well, to protect all thoes young guys with little experence out there and represent them, id have to say that getting a lift (3.5") for me becomes a necesity to keep up with my friend with the 85 4 runner with 35's locked front/rear, 5.88 gears, dual t-cases, hi-steer ...
He bought this truck from a builder and never turned a wrench on it. he rolled it (it has an exo) and then learned how to drive in my XJ, then drove his rig through stuff that he couldnt before and began fixing his show truck and making it a real off roader [re did suspention, added skids, bought a spare tire, and added tow points]
anyway, id have to say to anyone new, start stock, drive and have fun.
All of my friends who had a stock vehicle and wheeled it then upgraded slowly, spent 5000 (over a period of years), tell me that they had just as much fun stock, only it was less expensive breakage that occured.
i.e. when stock, a friend banged up his oil pan real bad (TJ) and replaced it before it was terrible, then added armor [learning]
then after his 6" total lift and 35's he snaped his rear d-shaft u-joint and axle shaft (D44) while crawling...
new oil pan = 50? IIRC
axle shaft, u-joint, headache of pulling yourself to the road then driving 20 hours home in 4high with a trans leaking atf all the way = priceless
i dono, i started stock (with factory off road package THANK GOD!) and got oil pan skid, t-case skid and rear reciever as first mods. Then CB and 235/75 BFG all-terrains
had a ton of fun on that setup.
more mods doesnt equal more fun...
