lift, gears question
 

i have an 81 blazer 4X4. i'm planning on running 38" tires on a 20" X 10" wheel. what gear ratio would be the best for onroad/light offroad driving? what size lift do i need to fit these tires without cutting my fenders?

Re: lift, gears question
 

You will need at least 6" of lift, and possibly a small body lift as well. I would say thet 4.56's would be a minimum for gear.

Re: lift, gears question
 

6" and some trimming for 38"s and I wouldnt go less than 4:88 gears

Re: lift, gears question
 

Yap, a 6" should work good with 38" and anything up in the 4's for your gear should work well for what your going to be doing.

Re: lift, gears question
 

thanks for all the help with that. now what company's springs will give the kindest ride on road? i will be pulling a trailer on the odd weekend trip. if that matters.

Re: lift, gears question
 

I've always used tuff country hd springs. I dont know for sure but I think with a 6" lift and that tall of a tire you might have to get some driveshaft work done.

Re: lift, gears question
 

If you haven't done your upgrades yet I would highly recommend an 8 inch lift... highly. I had 36 inch super swampers on my 86 k5 with a 6 inch lift and it wasn't enough... Needless to say, my tires clearanced my fenders and removed the lower part of my fenderwell molding. As for your gearing, it depends on what trannny you are running and if you plan on swapping in the future. If you are running an overdrive I would run 5.13's or 4.88's, if not 4.56's or 4.11's just depending if you want your engine to turn a few more rpms at cruising speeds or not.
I also highly suggest an all spring lift, I heve had both and i just like them better but you seam to lose some of your ride quality.

Re: lift, gears question
 

8" of lift and 38's on a Blazer is going to have a squirrelly ride on road, IMO. That high in a top heavy short wheelbase truck, along with that much sidewall (especially with a 15" rim) is going to feel super mushy. Anything over 6" of lift will require a lot of steering correction, too. The shorter wheelbase of the Blazer will make it known in a hurry. I pulled a 6" lift and 35's off of a suburban and put it under a '75 Blazer, and we ended up double shocking the front, adding a dropped steering link (along with the raised steering arm), and going from a single to a double steering stabilizer, just to make it feel decent going down the road. After all of that, it still felt a little wobbly due to the sidewall height (we were running 35/12.50 15 BFG Mud Terrains at the time). Going to a bigger lift will make you think about those things, especially with a Blazer. 8" of lift, and you will need driveshafts, brake lines, and you will definitely want to space the transfer case down, too. There is a good chance 6" of lift will require it too, but it will be less critical if you don't see a lot off off road use. Please keep in mind this is just my experience, and my preferences.

edit: 8" will definitely require new rear springs. A lot because I am cheap, but I have had good luck with the 4 wheel parts wholesalers house brand lifts. They are made by Pro Comp, and are really reasonably priced. The fact we have a few 4WPW's locally helps, too.