I have a 1990 chevrolet k1500 4x4. im new to the 4x4 community and was wondering if my first steps where going to be reasonably right....
i have the small 305, but i plan on putting on new headers and a true split exhaust. ive seen alot of air intakes and performance chips, and i was wondering what are the best moves?
i want to bring my truck up to performance, but it will be a daily driver.
thanks,  

Look, the biggest problem your truck likely has is tall gears. Trucks that shipped with 305's usually had really tall axle gears because they used them to try to boost fleet averages on CAFE MPG tests. If you take the time to regear the truck you will get for more bang for your buck that you will chipping, headers and exhaust and air cleaner will do with stock gears and it will likely cost less to that all that other stuff added up too. BTW, if you want a cheap chip like tune for it simply reset base line timing from TDC to 8 or 10 BTDC and use 89 or better octane and you will feel more difference than you will with exhaust and air cleaner mods and stock timing with 87 octane and MPG will improve too.  

thanks,
but, like i said, im still really new to this,
how would i change the gearing?  

He is talking about the gear ratio of the ring and pinion gears in your front and rear differentials. it sounds a little overwhelming and honestly, the concept is really quite simple but the actual job can be a booger if you're not very experienced.
numerically low (aka: tall or high ratio) give you low rpm at cruising speeds but it takes the vehicle longer to get up to speed. numerically high(deep or low ratio) give you the bottom end performance desired in a truck.
a sports car typically has high gears such as 3.08:1 or 2.73:1  where as a dragster may have 4.88 or 5.13:1 gears.
the best thing for you to do may be to talk to a good 4x4 shop or axle specialist about an upgrade($1000-1200 typically on a chevy like yours). it's a very worthwhile investment, especially if bigger tires and 'wheelin are in yer future.  

90 chevy , Dont sweat the newby part too much K?
Just sit back and read up on stuff,gather the info and not be afraid to get your hands dirty.
Every one started somewhere, no is ever born with any skills, they are taught.
Yes there are people who have an affinity, lucky dogs they are! but every thing they know...you can! and it will be great.
So go forth and wheel!
welcome to the four wheelin village,ask and you probably can be answered!
happy wheelin!  

Those axles are not hard to regear as axles go and with the benefit of a OD tranny you can put some serious gears in it that can really wake up performance and yet be mild manored too for a daily driver.  

If it were me, I'd do aftermarket intake, exhaust, spark plugs (look at Pulstar plugs, not cheap, but good for 11 hp), low resistance plug wires, and tuner chip. All of these will increase fuel mileage and should make up for the lower gears.  

jg09:
If it were me, I'd do aftermarket intake, exhaust, spark plugs (look at Pulstar plugs, not cheap, but good for 11 hp), low resistance plug wires, and tuner chip. All of these will increase fuel mileage and should make up for the lower gears.

I love these posts says you can make of got lack of proper gear with a intake and exhaust which is crap. The only sure way to make up for gears (other then gears) is supercharging but then you fry tranny. Big tires with stock gears is kinda like towing a trailer with stock tires because drive train has to work harder all the time and carry more torque to move it around and cruise. Gear reset balance. I have found that those that promote such fixes (intake and exhaust) have NEVER had a properly geared truck with big tires so they are really kinda clueless as to what you really gain with it.  

If this is your first rig or you just bought it and have done nothing to it, then the first step you want to do to it is a complete tune up- plugs,wires,cap,rotor,air filter,oil change,trans filter,diff fluids.I might be missing some stuff but if you do these first then you have a pretty good idea of what needs to be changed and if the diff are bad.
Until the pup runs excellent you dont want to stuff an intake or headers or a chip first, tune it up first.A pup isnt gonna run worth a schit w/intake,headers,and chip if you dont tune it.
Then see about regearing for bigger tires.  

First step here I forgot to mention. Before you do anything, install a aux tranny cooler (assuming it is a automatic) You do not need a big one and you place it in series with tank cooler (fluid flows thru tank the aux cooler then back to tranny) DO NOT bypass tank cooler. On a GM truck the output from tank cooler in on the upper fitting on tank on passenger side.  

ive done all the usual tune-ups, changed the spark plugs, wires, oil, tranny oil, etc, and for being so old she does run like a champ still. im blown away.
thanks for help guys, i guess ill be seeing someone about some gears and a heavy duty tranny cooler.
thanks again!  

DO not get carried away with tranny cooler size (many do) Something around 7" x 12" or so should do fine.  

and keithpapa needs to put some $money$ in the swear jar.
also, 90chevy, don't forget snoman's advice on advancing the timing and runnin 89+++ fuel...i started runnin 89-90 in my '06 a few weeks ago and it has made a noticable difference. it costs a few dollars more per tank but i am convinced now that it makes up for it elsewhere. good stuff right 'dere.  

If I had a swear jar, which is a good idea, Id have over $1000.00 in it! ha ha!
And seein how the $ of gas is outragess then Im gonna fill up w/higher grade gas to get better mpgs too.  

I'm not saying that you'll make up the power. I'm just saying that those mods will help make up the loss in fuel economy that comes with lower gears.