The 6 Best Mods You Can Make to Your Truck
October 10, 2003
California Super Trucks' Chris Robinson shares his decades of winning off-road experience
Chris Robinson has been winning off-road races for over two decades -- as a mechanic, a driver, a builder and parts supplier. He drove and crewed for a number of top off-road racing teams before hanging up his helmet to build his business, California SuperTrucks (CST), located in Riverside, into one of the foremost suppliers of off-road high performance suspension kits: CST suspension.
We asked the man who has been there, done it, and won it, what are the six most important changes to your truck to get the most out of it off-road? Here are Chris' answers.
- Tires and wheels. "Start by changing the wheel and tire package. That will dramatically improve both the looks and the performance of your truck. You want better tires than what usually comes as original equipment, even for spirited street driving. A BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A®KO tire will give you far better than average traction. It will also give you a much better-looking package."
- Shocks and springs. "An aftermarket shock absorber set will dramatically enhance your truck's performance. And the rule with shocks is, you get what you pay for. The more you pay for shocks, the better your handling and control will be."
- Differential and gear package. "If you put on bigger tires and wheels, you want to lower the gear ratio. A lower gearset will put your speedometer back in synch, improve gas mileage, and also save wear and tear on the transmission and motor. Along with a set of lower gear ratios, buy a locked rear end. An open rear end isn't very good off-road, and it's not good for traction at all."
- Lift kit. "If you've gone to a bigger tire/wheel package, a lift kit will give you additional ground clearance for off-road work. It will also give you wheelwell clearance for your bigger tires and wheels." *
- Skid plate. "You want a skid plate to protect your differential. All our 4X4 lift kits include skid plates. Besides the protection, they are a great look that off-road truckers like."
- Winch. "Adding a winch is an improvement in security and safety issues. It can allow you to navigate extremely rugged terrain, get unstuck, and get you out of a bind at night.
When it comes to tires, Chris recommends BFGoodrich® tires. "I think one reason BFGoodrich tires are better is that the company puts more into it than any other company. Especially from a racing perspective. And racing carries over into street tires. The specs of BFGoodrich tires far exceed what the tires actually need to do. They just hold up better than other tires."
For more info you can visit CST's web site at www.cstsuspension.com.
* Lift kit installation and the resulting change in vertical center of gravity can change the vehicle's handling characteristics, increasing the potential for rollover.
Article by David Barry
Photos courtesy CST Suspensions
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