I'm new here: need help w/ truck

[dirt lover]

Someone showed me this forum and its awsome- parts forums,a photoshop forum... Great Forum!!!

I want a silverado 1500 ext. cab, short bed 4x4. I don't want a carb beacause gas prices are crazy now.

It will be a daily asphault driver. I will be doing a lot of mountain driving on narrow roads as I downhill mountain bike (which requires driving to a mountain , leaving a car at the bottom, then driving to the top. then once we ride down 2 people go back up and get the other car).

For the dirt, I will be offroading weekends, or every few days. I will do trails, some mud, very light rock crawling, desert wheelin ( I don't want to always be breaking stuff)- basicly light allaround wheelin.

I want a good comprimise between street and offroad.

I am not sure what year to get. I know I want the '90s body style. I don't know I should go with tbi or efi version.

I want a rancho 4" lift for the front and alcan leaves for the back. I want to get the American acing mojave wheels and a procomp at tire.

[Palf70Step]

Welcome to the board...Not sure I can address what your asking. None of the 88- up trucks had carbs..all were some sort of fuel injectition system. You should not have problem finding an 88 up 4x4 extended cab truck, probably a Z71. They seem to be everywhere, least in our neck of the woods. My opinion, get one with a V8. The V6, although good, will be weezing with a 4x4 ext cab. I prefer the 96 and aboves because of the vortec engine and the change from TBI to EFI, just seem like a better combo to live with for a daily driver.

Tons of lift kits. Just find the combo that works for you. If your doing the lift only for looks, don't do it in my opinion, they work much better without the lift as a daily driver.

[dirt lover]

I know they don't have carbs. My question was :should I get an ealier truck with a tbi or a later '90s truck with an efi? So maybe an EFI would be beter? Does the newer computer stuff get messed up offroading?

For a lift, I like the rancho 4". I would get alcan leaves in the back. For shocks, I would get the rancho rs9000x w/in cab adjuster.

The wheels I want are american racing mojave teflon wheels. For tires 33" procomp at's.

-I would never lift if it was only for street. I hate when people do that. I will be offroading.

-Maybe I don't need a lift at first. Would those tires/wheels clear a stock truck w/ minimum fender triming?

-Or would a 4" be OKAY on street?

[Blue Beard]

Welcome to the board from Washington State...

Just bought a 96 Silverado with SFI and Overdrive Trans.

City 18, highway 25

Lovin it, especially passing the stations.

[dirt lover]

Whats sfi?

[Blue Beard]

Sequential Fuel Injection....much better for mileage.

[dirt lover]

What is the difference between efi and sfi? I thought '95 + came w/ efis.

[dirt lover]

Maybe for an all around truck I would be better off w/ a new one.

[Palf70Step]

TBI and SFI are both forms of electronic fuel injection (EFI) Just different technologies of dispersing the fuel with EFI. The engines built after 96 Vortec V8s are more efficient that the TBI ones. Part of that is changing from TBI to SFI, amoung other things like improvements in the head design.

Far as new to these years.....no contest in my opinion. I like the looks and feel of the 88-98 compared to the newer ones. Would the 2005/06 be more efficent...yes...but not enough for me to pay the price for a new one. Again just my opinion. Me, I would look for a 96-98 with a 350 (5.7) Z71. There are tons of them out there, least around here. Then make the mods you want...lift or not...or whatever. Again to me, you will have a better truck and more fun....and cost less than a new one.

[dirt lover]

I didn't mean a NEW truck, i meant a newer '90s truck. I don't want a new truck-way too much $. I'm thinking a z71 96-98. More efficient, more power, and not as much computer stuff as the later trucks.

[skillet]

TBI is Throttle Body Injection and uses a two barrel carburetor-style throttle with 2 injectors on a 350 that spray down on top of the throttle blades. SFI has 8 injectors on a 350, 1 per cylinder. TBI is cheaper, operates at a lower fuel pressure, less complex and easier to troubleshoot than high-pressure multi-port injection. SFI is designed to be more precise, provide more horsepower, deliver better performance and better gas mileage.

[stueber68]

Both of these systems are really reliable and efficient. Yes the Vortec motor (96-99 body style) is more complicated but it is still a really great motor. It sounds like either one of these would make you a really great truck with proper maintenance. Both of these trucks get good gas mileage for the most part but do be prepared to see that mileage drop quick playing on the weekends. Good luck and good riding!

[dirt lover]

Thanks for all the help with this!

[dirt lover]

Does anyone have the 4" rancho lift? I think that would be nice with deaver springs (nearby) in the back. Would 4" make it level, or should I get 5" in the back? Should I have more travel in the back?

I would also get the thing offroad designs makes that raises the sway bar 2" to help correct it w/ lifts. You can adjust it so the sway bar is active or inactive. Does anyone have that?

Also, I heard from some that the rancho rs9000x shocks don't peform well and aren't durable. I also heard that the 9 adjustments don't do much. Does anyone know about these?