Fred Williams
Brand Manager, Petersen’s 4Wheel & Off Road
The GMC Sierra 1500 is the quintessential pickup. But every basic truck has the ability to be so much more with a few tweaks here and there. For example, we recently took a dirt-basic 4.8L V-8 half-ton regular cab short bed in a color very close to dirt-brown and transformed it from dirt-boring to a solid rock star.
The upgrades were simple and done at Pacific Fabrication in a long day. First was the new 6-inch lift kit from BDS Suspension. This was accessorized with remote-reservoir coilover shocks from Fox Racing Shox, allowing for a finely tuned ride. The added elevation offered clearance for a set of 35-inch Mickey Thompson rubber on new rims. Lift, shocks, tires, wheels . . . and by the end of the day a boring pickup boasted ground clearance, ride quality, and traction that could only be dreamt of before.
One boring little truck outfitted with lame street tires, low bumpers, a bad rake, and no attitude. Great for Grandpa to go fishing in, but we’re not grandpas yet.
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The finished truck on 315/70R17 Baja MTZ tires and KMC XD series wheels looks 100 times better than the brown canvas we started with. The suspension is tight and responsive, controlling the big tires with ease and accepting big hits off-road. The tires require just the slightest trimming of the wheel liners at full turn. The truck has been quickly transformed into a wheeling toy great for beginner trails and weekend exploring.
