New to Off Roading

I am about to purchase a 2000 2500 4 door chevy with the vortec 454. The truck has a 10" suspension lift and a 3" bodylift with 42" super swampers. I have always been into off roading but never had a good truck for it. Is there any problems that I may come across other than gas mileage that i should be worried about? Any information would be great.  

Gas milage is going to be the pits! As fare as possible problems, ball joints, cv axles, sterring will all likely need to be upgraded if it wasn't previously. Also, expect no to very little flex, which will likely not be a concern cause this sounds like more of a "mud truck". If you want it to be a trail truck, I would probably suggest looking for a truck w/ less lift, and a little shorter wheelbase!  

Expect tranny and tcase replacement soon too if truck has not bee regeared with at least 5.13 gears for those tires and preferably deeper yet.

this truck is definetly goin to be a mud truck. where i live in arkansas we have some awsome mudholes and i dont plan on takin it on trails, thats what my polaris is for. as far as getting it regeard where can i get that done  

I would call/shop around a bit for best prices and you could also buy the gears online and they shop for a quote on labor to do it. Precision and Yukon makes good gear sets. If the drive train is stock, you should have a GM 9.25 IFS up front and a 14 bolt 10.5 in rear. Your rear axle is pretty solid with 44's but you front end it really over matched but you might get by as long as you do not put a locker in the front. 5.13 is as deep as ypu can go with your current axles because of carrier design/offset, not because of gear strength issues.

do you know what kind of tranny is in it?? i do remember the guy sayin it is stock and what kind would be a good swap, and also the back is on blocks is there any other way of keeping the same height but gettin rid of the blocks?

As fare as rear springs go, you could get some custom ones made from alcan or deaver or just get pre-made springs from a company and you could get an ord shackle flip so the springs wouldn't have to be as arched.  

ok thanks, do you know of any websites wher i can order solid front axles and other drivetrain components, i hate soundin snobbish but money realy isnt a factor in this build i want everything done right the first time so if anything breaks for watever reason it is my fault, if that makes any sense.  

your tranny is a 4l80e, its pretty stout unit  

While a 4L80 is a tuff tranny, it will not live long with 44's and stock gears but there are those that thing all the extra rubber with stock gears adds no serious strain to tranny amd drive line.

i agree he is in need of gears bad  

So are we just assuming that it already isn't geared, cause he said the tranny was stock, but I would suggext asking the seller if he has regeared it, and btw, they are 42's, not 44's. As fare as a sfa conversion, there are a bunch of comanies to look into, ORU and Fabritech to name a few, and kelderman is coming out with a new air ride sfa setup for chevys. I would definatley recommend going w/ a  dana 60 out of a 78-79 ford or any chevy and you will have to change the t-case!  

Very few take the time and expense to properly regear their trucks. Some still think that 4.10 are great with 36's or 38's. If I was going to swap front axle,I would not swap in a D60, I would look for a 70 for front becauce even a 60 in front would be marginal with 44's.

last night i spoke to the previous owner and he told me the truck has 4.11 in the front and rear. should i still go with the 5.18?  

Without doubt, even they are tall for 44's they are a lot better than 4.10's. With 44's and 4.10's, it is equal to about a 2.8 axle ratio with 30's which is TALL!! A 5.13 would give you the equivelant of about a 3.43 with 30's, Still marginal at best but a lot better. You really need deeper than 5.13 but it is the deepest you can go with your current axles. 5.13's would perk it up a lot any you will not regret doing it and your tranny, Tcase, drive shafts and motor mounts will see a lot less strain too.