Cheap Lift? Need to fit some bigger meats.

[teejay]

Truck (kinda): 99 Mazda B series 2wd 4cyl.

Problem: Want some bigger AT tires and 15" rims (has 14" now). Not HUGE tires. 75 series maybe? I dunno what that equates to in inches. Yes I mostly want it for looks, but also all terrain tires for better snow traction, and a slight lift will make my lil truck more useful to me. I need new tires soon anyway so I might as well upgrade. I can just use lift blocks or add-a-leafs in the back I suppose for a gain of 1 or 2 inches, but what about the front? I see spring "spacers" for older models but not for mine and I don't understand why.

Any ideas for a broke as a joke newb who has a lil truck that wants to be big?

[94Dodge Truggy]

Look at the ranger 2wd lifts on the internet. Should be the same. You could cut out the fenderwells or run a body lift but I am not a big fan of a body lift. You need to have a measurement of the tires that you desire to put on in order to evaluate the lift amount. Drews offroad in Hamilton or sunfire offroad may be able to steer you in the right direction.

[blazerbrad]

I think a brand name and properly installed body lift would be fine for this application, and likely the easiest and cheapest.

A "75 series" doesn't say anything about how many inches tall a tire is, that is just the aspect ratio which depends on the width and rim diameter (how tall it is compared to the width).
I.E.:
235/75R15 = approx. 29" tall, 9" wide
285/75R16 = approx. 33" tall, 11" wide
Both are "75 series" tires but quite different in overall size.

[teejay]

Ah yes I see what you mean about the aspect ratio. I need to look up the formula. I just look at other trucks and check the sidewall and rim size. For example: I spied a Toyota Hilux with 15" rims (poked out a little bit. something about backspacing and/or offset that i need to learn more about as well) with 29" tires that looked just right and would suit my needs well.

I agree about the body lift: it just seems like a cop out and a suspension lift is the proper way to go (I can understand the need for both types of lifts, but I don't need both).

I found these! http://www.stylintrucks.com/parts.aspx?partfamilyid=5260&scid=AFFP&scid=AFFP

Belltech 1" spacers for front, only ones I could find. Everything else seems to be for 97 and earlier. Still 1" isn't much, but do I need new shocks with more than an inch of lift? What about the driveshaft?

[blazerbrad]

Can't help you anymore on the lift, but here is the tire formula:

Example: 285/75R16

285 = section width of the tire in millimeters (mm), 25.4 mm = 1 inch

75 = aspect ratio in percentage (how tall the sidewall of the tire is in relation to the width...lower number is generally consider more of a "low profie" type tire, higher the number is considered more of "tall and skinny" size). 75 = 75% = 0.75

16 = rim diameter in inches (don't ask me why the formula has inches, millimeters, and a percentage).

So...

285 mm = 11.2" = tire width

11.2" x 0.75 = 8.4" sidewall height (distance between edge of tread to edge of rim)

For the overall tire height (starting from the ground, bottom of tire, and going straight up to the top of the tire) =
8.4" (bottom sidewall) + 16" (rim height) + 8.4" (top sidewall) = 32.8"

Overall tire size = 32.8" tall x 11.2" wide for a 16" rim.

[teejay]

Thanks! That's some good tire math.

[teejay]

So how about the front? Can I just swap the springs for something taller?