I have a 1997 Chevy ½ ton crew cab 4x4 with about 130K miles and I am trying to decide whether to buy a new truck or mod my current truck. The truck has 285 BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A’s. The truck is in good shape, has been pretty reliable and runs well, but I have not been impressed by its ability in the snow or slippery stuff.

I run retriever field trials and find myself in many fields and farms in all weather conditions, when there are muddy rutted paths, I may as well just find another truck with a tow strap; I have worse issues when we have deep snow on the farm. I have had it in to the local dealer and they can’t find anything wrong. Can you guys offer some suggestions?

My goals for the truck are
Reliability
Reasonable on road performance
MUCH better off road performance in snow and muddy fields

Some questions are:
1. I would like to move to a slightly taller tire (305?) what are my best gearing choices?
2. Of course the truck has an IFS front end, can I get a better differential up there?
3. What differential should I be looking at for the (10 bolt?) rear?
4. I think the truck may have the heated differential connector and I don’t have much faith in it, how can I change it out?

Thanks for your thoughts and any new ideas,

Bud Gordon

The best money you could spend and still drive it down the highway is to add lockers front & rear, its the dif between getting out & calling for help.

i know someone makes a mechanical front axle disconnect replacement. i think its bds suspension.

A good snow tire is a Goodyear MT/R.

Thanks for the input guys, what front diff should I be looking at?

Bud

Sweet ans. I put a detroit locker in the rear of my chevy powered yota and its a world of difference in the slop! THOUGH you will suffer in cornering under power with those lockers(rear)

this place sells everything in lockers.

http://www.drivetrain.com/