Performance Steering & Handling?

[connorm]

I'm looking for the right S10 to pop up but I've been looking at this thread and others to get some plans for when I get one. I'm planning on a 3/3 or 3/4. To do this I'm thinking I'm gonna do 2" drop spindles and ZQ8 front springs and 3" lowering springs in the rear. I work at Ridetech suspension so I'm tempted to do a full coilover front and rear. I want to find a Blazer, though, and rear kit won't work without some modification. As of right now this is what I'm planning.

Combining a Ridetech Streetgrip kit with some later factory parts.
I am going to use the Delrin bushings that we sell, along with longer ball joints. Maybe the +3/4" lower and +1/2" upper, that is to be determined. Then our single adjustable smooth bodies front and rear. On the front I am going to do a '98-'04 Blazer 2" lower spindle. This will also pair well with a '98-'04 rear axle. I'll probably look for an 8.5" 3:42 G80 2wd rear axle. This should be pretty well a bolt in and will have disk brakes. The on the rear I'm planning a 3" lowering spring. If I don't like the stance then I'll add a 1" block in the rear too.

As far as the brake swap this will gain me better braking power with 4 piston calipers in the front, a 1" larger rotor, and a sealed bearing, all this being blazer specific stuff. The rear will allow me to get the stronger rear end, the gear ratio I want, a limited slip, and disk brakes. From what I have read all that you need is the master cylinder and everything from the brake hose out. It sounds like the proportioning valve for a disk/drum set up works well for a disk/disk setup. And it appears that most people haven't had issues with residual valves if they swap master cylinders.

One of the big factors for me wanting to do factory control arms and coils instead of coilovers is that I know that I can swap between different factory sway bars. This will let me easily "tune" the sway bars I want. AKA I think I'm gonna start with the thick front sway bar, I believe the ZQ8, and then use the small, I believe the standard pick up sway bar but could be the pick up ZQ8 sway bar.

Steering is the last suspension upgrade and I think I'm gonna do is the ZQ8 steering box. Forget the borgeson box that we sell, I've heard that you can order the ZQ8 box from Rock Auto much cheaper. I also may do the Ridetech True Turn kit but I'm not sure that that is designed for effectively a 1.25" lower so that is still up in the air.

The link that HO455 posted has been very helpful and I will be using that to search for axle and such in the boneyards.