I'm lowering my 4wd 03 blazer and I've been having a hard time finding a kit to drop my truck 3/3. Needless to say I found a great kit that I'll be installing as soon as it arrives. The kit is made from Belltech and will cost you $324.41 and can be found at performancecenter.com. The kit includes a 3" lowering leafspring for the rear and torsion keys for the front and also instructions on how to adjust the torsion bolts and how to install the leafspring. After buying the kit you also need to buy Belltech front and rear drop shocks, I got mine from spooled motorsports.com @ $40.95 per shock. This might not be the cheapest way to drop a 4x4, but this is probably the easiest way instead of trying to piece different parts together to do the drop. Also with this drop I'm going with 20" rims with a radius tire 245-40-20, this will keep my stock radius the same.
Belltech 3" drop kit part number 3916 @ performancecenter.com

Wait so for $324 all they do is give you new leafs and torsion bar keys? Then you still have to buy 4 shocks @ $160?

1) That doesn't sound like a very complete 'kit' performancecenter is hustling

2) $480 seems wicked expensive for a drop

Granted I've never priced out a drop, but still...dang...

Edit: Can you not just put 3' blocks under the rear leafs? Or does being a 4x4 eliminate a 3' block in the rear.

No you can put a 3" drop block on the rear of a 4WD. I would go with ones that have the pinion angle included. Torsion keys are useless for the front. If I had the money I'd prefer a lowering leaf spring than a block though. Also, there's a vendor on here that gives a percentage off your shocks if your order is over $100. autoshockwarehouse I think? You don't need Beltech shocks, any good quality drop shocks will do.

Once the kit arrives and I drop my truck I will let you guys know how the ride is. The torsion keys aren't "useless" because the only way to lower the front of a 4x4 blazer is to adjust the torsion bar bolts, you could probably use a socket on it I guess but I believe the keys were made for a reason, maybe proper adjustment? The keys are just a tool used to adjust the torsion bar bolts, or am I mistaken? I went with belltech nitro drop shocks because from what I've read on several different web sites they got the best reviews for lowering a 4x4 blazer. You could lower a 4x4 for cheap with blocks, but I've heard of bad experiences with blocks def go with the leafspring.

Youre mistaken. The torsion key is the triangular-ish piece that the torsion bar goes through at the crossmember under the drivers seat. The bolt pushes up or lets down on the side of the triangular-ish key, which twists the bar up (lift) or lets it unwind (lower). You can do the same with the stock key with a simple socket wrench and bit of muscle. You only go with a new key to adjust farther than the stock key (which is usually bad for lifting). It might be a bad way to drop as well...It'll pretty much bottom out the front suspension. The lift shocks might help, but the rides going to be pretty harsh I would imagine.

i dropped my 2000 4x4 2 yrs ago with the belltech kit. i did the keys, and the 3" blocks.

i matched the oem key up with the belltech one and there was only the slightest different in shape.



if you do the blocks, you may havta cut the rear bump stops. when i dropped mine, it was sittin on them.
i had to cut 3 and a half inches off of mine. i went and bought new oem ones, just in case i ever wanna raise it back.

also in the front. i bought the energy suspension bump stops, cuz the ones that came with the kit were useless.
so the energy ones, i also had to cut.

all this was to prevent the tire from hitting the fender.

with my truck anyway, the ride is much better than factory.

it is a lot more than 3/3 though..
well not a lot more, its more like a 4.5 /5

Well, needless to say the kit is on the way and I'm having a custom shop installing it and they know I want a 3/3 lower. I doubt a kit would say it will lower 3" in the front with the torsion keys if it actually won't lower the front 3" with the keys because that would be false advertisement and belltech would have had lawsuits over that matter and belltech is a pretty profound name in the auto industry for making good products. I'm lowering my 4x4 not lifting it and I am replacing the factory shocks with belltech drop shocks sized for a 3" drop. My truck wouldnt bottom out in the front with the key replacement, I would have to drop it like 5" for it to "bottom out" and not replace the factory shocks. As for the rear the kit comes with a lowering leafspring not blocks. I'm sure the ride will be lowered 3/3 and it will be smooth and not harsher than it is now. A lot of people are loweering the fronts of there 4x4's by replacing the keys and then adjusting the bolts if needed for the 3" drop. Some people even adjust there front by loosening the front torsion bolts as loose as they can get them, barely sitting in there so how is you think that replacing the keys to give proper adjustment would be worse than just winging it Wolfpack? How would you lower the front of your 4x4 if not by adjusting the torsion keys or bolts?

you can drop the front with the factory torsion keys more than 3"
im pretty sure the belltech replacement keys just enable it so you can get an alignment after? maybe im wrong.

as far as bottoming out, id worry more about the tires hittin the fenders.
thats the problem that i had, but i fixed it with the bump stops

thanx agent305

keyways work! It allows youto rotate thetorsion bar to the right position.Thehex cutout is the trick,that guy dont know what he s talking about.My friend dropped his truck by removing the front axel and installing hydraulics and got a smoother ride by installing a accumulator with the hydrylics. Easy install just beef up shock bracket.

i just lowered my 95 blazer using 3" blocks in the rear and using the stock keys in the front and got a 3" drop in the front the ride is so much better than stock height only took about a hour and a half to do with basic hand tools you do need to cut the bump stops and a toruqe wrenchto get the u-bolts torqued down to specs

Yeh i went with lowering kit for my 04 4x4 blazer. do i need to get different shackles in order to make the 3 inch lower leaf springs work. Reason y im asking is i had my mechanice install the leafs and he said the shackles were touching the frame preventing the leafs from working. Ive been trying to lower my truck for months and i need some input.

ive never heard of anyone need new shackles in order to use new leafs. are you sure the leafs are made for your truck? also what kit did you go with?

You can lower the front more than 3" just by cranking the torsion key bolts counter clockwise I cranked mine down as far as it would go with out the bolt coming out and the tire was 1" from the fender....Stock I think the tire is like 5 1/2" away from the fender so that's like 4 1/2" inches just by cranking loose the torsion key bolts....That was way to low so I cranked it back up a little and put 3" lowering blocks in for $32.00 at Pepboys and now I have a 3/3 drop

Trimmed the rear pump stops a bit and it rides fine been driving on it for over 1,000 miles and no weird noises or sheared tires.....

It probably could use new front shocks as the old original 13 year old shock are kinda shot but for the most part this is the cheapest way to 3/3 drop a 4x4 blazer or S-10 pickup

A lot of people have been saying that when you lower the front like this you have cv axle problems....just take out the front cv axles now its a 2 wheel drive blazer essentially.....It won't have the 4x4 feature anymore but if your lowering a 4x4
you can kiss off roading good bye anyway......

Lets go hit that trail with 9" of clearance that sound fun.....

I went with belltech drop shocks, 2 leaf springs from belltech which would lower my blazer 3 in rear then i bought torsion keys for front also 3 inches. They must have sent the wrong leafs cuz we tried every possible way, upsidedown, removing a leaf and still wouldnt fit correctly. I have an 04, 4x4. I looked at kit on performancecenter.com but looks like they went outta buisness. Any inout would help. Im dying to lower my truck. thats all i need now. It will look nice wit my 20s.

just curious why anyone would want to lower a 4x4. doesnt that defeat the purpose of having 4x4?

why would someone tint their windows or get euro taillights and different rims?? its because they like it and it is their taste and thier vehicle so they do you they want to it. lowering a vehicle doesnt disable the 4wd so if you need it its still there and not everyone likes to go and jack there rides up and go trail riding. if you dont like somone lowering a 4wd then thats your opinion and there is no reason to knock somebody just because they dont do what you think is right.

arent moderators supposed to be level headed? I didnt attack anyone like you did to me. All I did was ask a simple question. You remind me of the big fat trucker in the beginning of the movie "religilous" who got all upset for Bill Maher asking some simple questions. lol. might want to re-read what I wrote and look to see if I was telling anyone what I think is right.

The purpose of me asking that question was to find out the OPs reasoning behind lowering a 4x4. That was it. And how is lowering a 4x4 similar to tiniting windows or getting euro tail lights. lowering a 4x4 can actually hinder the performance of the vehicle where as a tint or tail lights wont. If you lower a vehicle, you lose articulation, correct? that can come in handy when possibly needing your 4x4.

i am being level headed, if they OP wants to lower his 4wd why does it matter? it is his choice afterall. tinting widows or adding euro tails is simmilar because not everyone likes the look of it but it doesnt matter what everyone thinks as long as the owner of the vehicle is happy and if somone lowers there 4wd im pretty sure they dont care too much about how much suspension travel they have. lowering a 4wd will not affect how the 4wd system functions one bit(assuming its in good running order) i also do not think i "attacked" you with my previous statement i just simply stated my opinion just like you did. again if the OP wants to lower his 4wd let him and as long as his 4wd is in good running order then it does not defeat the purpose of 4wd IMO.

Who lowers a 4X4?? I do for one especially when EVERYONE drives on the STREET 90% of the time. Its 100% functional when its lowered. I dont see anything wrong it or it going to waste. Its a beast in snow (w winter tires) and looks way better then stock height or lifted imo but thats just me. I saw it as lifting you get A LOT more problems (killing tranny) then you do lowering it (wearing out front suspension faster).
Check out truckin magaizine.com they did an article on Lifted vs Lowered -Lowering wins- but then again its all what the owner wants..

Ummm, I tried reading this post but it is info overload! I almost forgot what the thread is about! Pics when it's done, that is the ultimate decider!

Hey peeps wutz good??? So i finally lowered my o4 blazer 3/4....The front looks real nice but wheneva i go over a bump or A little dip in the road my tires hit the wheel well.!!!!! I had it professionally done N they modied the front bumpstops. But even though the tires still hit especially if i have some1 in the passenger seat riding w/ me.. I bought belltech shox prolly betta than the cheaper ones i put in afta the drop!!! Any1 had this problem if so how or best way2 fix it or mk betta w/out raisin truck back up. I have 20s w/low pro tires. Any wisdon would be appreciated

best way to fix it would be to lift it a little :icon_wink: lol

We just lowered my wifes TBSS using the McGaughy front springs and adjusting the rear suspension. It came down about an inch all around. It looks nice, but may not be enough for some here. It also firmed up the ride, but not uncomfortable, or harsh. Between the CAI, tune, and lowering it is just about the way the GM design engineers meant for it to beBruce

yo chris roll the front fenders some it will help it not hit take a wood bat and wedge it between the wheel and lip of the fender and press down on the bat and slowly roll out the hole lip go slow so u dont crack the paint i had the same issue on mine but not any more or have it done at a shop but it wont be cheap their.

good find