I think I'm going to chicken out and run buy the 285's....in my original post I said 285 and be done so I think I'm going to stick with it...and that will give me time to scrap up Z71 axles with 410s, build the bumpers and other stuff before I go to the 315's. So maybe in a couple of years I will have it all done and slap some 315's on it.
I do plan on following some Land cruiser guys around the Ozarks they all run 35s. I do think they will fit with keys and H2 springs under it. I do not mind cutting some metal and half of the rear wheel well will be gone before long I plan on cutting the bottom of the rear quarters off and the same for the front by removing the bumper and building a prerunner style bumper.Unless your going to run a good size lift kit or wanting to do major wheeling the 285 is just fine. Are you planing to go big? The drive train is still a half ton.
I know you are the reason I even considered 315's. I was perfectly happy with 285s until I seen 37's on yours! And yes I don't mind doing a little body work.Go big or go home, I say go with 37s they worked well for me. LOL. Just a thought but a quick $3" body lift and 315 will fit great and not rub. Maybe a tiny bit of fender trimming and massaging with a 5lb sledge.
Don't fear the gear. I ran 37s with 3.73s for a year and off road the Sub was great, I just could not use 4th gear on long highway uphills.
So I've not got it back together yet but I do have the heater core T's on hand that you suggested when I did the knock sensors. Also I went through the synthetic problem I swapped it out within 1500miles of putting it in...I don't know if it made anymore leaks because the seals where already bad but it did make the ticking worse.....I also switched brands of oil filters from fram to wix after cutting one of the fram flilter apart and seeing how the paper had collapsed and left gaps in the filter material. supposedly from what I've been able to come up with the wix is the best bang for the buck when it comes to filters.Surprised your heater core lines at the firewall connectors didn't spring a leak after moving things around like that.
The lifter tick in cyl1-2 is common unfortunately, there's a few odd things you can try to clean it out, but ultimately it looks like new lifters are needed. You'r ehigher pressure oil pump might solve it, with a good detergent oil. DONT use synthetic unless it's been in use all along, I sprung all kinds of oil leaks when I inadvertantly switched. Still have my new valley pan cover gasket to swap in, next time I have the intake off.
Balancer shouldnt matter much. Just check that the rubber between the inner and outer steel rings is still in place. I'm surprised it's not keyed, though.
Ive got a new singing bearing noise cropping up nice and loud on cold mornings when I head to school. I think it's coming from my alternator. 146k mi. Next week when I have time I'll dismount and split open the ALT and grease the end bearing in the back half. The idlers were replaced a couple years ago. I'm hoping like hell it isn't my power steering pump and that reminds me I haven't checked its fluid level in years. But there's no visible leaks from that system.
GMT800s are definitely starting to get long in the tooth. Still cheap and easy to work on, though.