Question about lift kits?

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

All right I have been browsing the net for the last week looking at wheels tires and lift kits for this '88 Blazer I just picked up. The biggest lift kit I am seeing is an 8" one is that the biggest I can get. I am planning on going all spring and no blocks unless I have too. I have been checking out body lifts too. Its got 3/4 ton axles and is going to be the new mud machine and money pit . I am looking at 38"-42" Swampers for it. I am thinking about 10" of lift or a little more for the bigger tires would be good. Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping to have a motor in it this weekend and start saving for all the goodies.

[Blue_71]

solid front axle, square body right? i *think* any 73-87 kit will work for you. 88-91 blazers, burbs, and k30s still used the 73-87 springs and all

[72 CustomCamper]

There was a few companys making up to 12" kits for solid axle GM's...


Chuck

[Burt4x4]

Wellllll there are sevral routes you can take
You say the truck is being built for mostly mud, what size of engine are you droping in? Thoes big tires you want are gonna punnish your front 1/2ton axel...I hear ujoints snapping
Money Pit =
Front D60
Rear 14FF
454 w/SM465 or TH400 for you slush box lovers
I would keep the lift low and cut sheet metal, a solid well built body lift will help too(somepeople hate bodylifts).
Take measurements from eye to eye and eye to centerbolt and shop that way instead of by year. Also keep in mind that the rear of Blazer is much heavier than the rear of a PickUp. MOST Pre-made spring packs are made using PickUp weight specs NOT Blazers. That is why you see saggy butt Blazers when people install say a 4" front and 4" rear = Saggy Butt.
I run 4" front & 5.5" rear springs and I sit level when the hardtop was on, without you can see a slight stinkbug..but that is better than a saggy butt
Burt

[MickMc]

Call Superlift suspension in West Monroe LA.

They have all of the kits needed. Good guys too.

Don't worry if you put a huge kit on a half ton and then move up to a one ton axle the springs are the same all you need to change is the U bolts.


"I like lifted trucks because fat chicks can't jump"


Mick

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Yeah its a solid axle square body Blazer. I got a decent 350 tbi motor now but have been looking at going up to a 454 tbi motor later on. Its got the SM465 tranny and 208 t-case right now. I got a 205 I been looking at so. I will find out if the 14 bolt is semi or full floater. Thanks Blue I will check out the leaf springs and see what I find out. I am one of the people who does n't mind a body lift either.

[LONGHAIR]

That much lift on a Blazer causes driveline angle issues right away. The 208 is a slip-yoke 'case, making matters worse. Adding a body lift and cut-out style fender flares will greatly reduce the amount of suspension lift needed.
Bigger/stronger axles are definately required, but that alone won't fix the angle issue.

[special-K]

You`ll want a slip-yoke eliminator kit and clock your axles upward.A minor body lift is ok,like 1-1 1/2",I guess.But,mostly figure cutting wells.Superlift makes the big stuff.

[Senator350]

your current front axle is maxxed out with 35" tires... plan on breaking it, within 3 months. your rear axle might last a year... MIGHT.

you'll need one ton axles.
if you're set on 14bolts, then you should know there is no point in using a 9.5" semi-float 14bolt. use the 10.5" full float. BUT, for all intents and pursposes, the 10.5" 14bolt has HORRIBLE ground clearance.

you have lots of options for the rear axle, so don't limit yourself to what most people use. the Eaton full float rear axle is as strong as the 14bFF, and this is definately the board to find one!

your front axle options are more limited, and dictated by your T-case. my suggestion would be to swap your 208 for a late np205 with the 6 bolt round mounting pattern.. but get one from a ford or a new GM and get driver side drop. then get a 78-79 ford one ton front axle (driver side pinion)
your rear axle choice is wide open, and i'd just go big, so you can feel safe. get a huge dana 80 or something.

good luck with your truck
-ian

[LONGHAIR]

Clocking the axles upward sounds simple...and it is on the rear axle. But, there are issues with that too. It changes the angle of the entire driveshaft, but doing so changes the lower u-joint more than the upper. This can cause vibrations. Most of the ones I have seen have the axle tilted to the point where the lower u-joint is actually straight....that is even worse.

The front not only has the same driveline issues, it is significantly more involved to do it. You can't just cut the spring perches off and weld them back after tilting a few degrees. Rotating the entire housing tilts the ball-joints forward, giving you negative caster....bad deal. The housing has to be cut apart and reassembled with only the center section rotated. It still has the same driveline and 'joint angle difference issue.

All of that^^^ is why I recommended the body lift and cut-out flares. They will give you tire clearance w/o the angularity problems. Hi suspension lifts and short wheel-base vehicles are a tough combination. Adding large tires, high horsepower and aggressive driving make all of this worse.

I would ditch the 208 in favor of a 205 rather than spend money on a conversion kit.

[Senator350]

sheesh! don't give him too much negative input longhair! he might just take his front driveshaft out FOR GOOD!

a decent 4X shop... or even the guys at superlift will give you the right info for shimming or rotating your perch angles. just measure the distance of your driveshafts, and you should be okay

p.s. i've run both shimmed and cut/welded perches before with 6-8" lift height... i DO reccomend upgrading your u-joints, and getting bigger balanced drive shafts, but you should be okay

[LONGHAIR]

a decent 4X shop... or even the guys at superlift will give you the right info for shimming or rotating your perch angles. just measure the distance of your driveshafts, and you should be okay

Don't do it on the front.....wandering nightmare. Even the "usual" 5 degrees will have a seriously negative effect.

i've run both shimmed and cut/welded perches before with 6-8" lift height...

There is a big difference between a 6"-8" kit and the 10" or 12" that the OP is asking about and the shorter wheel base impacts the rear nearly as much as the front. With a long bed truck you can run a "devorced" transfer case and borrow some length from the rear, making the front angle lower.

[Cohl]

hey i dont mean to jack this thread, but...... it seems pretty dead any way. I lifted my blazer 6" springs, and now the front drive shaft makes a clicking sound everytime it makes a rotation. Is it just the u joints that need upgrading, or a heavier duty driveshaft completely. any body have the same problem??

[LONGHAIR]

You really shoud have just started a new thread...but in answer to your question.
You are experiencing binding in the C/V joint itself. They can be "clearenced" to gain a bit more travel, or replaced with another intended to give more angular travel.