I plan to order a new 2004.5 3500 DRW 4WD CTD 6 speed. I have a few questions:

1. What is a widest tire I can reasonable put on the stock rims with out rubbing the rears or requiring a lift kit? I would not like to add a spacer between the DRW.
2. What simple modifications (leveling kit) are needed for even wider tires. I do not want a big lift.
3. What aftermarket shocks are recommended to replace factory shocks.
4. I plan to add a Detroit Soft locker to the rear and a TrueTrac Limited Slip Type in the front. I belive the rear is a Dana 80 and the front a Dana 60 - is this correct?


Truck will principally used to haul a Lance Lite 915 slide-in camper offroad. Wider tires help with floatation when I head down to Padre Island Nat'l Seashore for some surf fishing down here in Texas.

 

Ok Bilsten Shocks.

But what about the tires for a 2004.5 DRW with stock 6" x 17" wheels. I have seen 255/85R16 tires on a 6" x 16" wheel but have no knowledge of the 17" wheels and clearnaces with the new trucks.

 

There is a substantial difference in the tire width between the 235/85-16's to 255/85-16's the 235's are 9.25" wide and the 255's are 10.04". You'll loose a lot of space between the duals, like ~3/4". Every shop I talked to very strongly recommended against them without using a spacer, even empty running a good bump could cause them to rub....which would be bad news. Here is a page that can help for computing tire sizes and stuff if its of any use.

I'm still contemplating the spacer idea, just wanting to decrease the rpm's a bit for my daily driver, but every now and again I do a bit a med/heavy towing. Just not to sure about the spacer idea yet...need to do a bit more research.

 

We just did the same thing to a 2003 dually 4x4. We ran the 255/85's with a 1/2 ton leveling kit. (lifted just a little higher than the 1 ton). We pull a 30ft enclosed trailer and they don't rub. Good luck.

 

The axles they are using are no longer Dana.

The name AAV rings a bell, but I can't remember for sure who is making the axles. To my knowledge, they are in no other vehicels.

As far as tires, I can't find any tires that are in a 17" diameter that are recommended for a 6" wide rim.

265 is the narrowest I could find, and they recommend a 7" rim.

I would talk to a tire shop and see what they say.

 

The axles in the 2003+ are made by American Axle. I think GM is also using American Axle products in some of their vehicles.

 

I am running 255/85-16's with a 1/4" spacer and my tires still rub.