With that budget you can do a lot. My advice is not to do too much until you get some trail time in and get a feel for what capabilities are falling short of your desires. Big lifts and tires are sexy but there are penalties in economy, durability, and reliability.
Some random observations:
The front diff is weak. Will have to plan around that at higher levels of stress. Most serious OR builders will say just go for the straight axle swap. I like the ride of IFS so I’ll be swapping in the center section from a 2500 should I get that deep into the pool.
Any significant lift (more than a level) for the IFS involves aftermarket spindles, which bring along several additional inches in track width. Then add big tires and it’s very wide. That’s nice on the dunes. Not so much in the trees or a shelf road.
You get what you pay for in lifts. Prices vary, so does performance.
Build for the terrain you like. Mud, mountains, deserts, have dissimilar build needs for best results.
To a certain degree you can swap trimming for lifting. A 4” with the NorCal mod is roughly equivalent to a 6” without. More trim and less lift will keep your weight lower, which is a plus.
Have fun with your project and post up some pictures!
My pictures are here:
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/building-the-ss-v-trailhoe.124192/
