need advice on springs and tires

[90 red rover]

so i have been doing quite a bit of reading here on tire sizes and i think that i am going to buy some new ones this spring but i was hoping to gather some data before then about what tires to get.
firstly i think that i have a 2" spring lift on the truck now, but the rear springs are sagging, so i want to get new springs back there. i am looking for suggestions on what to get. i usually load the rear with about 600 lbs of gear and tools and 200 lbs of people when i go wheeling - so it saggs pretty good right now and my boge unit is not seeming to work.
secondly i was wondering about how much trimming i would need to do to fit 255/85-16's? if anyone has pics of these tires and specifically what they had to trim to fit them then that would be great. i am thinking about keeping the 2" spring and maybe adding a body lift of around an inch? then trimming the rest of the way?
suggestions?

[90 red rover]

anyone running the OME 2781's? i found them on expedition exchange and they seem like a good split between flexy and extra load capabilites. i could go for the 2762's but the impression i am getting is that they are a little too stiff? i mostly want to end up with around 2" of spring lift. then maybe do a 1" body lift and trimming to fit 235/85's or 255/85's.

[90 red rover]

ok got the springs in. i gained about 3/4 of an inch on the rears and the truck looks flat now - not sagging in the rear.
i really want to fit 255/85r16's though and want to see what needs to be cut in order to fit them.
i am also thinking body lift now just to get a little more for the tires. anyone cut down a 2" body lift to say 1" or so?

[roverandom]

If your not precious about the body then just cut it. I run a much wider and slightly taller 285/75R16 on my 94 four door Rangie with OME +2" spring set (I forget the code number but it is the HD set) stock bump stops, close to stock shocks, 30mm wheel spacers and I trimmed wheel arch about as far as you can and installed wheel arch flares.

I always carry a ton of gear in the back, a ARB winch bumper loaded with a 12,000lb Warn winch up front and I weigh more than 200lbs by myself and often have the wife and three kids with me and have not experienced any problems. In fact I'm very happy with the performance and that I have close to stock articulation with the larger tyres and low lift height. It will rub a little with 'V' bar style tyre chains on at full stuff when I am alone in the vehicle however so I'm right at the hairy edge of what will work without further modifications.

I don't really want to go any larger with tyre size, I had 35's for a while but switched back as I did not like them as much as I thought I would. Any further modifications will be either a body lift of 1" (easy) or reworking the inner wheel arch, toe boards and body etc for more clearance (hard). I'm not interested in lifting it further.

My 2c.

[series1rangie]

I have run 235/85 R 16, with a 2" lift, no trimming necessary, and currently run a 3" lift with 255/85s, and a trim of about half of the flare. If I had to do it again, I would stay st 2" with the 235s. With a 3" lift, you just don't gain enough to make it worth it. Especially when you start thinking score gears ect...

The happiest I have ever been with the truck was at 2" with the 235s.

Ask if that being says, whet do you off road and what do you want to be able to do?

[90 red rover]

my off roading is pretty varied. i do mostly trails that are fairly mundane but there are several obstacles that i have already been stuck on with my 245/75's. i have bent the tie rod once already and it wasnt too bad of a trail - probably wouldnt have bent it with a better line. i have been stuck in the snow a couple times and needed to get the strap out. the snow wasnt even that deep. my last rig was a scout with 37's and it was just too big and getting pretty old but it wnent a lot of places. i dont want to go larger then 33's but they seem like the best compromise. a 235 is only .63 larger in radius which woould be good but a 255 gives me 1.3" more under the axle which is quite significant.
mainly the arguement comes down to if i get the 235's and then they are not enough then it will be a long time before i can afford to get the larger tires.