I run 33x9.5s on stock gearing, the on street performance truly sucks, on long hills its 55mph flat out in 3rd. Fifth gear is a distant memory. I have 5:83s ready to go in but I want a steel front axle first

You will still not be happy, and there's very little you can do about highway performance.  I'm just on 31's with the 5.83's and it's not good.  That's with a snorkel AND K&N filter on the intake, and header & 2" high flow on the output side.  I'm this close to stealing that fat little 2.5 V6 out of my wife's Grand Vitara.

There's always My Way
MuHu Ha Ha Ha  

the SS tslsx tire are really 29" OD so i will see what they are like, in shipping right now  but i bet i still change the gears next year....$$$!
as far as the alt goes i will see what getting rid of the underdrive does, i cant believe that there isnt yet a quick simple 'kit' alt for this?  it looks like the one at roadless is for a sami?  the guy at the alt shop held up a 92amp GM one and i was drooling, but didnt know if it would fit for $145  i suppose you can make just about anything fit if ya want it bad enough.  later this summer i will have a total of 6 50w lights to power up so i will have to find something.
Q, someone said 16v would add 20hp, what year is that and would it bolt onto my block and intake?

You need 16V pistons too, they have the
recesses for the valves, and no it will not
bolt onto your intake, you need the whole
top end, and computer for the easiest swap.

You might as well do a rebuild and the 16V
at the same time, you could half A it but why
go thru all the trouble and do a half job.

Wild

 Why not just buy a 16 engine complete and install it with the harness and computer and be done with it?
Just a thought.
The sammy kit will work with the kick, same wiring connections. After all, the kick alt. works in my sammy just fine, a plug-n-play!

i don't know why anyone would want 16V other than for the fuel injection.  it gives you like 10 more hp in higher RPMS.

Stu

yes but 10 more HP  

the SS tslsx tire are really 29" OD so i will see what they are like, in shipping right now  but i bet i still change the gears next year....$$$!
as far as the alt goes i will see what getting rid of the underdrive does, i cant believe that there isnt yet a quick simple 'kit' alt for this?  it looks like the one at roadless is for a sami?  the guy at the alt shop held up a 92amp GM one and i was drooling, but didnt know if it would fit for $145  i suppose you can make just about anything fit if ya want it bad enough.  later this summer i will have a total of 6 50w lights to power up so i will have to find something.
Q, someone said 16v would add 20hp, what year is that and would it bolt onto my block and intake?

there is a GM alt braket somewhere on the net its like 30 bucks

at a higher RPM.  i don't run 5500 on the road(well aleast not all the time)  lol

stu

there is a GM alt braket somewhere on the net its like 30 bucks

 anyone know where?

well thanks again all!!  nix on the 16v  my g/f would kill me if i started talking about doing more to the engine  since it has been sitting in the garage since thanksgiving, which means her sport track sits outside, hee hee.  gotta have your priorities!

i am putting in that Calmini cam though, anyone have one?  did it do anything for the $150?

i think trail tough has them.

stu