to go off road 300 miles between fuel stops. The more rotating mass you have the more fuel you use. The more fuel you use the more you have to carry. The more you have to carry the heavier the truck is. My opinion is lighter is better. Putting a winch on to get you through a rough section every so often is much better than slugging huge tires that generally aren't needed for overlanding. Of course regions vary. If I was in Alaska or in Canada driving through bogs on my overland adventure I'd go with the biggest nastiest tires I could find that I could maintain reasonable reliability of my drivetrain.
And I'm insanely jealous of being able to make cuts and reweld the sheet metal into something that looks nice. I'm not that talented.
Suspension wise I think you are on the right track with going with a low lift high capacity coil. It is all going to depend on how much weight you are going to carry. And at what speed you want to travel. The higher the speed you want to travel off road the more control you are going to need to control all the weight you've added to the axles. Going slow or crawling isn't going to be an issue for even a stock suspension unless you build crazy heavy bumpers, put a roof top tent, drawers, etc... on/or in it. But at speed you need to control that mass.
Anyway just some more things to think about.
cc93cruiser
CRUZAHEAD
Peeps, do this to a jeep... Not an 80....You just butchered a perfectly good 80..They are slowly becoming more scarce. . Don't take this the wrong way, but an 80 is way better than this...But, to each there own, good luck with build ...
inkpot
SILVER Star
If you have the 343 trans it will lock up in both 3rd and 4 th. Don't know about earlier tranissions .
Peeps, do this to a jeep... Not an 80....You just butchered a perfectly good 80..They are slowly becoming more scarce. . Don't take this the wrong way, but an 80 is way better than this...But, to each there own, good luck with build ...
Come to Idaho I have two 80 series bodies rust free that I'm going to take to the Crusher because nobody wants them. I feel horrible about doing it but I can't store these things forever.
My philosophy on vehicles is a little bit different. If you bought it, it is yours to do with what you want to do with it. Only you can feel bad if you feel like you failed. All others should put their money where their mouths are, buy them up then if you want to save them all. Enjoy what you have!
Come to Idaho I have two 80 series bodies rust free that I'm going to take to the Crusher because nobody wants them. I feel horrible about doing it but I can't store these things forever.
My philosophy on vehicles is a little bit different. If you bought it, it is yours to do with what you want to do with it. Only you can feel bad if you feel like you failed. All others should put their money where their mouths are, buy them up then if you want to save them all. Enjoy what you have!
[QUOTE If you bought it, it is yours to do with what you want to do with it. [/QUOTE]
I agree with this sentiment 100%
I agree with this sentiment 100%
Love it mate. Wish I had the balls to do that on my car.
I ran stock gears and 40s for a good 5months, and went to 5.29s. Honestly the difference was not as much as I hoped or expected, just getting going from a start quick and more peppy but other than that it's not amazingly better. Still have to do lots of left foot braking on any crawling, going to throw in some Marlin gears but I'd assume I'll still need lots of left foot braking.. What ever happened to that damn black box
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i ran xml's 38s for a while with 4.88s and very low 2.5" lift- trimmed fenders up to wheelwells. they were fine but simply too heavy to justify over a 37mt.
The one advantage is that the xmls are soooo beefy that you just need some plugs and can leave the spare tire at home.
with stock alum 80 rims these are about 130lbs per corner vs 37toyo mts which shave a ton of weight and are still very durable.
in reality- unless you are jumping to dana60 type strength in axles......i think the benefit of tire beef simply magnifies the stock axle weak link durability wise.
a built 80 axle even with rcv /longfields is really balanced with 35-37" tires/ vehicle weight as close to stock as possible. Thats the ultimate balanced setup in the 80 platform........once you go over 6500lbs with 130lb wheels the axles are becoming a weak link. id much rather run 37s and change a birf or two vs pushing heavy 38s and changing R&ps or having to jump into the D60 fray.
xmls are in a different league durability wise tho which has its place if u dont want to carry a spare
slippery slope- xmls ....then d60s......then LQ4 to push it all..........and id take 1fz/35-37s any day of the week.
The one advantage is that the xmls are soooo beefy that you just need some plugs and can leave the spare tire at home.
with stock alum 80 rims these are about 130lbs per corner vs 37toyo mts which shave a ton of weight and are still very durable.
in reality- unless you are jumping to dana60 type strength in axles......i think the benefit of tire beef simply magnifies the stock axle weak link durability wise.
a built 80 axle even with rcv /longfields is really balanced with 35-37" tires/ vehicle weight as close to stock as possible. Thats the ultimate balanced setup in the 80 platform........once you go over 6500lbs with 130lb wheels the axles are becoming a weak link. id much rather run 37s and change a birf or two vs pushing heavy 38s and changing R&ps or having to jump into the D60 fray.
xmls are in a different league durability wise tho which has its place if u dont want to carry a spare
slippery slope- xmls ....then d60s......then LQ4 to push it all..........and id take 1fz/35-37s any day of the week.
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This style aint for everyone, but, for me? SEXY!
FJ809496TLC
80 series addict
More pictures please!
So at 70 you must not be hitting overdrive?
- Thread starter
- #56
Man I'm not sure what it is doing. I remember it ran about 3k at 60-70mph when it had stockish street tires on it. With the xmls it seems the get up and go is the same and still runs around 3k. I drove it home tonight and will play with it again on my way to work. I'll try taking a video of the gauges while driving if I can do so safely.
Sent from my SM-G900R7
true that- ideally 35s is the true sweet spot for an expo oriented /light trail rig.
I was watching mine today too, just because of this conversation. I was at 68 indicated and still hadn't shifted into over drive. Let off the gas and of course it shifted. But then I stepped on it again to maintain speed and back out of overdrive it went. I'm trying to figure out what gears to put in it. I have 4.56s and 4.88s. I don't want to go too steep. The 5.29s with the 37" Toyo MTs is a little steep on the highway. I guess another thing that is a little different is out here our speed limit is 80mph so our highway gearing is a bit different than the slower states.
there are gear calculators online that you can use to figure out you final drive ratio with your intended setup
