My girlfriend's friend's uncle owns a lift shop locally to me and I'm waiting to here, but he may be able to get me a basic fabtech spindle and shocks to lift my truck and basically take off the installation fees so it would only be around $400 installed for everything.

I recently bought about 6 months ago my first ranger(4x2 sport). My last truck was a Nissan Frontier lifted and I am really missing going offroading and would like to get my truck to at least be capable of some sort of offroading. On the other hand, it is brand new and I have the 3 year warranty. After spending the money for wheels and tires, I could probably get everything done for around $1500. Thats $1000 less than what I would spend to go through 4wheel parts.

My question is should I leave it stock for now and hold off on offroading for a while(2 1/2 years) or should I save up for a couple of months and void my warranty only to spend money on a lift that can't take too much abuse? Of course I'm not going to be taking it out to the desert and jumping it, but I can at least go out to a local trail and have something to do when I'm bored and also look good on the street with the lift.

 

If it is a '06 or '07 then I would not void the warrenty just yet. I have heard some horror stories about some of the '07's. Blades

 

Yep, i voted stock.

 

just get some bigger tires

 

Since you have a Sport ("edge") If you put some 31 or 32s on it you'll have over 10" of ground clearance which is more then plenty for normal offroading. Trust me with a nice set of aftermarket tires you'll be just fine.




Although i'd love to be able to lift mine, it would be for looks not off-road necessity

 

just get some bigger tires maybe a crank of those t-bars for now...then lift it later on after warranty and all that stuff...

 

im with ^^ those 2 fools. get yourself a nice wheel+tire package and you're good.

 

Are you from Mission viejo --> MV?

 

I too would wait just a little while and get a good set of wheels and tires. You will gain traction and some clearance and by the time it's time to buy new tires, you will already have a set of wheels to put them on and some of the cost will be offset. Plus all the little quirks that need to be looked at under warranty will already be worked out and you will be good to go.

Normally, I don't stress warranties but when it comes to offroading, the things that break tend to be more expensive than the things that break at the drag strip.

 

I wouldnt lift either because like you said it can't take much abuse. you need much more than just spindles and shocks and the $1000 you saved on install would go right back out into things like gears, tuner, shackles, AAL, 8 31 spline rear-end... or into repairs and gas if you didnt do those things so keep saving

 

Yep, born and raised for almost 20 years.

 

I couldn't wait. I started offroading mine almost immediately because someone invited me to go and after that it was all over. I've been slowly but steadily getting more involved and modding more.

My truck is paid off September of 2007. I don't recommend modifying it during the warranty period, but I did and SO FAR haven't had any real warranty problems. I use all synthetic lubes (even bearing and ball joint grease) and pretty much keep up with maintenance. On the other hand, I've gotten jiggy with it and broke a few things.

It's a tough decision and I wish you well with making the right one for your situation.

 

Alright, well that actually helped a lot. 100% of you said to keep it stock and throw some bigger tires under it and maybe some wheels, so when I get some money, that is what I will most likely do. Thanks for all the replies.

 

i have decided that the way to do it is:

have your daily driver/primary dependable vehicle
have your offroad toy that you don't depend on to get from point [a] to point [b]

i won't mix the two up ever again. i've learned my lesson(s) the hard way...

 

I should have learned that Christian, but apparently I'm too hard-headed to take the lesson...

 

I think I've replaced/warrantied/upgraded a larger % of my truck, due to broken/destroyed/ruined/bent/or blown parts... than anyone else on the site... especially for a truck this age.

Believe you me, I've learned my lesson(s).

 

Keep it stock until warranty runs out. That's what I am going to do at least. Plus I can't afford anything much right now

 

screw warrenties mod it till it bleeds!

 

I don't know, I think you and D are close, but as far as offroad, you got it.

 

well, d has replaced more sheet metal, that's for sure...

i haven't wrecked it like that...

 

^^Knock on wood^^

 

stock, unless you want to be puttin great amounts into it

 

I remeber you having lots of tranny problems Christian. How many trannies did you go through??

 

Don't hurt your poor baby girl! For about the same price you could get yourself an old off-road beater that could be much better at off-roading, and you wouldn't have to worry about warranty or any of that other business.

 

i'm on:

motor #2
transmission #4 (3 covered under warranty)
rear end #2 (covered under warranty)
new front suspension
new shocks
new brakes
and the list goes on and on and on and on (and alot more warranty work)

but she goes where i want to take her... if i'm going somewhere, and i mean anywhere, i take a straight line to where i want to go. the ranger gets me over/under/through anything i've ever needed to go through/under/over...

except 4.5ft+ deep water... haha... but that was recreational, not necessary, and i've learned my lessons...