'97 GMC Safari AWD BackCountryVans maiden voyage

[ihatemybike]

4" lift with 10.5x31 R 15 tires is the most common lifted setup for these vans. 235/75R15 tires will fit with 2 or more inches of lift.

 

[AmericaOverland]

Sorry about the audio, forgot to edit it out...just wind noise...turn your speakers down.

The dogs look like they're trying to tell you that you forgot someone (the cameraman). Nice!

 

[roostercruiser]

i like it:coffeedrink:

 

[Herbie]

Collective wisdom over on AstroSafarivans.com seems to indicate that a lot less trimming of the body work at the rear of the front tire well (near the doors) is required if you're a bit more conservative with tire diameter.

Looking at how much I like the tall/skinny look on Vanagons, etc., I was thinking of trying a 215/85-16 (30.4" nominal) on OEM 7" wheels. These are available in a variety of AT and commercial traction tires, usually load range D, which should be just-enough-kill on my Astro, balloon out nicely for SoCal desert sand, and give a decent tread life...

 

[RocKrawler]

Most 31/10.50's are usually around 30.5-30.7" tall unless you go to swampers which are actual or over advertised size.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

 

[Loopie]

I already wish I went with the 30's on my 2.5" lifted '97 here...just so I could see if they clear 100% on the front with the minor trimming I did thus far. Heck, I wouldn't mind a set of mounted 31's to test fit too, just to see how they'd fit with a 2.5-3" front lift.....
I have some good pics of the trimming to date...

 

[Loopie]

Blank canvas

Remove the inner splash guard

 

[Loopie]

Take a sawzall(or what-have-you) straight thru at this angle and remove the bracket too

 

[Loopie]

No change to the cosmetic appearance from outside the wheel well...see? Don't be afraid kids...

 

[Loopie]

Cut a slice into the lip at the corner. Not completely necassary, but the lip will fold nicer

A 2.5lb sledge makes short work of the fold, but any hammer will get ya there

Now do the verticle lip...pound it all flat and feel for any sharp edges..you want it all smooth

 

[Loopie]

Clean it and primer it. In this pic, also note that you may have to trim a little of the rubber splash guard as seen in the right circle, and also use a pair of pliers to fold back/up the thin sheet metal splash guard...easy peasy

 

[Loopie]

Trim that inner splash guard you removed earlier

Done! (covered the primer with some truck bed liner)
Zero rub from 235's
(pic doesn't show the folding up of that lower edge on the right tho)

 

[Loopie]

BTW...what a trim job like this has done is remove any sharp edges...so now, you could have a tire that rubs a little yet not get cut:victory:

 

[r_w]

AND took care of that mud holder rust starter pocket. That should be done on any van, lifted or not. Any van that drives outside Arizona, anyway.

 

[Loopie]

Good eye r_w....but for the sake of detail, that mud holding pocket is made up of plastic and the bracket and rivets supporting it are actually aluminum. Just sayin'...