The Great Compromise (Blazer build-up)

[jsudar]

Those of you who are married will understand the title better than those of you who are not. When I started this build, it was supposed to be a Chevy truggy/prerunner rig destined to compete in King of the Hammers, but the wife and kids changed the plan.

I started off with a '76 K10 on one tons. (I'd post a pic, but Tacoma has forbidden me. Yes, it was that ugly.) Then in October, I found an '89 fullsize Jimmy on KSL for $400 which my wife allowed me to bring home since it would fit the whole family. The Jimmy was bone stock, except the stereo, K&N and brand new Optima. It had just over 100k on it and I drove it home. Not bad for $400.

I immediately started swapping my one tons under it along with a four inch lift and the 37's from my K10. The plan was to have it ready of EJS and spend less than $2k on the whole thing.

I made it to EJS, but had spent just a touch over $5k. I had to toss in a new fuel tank (the old one started leaking) and a new tranny. Yeah, two weeks before EJS the 700R4 took a dump. I could have rebuilt it myself, but I only had two weeks and I was still monkeying around with the crossover high steer and JB welding the radiator (ran out of $$). So, in went an AutoZone Bulletproof HD 700R4. That only set me back $1600. We'll see how long it lasts.

EJS was fun, until I tore the steering box off the frame. Here's a pic in Moab so you can see where I'm starting from with the real build-up. All the pre-EJS stuff was just to get me by for Jeep Safari. More excitement will follow.

 

[4554x4]

Good looking Blazer. Looks likethe body mounts near the radiator are torn out. Makes better flex that way.

 

[Tacoma]

Sweeeeeet

another K5'er!

 

[jsudar]

Good looking Blazer. Looks likethe body mounts near the radiator are torn out. Makes better flex that way.

Oh yeah, both front body mounts where gone and the next one back on the driver side. After that hill, I threw a couple of ratchet straps around the bumper and radiator support. It was super classy.

 

[4554x4]

Why strap it down? My Suburban was like that for a while. It worked good, but the fan kept hitting the schroud.

 

[oldbluechevy78]

Now you just have to make some half doors for it LOL

 

[jsudar]

I just finished swapping in some 56" springs out front and I'm starting on my 63"s with a shackle flip in the rear. Time to get rid of the blocks. I'll steal the wife's camera and get some picks up later tonight.

 

[Tacoma]

I'd reconsider those 63's, at least on my Blazer the tires hit the inner fenders before the stockers (w/4" shackle flip) run out of flex. The 56's up front are a good ide'er though.

 

[Tacoma]

HAHAH I just noticed this:

I started off with a '76 K10 on one tons. (I'd post a pic, but Tacoma has forbidden me. Yes, it was that ugly.)

Thank you!!! that WAS ugly hahahah

 

[MattL]

I have often thought about building a k5. I like yours. I am wondering what kind of mileage you get with yous.

 

[Tacoma]

I get about 12, with 4.56's, 35's, and a semi-functional 700r4

 

[jsudar]

I haven't figured the mileage yet. I have pretty much the same setup as Tacoma, but with 37's. I'm wishing for 4.88 gears though.

So Tacoma, you don't think I should run those 63 inchers? I just dropped the rear axle out and I'm ready to start knockin' out rivets on monday. Maybe I should put some 56" springs in the rear too? The 52's and blocks have got to go either way.

 

[kgb]

Don't listen to Tacoma he is one of those CK5 guys go with the 63 they rock on my Burb :greg:

 

[kgb]

kgblazerfive is my user name over there if you have any questions fell free to ask here or there

 

[jsudar]

Here are the pics I promised. You can see where I moved the front spring hanger to the front side of the body mount. I'm working on a new frame crossmember, but I haven't gotten a fairlead yet, so I don't know how big to make the slot for the winch rope.

I had some six inch shackles on it new springs, but they hit the body mount. Since I had the torch out and was already making new shackles, I figured I might as well make some boomerang shackles to make sure they never ever hit the body mount. The new shackles are 7.25" eye to eye.

The last pic is my super rusty rocker panel. I had a 2x4 under the pinch weld running the entire length of the rocker when I jacked it up to do the new body mounts. Even with the 2x4 to distribute the force it still caved in. I really wish I had started with a less rusty Blazer.

Once I find a spring rate I'm happy with, I'll pull the springs back out and clean them up and paint them. I think I'll be shuffling leaves for a while.

 

[jsudar]

I got a little more work done on the Blazer. Rear 63" springs are installed. I moved the front hanger forward as shown in the picture. The rear is a DIY4X shackle flip which is moved back 3 3/4" and flipped around to the 56" spring position. The shackle angle is not ideal, so I may have to move it back another inch or two.

Between the 56" front springs and the 63" rears, both axles got moved toward their respective ends about 2 inches. The wheel base is sitting at 110.75".

There are also a few pics of the repair of the frame rail where the steering box mangled it and a pic of the new front crossmember. The box is only .063 wall, so it's been plated with .120 and .180 in the stressed areas. It's kind of welding intensive, but it's light and strong and it good practice.

 

[mesha]

looking good. when you putting in the square front 14 bolt

 

[cheepin]

Be sure to plate over that steering box repair.If not it will crack again.Offroad design sells a plating kit and a box brace.

 

[Rusted]

FYI - There is a kit for that steering box repair that looks pretty easy

http://www.coloradok5.com/ordframebrace.shtml

 

[sixb]

If you still have that k10 around you can cut out that steering section and weld it in yours, I have seen that done on ck5 also.