Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Installed backwards?
Blower Blazer Build
- Thread starter Maverick
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- build thread
BCGPER
Starting Another Thread
- Location
- Sunny Arizona
Yup. On mine, the front of the spring sits several inches lower than the rear. The tapered block is intended to go in wide side forward, to keep the pinion level. Just by dumb luck, installing it narrow side forward aligned the pinion angle perfectly for a CV.
BCGPER
Starting Another Thread
- Location
- Sunny Arizona
Not on a 72, whole diferent animal. 
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
No progress this week, too busy at work. Haven't even been able to websurf.
Got some snow on the mountain already, it will melt but more is coming...so I'm a little nervous about getting this all together by the end of November. Right now I'm leaning towards Tuff Country HD front springs and a rear shackle flip and rear CV shaft, though it seems the t-case lowering spacer might have to be used due to time constraints.
What is typically done on the front? Spacer?
Or not...I may just end up with no lift at all this season, and simply running a 31" or 32" tire with chains.
The weird thing is that it already sits a little higher than stock. Gonna get some underneath pics and post them up.
Got some snow on the mountain already, it will melt but more is coming...so I'm a little nervous about getting this all together by the end of November. Right now I'm leaning towards Tuff Country HD front springs and a rear shackle flip and rear CV shaft, though it seems the t-case lowering spacer might have to be used due to time constraints.
What is typically done on the front? Spacer?
Or not...I may just end up with no lift at all this season, and simply running a 31" or 32" tire with chains.
The weird thing is that it already sits a little higher than stock. Gonna get some underneath pics and post them up.
'03_RUBI
Active Member
- Location
- West Jordan
I had a 91 Suburban years ago with six inch springs and used a front drive shaft spacer and never had any issues with it.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Lift-Kit..._c=1&t_s=101&t_pt=4161&t_pl=3919&t_pn=SUP4310
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Lift-Kit..._c=1&t_s=101&t_pt=4161&t_pl=3919&t_pn=SUP4310
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Ah, perfect.
Just sat down to surf a bit, try and find some of the Western controller parts I need.
Just sat down to surf a bit, try and find some of the Western controller parts I need.
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Some pics of the underside.
I'm trying to figure out if the rear has an add-a-leaf added, or if, suddenly, in 1990, after 20 years of making tail-dragging half-ton trucks, Chevy suddenly decided to fix the problem. Doubt it.
The 2nd leaf seems to be an add-a-leaf, making 5 leaves plus overload. However, on the first page, 2insane posted a pic of a stock blazer suspension, which actually has 6 leaves plus overload.
Moving to the front, I know that some "heavy" 1/2ton pickups came with a 3-leaf front; I didn't know that blazers did. Is there a plow package? RPO VYU? I'll have to check the codes. The 3pack doesn't seem to be doing much. I added a 3rd leaf to my '74 and it sat pretty flat, even holding up a 396.
There's no obvious evidence that this formerly had a plow on it, but I could take a closer look.
Also, the pic of the transfercase output shows the slipyoke to be a little extended, indicating to me that it's not at stock height.
I think that this weekend will be "install axles time", whether or not I lift it.
I'm trying to figure out if the rear has an add-a-leaf added, or if, suddenly, in 1990, after 20 years of making tail-dragging half-ton trucks, Chevy suddenly decided to fix the problem. Doubt it.
The 2nd leaf seems to be an add-a-leaf, making 5 leaves plus overload. However, on the first page, 2insane posted a pic of a stock blazer suspension, which actually has 6 leaves plus overload.
Moving to the front, I know that some "heavy" 1/2ton pickups came with a 3-leaf front; I didn't know that blazers did. Is there a plow package? RPO VYU? I'll have to check the codes. The 3pack doesn't seem to be doing much. I added a 3rd leaf to my '74 and it sat pretty flat, even holding up a 396.
There's no obvious evidence that this formerly had a plow on it, but I could take a closer look.
Also, the pic of the transfercase output shows the slipyoke to be a little extended, indicating to me that it's not at stock height.
I think that this weekend will be "install axles time", whether or not I lift it.
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Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
The word I get back is that those are stock springs. Interesting. Far cry from my '74.
I did a lot of thinking last night, carefully considering the difference between getting around on 31's vs 35's up on the mountain, which is what is driving the decision on the lift kit. I just think about the ease and confidence I have in the Scrambler vs ANY other vehicle I've been in up there. Even in the chained up eXcursion or stupercrew it's sometimes iffy getting up the last hill. In the Scrambler (chained up 39's) it's like, "what snow?"
If I can find some 9-16's that would rock, but even old school mud-terrains or swampers would work. The chains take care of the ice/packed snow issues, and the tire size/diameter will help keep me from getting buried.
By a stroke of luck, the guy who sold me the axles sent a text today asking if I wanted to buy the 4" lift that was with the axles (springs, blocks, arm, etc) for $150. Score!!! Just need to find some shocks and U-bolts.
(15 minutes later)
Found 4" shocks at Autozone for $34 and U-bolts at Jackit. (The U-bolts won't be much more than if I go get them made to order at AAA. btdt too many times. By the time I take all the measurements, drive out there, wait around, drive back, I could have made some easy money sitting at work listening to tunes.)
Looks like an axle swapping, blaza-liftin' weekend. Hope the snow holds off 'til Sunday. Maybe I'll have to play hooky on Friday.
My neighbor with the blower called me last night, she's taking it to the shop to fix the high-idle switch, won't let me pay her 'til it's running perfect. Sweet!
I did a lot of thinking last night, carefully considering the difference between getting around on 31's vs 35's up on the mountain, which is what is driving the decision on the lift kit. I just think about the ease and confidence I have in the Scrambler vs ANY other vehicle I've been in up there. Even in the chained up eXcursion or stupercrew it's sometimes iffy getting up the last hill. In the Scrambler (chained up 39's) it's like, "what snow?"
If I can find some 9-16's that would rock, but even old school mud-terrains or swampers would work. The chains take care of the ice/packed snow issues, and the tire size/diameter will help keep me from getting buried.
By a stroke of luck, the guy who sold me the axles sent a text today asking if I wanted to buy the 4" lift that was with the axles (springs, blocks, arm, etc) for $150. Score!!! Just need to find some shocks and U-bolts.
(15 minutes later)
Found 4" shocks at Autozone for $34 and U-bolts at Jackit. (The U-bolts won't be much more than if I go get them made to order at AAA. btdt too many times. By the time I take all the measurements, drive out there, wait around, drive back, I could have made some easy money sitting at work listening to tunes.)
Looks like an axle swapping, blaza-liftin' weekend. Hope the snow holds off 'til Sunday. Maybe I'll have to play hooky on Friday.
My neighbor with the blower called me last night, she's taking it to the shop to fix the high-idle switch, won't let me pay her 'til it's running perfect. Sweet!
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Cool tires!
http://www.stausaonline.com/light-truck/superlug.html
Probably end up with some used 35's. There's been a couple on ksl. I'm swapping an axle for some H2's and other parts, so the tires will need to be 17's, but if I find a cheap set of 315's, or even these 9-16's, I'll get some cheap steelies and use the H2's on my jeep.
Brett
http://www.stausaonline.com/light-truck/superlug.html
Probably end up with some used 35's. There's been a couple on ksl. I'm swapping an axle for some H2's and other parts, so the tires will need to be 17's, but if I find a cheap set of 315's, or even these 9-16's, I'll get some cheap steelies and use the H2's on my jeep.
Brett
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Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Taking the blazer under the knife tomorrow. Snow will be flyin' outside, but we'll be inside my friend's shop. Axles are painted. Picked up the conversion u-joint tonight, picking up the shocks in the morning.
No word on the blower yet. It's at a different shop, heading over there on Monday or Tuesday.
Brett
No word on the blower yet. It's at a different shop, heading over there on Monday or Tuesday.
Brett
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Blazer is mostly lifted. Need to finish the brake lines and install the driveshafts and front shocks.
Blower is fixed, runs great.
Checked out the controls, took some pics and wrote down numbers. Gotta go online and spend some more money.
Swapped a Dana50 for some H2 bling (thanks Ryan!)
Picked up some 35x12.50r17 Hankooks. These things are way more aggressive than the photos suggest.
Excited to get this all together.
Next up will be installing the Ultramount truck-side frame mount.
Blower is fixed, runs great.
Checked out the controls, took some pics and wrote down numbers. Gotta go online and spend some more money.
Swapped a Dana50 for some H2 bling (thanks Ryan!)
Picked up some 35x12.50r17 Hankooks. These things are way more aggressive than the photos suggest.
Excited to get this all together.
Next up will be installing the Ultramount truck-side frame mount.
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Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Lifted. Just a couple things to finish so it will drive. Gotta take the rollers back, then bleed the brakes, then pick up Great-grandma and meet the family at Grandma's. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Held up the ultramount under the front of the truck yesterday. Looks like it bolts in the tow hook holes...and in some holes that aren't there yet. Has anyone mounted one of these on their Chevy/GMC? Not looking forward to taking off the front bumper to get to the tow hook bolts.
The blower is at the house, need to pull the blower controls from the previous owner's truck, which is an '08 GM 3500HD dually cab&chassis with a Tesco dump bed. The front end sits so low, and the IFS is so soft, that it scraped a couple times on the freeway last night. That won't happen on the blazer, with a little ballast on the rear, that is.
The plan for the ballast is to make a simple rack that fits in the reciever hitch for several 5 gallon buckets of concrete. 5 gallons of concrete should weigh about 100lbs. If I can make it to fit 10 or so then that would be 1000 lbs on the back. Not sure how much ballast that I will need. Any other ideas?
Held up the ultramount under the front of the truck yesterday. Looks like it bolts in the tow hook holes...and in some holes that aren't there yet. Has anyone mounted one of these on their Chevy/GMC? Not looking forward to taking off the front bumper to get to the tow hook bolts.
The blower is at the house, need to pull the blower controls from the previous owner's truck, which is an '08 GM 3500HD dually cab&chassis with a Tesco dump bed. The front end sits so low, and the IFS is so soft, that it scraped a couple times on the freeway last night. That won't happen on the blazer, with a little ballast on the rear, that is.
The plan for the ballast is to make a simple rack that fits in the reciever hitch for several 5 gallon buckets of concrete. 5 gallons of concrete should weigh about 100lbs. If I can make it to fit 10 or so then that would be 1000 lbs on the back. Not sure how much ballast that I will need. Any other ideas?
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I'd worry about a receiver hitch being able to hold 1000 lbs, especially if it's hanging off the back any.
Unless it's one of those big 2.5" ones? I'm guessing it's a normal 2" though.
That's actually a pretty good looking Blazer! Get some wheel spacer for the rear axle. Every GM truck ever is 3" too narrow in back.
Unless it's one of those big 2.5" ones? I'm guessing it's a normal 2" though.
That's actually a pretty good looking Blazer! Get some wheel spacer for the rear axle. Every GM truck ever is 3" too narrow in back.
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Thanks! I agree on the narrower rear, I hate that look. I thought about spacers, but decided to see how it ended up with the sf14.
If the narrower rear helps it turn sharper (it's what I've heard) then I'll keep it. Actually, I think the sf14 is a little wider than the 10/12 bolt. I'll measure the two.
I would think the hitch will handle 1000 lbs. I'll look at it and see what it's rated. The ones that I've had on my vehicles typically say they are rated for 1000 lbs vert, 10,000 towed. The one on the eXcursion is more, I think. Depending on how I do the rack, it shouldn't put a large moment on the hitch, though in reality, it won't be much more than using equalizer bars, though in the opposite direction.
If the narrower rear helps it turn sharper (it's what I've heard) then I'll keep it. Actually, I think the sf14 is a little wider than the 10/12 bolt. I'll measure the two.
I would think the hitch will handle 1000 lbs. I'll look at it and see what it's rated. The ones that I've had on my vehicles typically say they are rated for 1000 lbs vert, 10,000 towed. The one on the eXcursion is more, I think. Depending on how I do the rack, it shouldn't put a large moment on the hitch, though in reality, it won't be much more than using equalizer bars, though in the opposite direction.
BCGPER
Starting Another Thread
- Location
- Sunny Arizona
Yes on the spacers....
Why not just toss some weight in the back of the Blazer? It's not like you'll be using that area while plowing anyways.
Why not just toss some weight in the back of the Blazer? It's not like you'll be using that area while plowing anyways.
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
It's just what I've read. It makes sense if you think about the extremes, but I think the benefit in this case is small.
There will be weight in the back, that's plan A (oops, might not be mentioned in this thread)
There will be weight in the back, that's plan A (oops, might not be mentioned in this thread)
Maverick
old-school
- Location
- Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Thanks Bart. Yup, they would! Couldn't find anything for the value else they might have.
Update on the coca-blaza: I need longer front brake lines. And probably new calipers. The bleeds are frozen, so first I'll try and replace them with new ones and bleed the system. The front calipers and lines didn't get removed with the swap/lift so they should have been ok, but the brakes still mostly suck. Need to jack up the back and adjust the brakes by hand and see if that helps too. Rear brakes bled good, e-brake works.
Haven't had a chance to work on it this last week. Spent the Thanksgiving weekend at the cabin with family, many hours snowblowing 2' of settled snow (was like concrete). Broke multiple shear pins on the Troybilt 5.5hp 24" snowblower.
Also replaced the starter in the eXcursion: had the family all loaded up to go visit friends new store in Midway, EarthandEden.com and click/grind/whir/click/click. Called around to autopart stores, jumped on the snowmobile, borrowed friends car, drove to Heber, back to mountain, back on snowmobile (with starter in backpack), fixed 20 minutes later.
Hope to get some done this weekend (if the cabin is ok from the nasty winds today).
Next focus: mount and wiring for the mount. Still haven't bought the mount controller and stuff. Not finding it on ebay...and not confident that I'll get all the parts that go together. Gonna head down to H&K (Tesco Williams?) or Intermountain Hydraulics tomorrow to get some pricing and a parts list. May have to just bite the bullet. $$. Aargh.
Update on the coca-blaza: I need longer front brake lines. And probably new calipers. The bleeds are frozen, so first I'll try and replace them with new ones and bleed the system. The front calipers and lines didn't get removed with the swap/lift so they should have been ok, but the brakes still mostly suck. Need to jack up the back and adjust the brakes by hand and see if that helps too. Rear brakes bled good, e-brake works.
Haven't had a chance to work on it this last week. Spent the Thanksgiving weekend at the cabin with family, many hours snowblowing 2' of settled snow (was like concrete). Broke multiple shear pins on the Troybilt 5.5hp 24" snowblower.
Also replaced the starter in the eXcursion: had the family all loaded up to go visit friends new store in Midway, EarthandEden.com and click/grind/whir/click/click. Called around to autopart stores, jumped on the snowmobile, borrowed friends car, drove to Heber, back to mountain, back on snowmobile (with starter in backpack), fixed 20 minutes later.
Hope to get some done this weekend (if the cabin is ok from the nasty winds today).
Next focus: mount and wiring for the mount. Still haven't bought the mount controller and stuff. Not finding it on ebay...and not confident that I'll get all the parts that go together. Gonna head down to H&K (Tesco Williams?) or Intermountain Hydraulics tomorrow to get some pricing and a parts list. May have to just bite the bullet. $$. Aargh.
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