not necessarliy, i actually never replaced a broken part on my ifs with the TBARS cranked all the way, and i went mudding/offroad all the time, i did replace the balljoints bc i though they were bad, but they werent, so it was a waste of time/money. with a SAS you can still break axle shafts, ball joints, steering, etc. it depends a lot on the tire, axle, and terrain terrain terrain. A lot of ppl use d30/8.8 *imo i think is a waste of time/money for a sas bc its about the same strength* but they can run 33-35s with little breakage, others run 33-40s on dana 44s, and the hardcore go with dana 60s. you can still break all of those axles, yes ifs is easy to break, but not everyone does, rockcrawling for sure would rip it apart compared to rockcrawling on a dana 44. all about terrain, the drive, tires, axles and much more.


if the op doesnt have time/required tools, iwould do the ifs install, but its up to you, so people like it some dont. it is your truck.

 

Thank ya'll for having this discussion with me...allowing me to "think out loud" with various viewpoints. If I did the SAS, it would be D44's. Like I said...I do very little wheelin'...although with a vehicle that actually had some capabilities off road...that might increase...hard to say.

But...like I said...this is my DD, 90% on-road...and the parts support behind the IFS lift is tempting. I have a friend that mods some serious off road machines, and race cars...he can do it...but his availability is nil.

 

yeah some people make the ifs last. i wheeled a 85 s10 blazer with 35s for about a year then put 33s on it cause they rubbed so bad. and as long as i kept it in mud and the tires facing straight ahead i didnt break anything, if i turned the steering wheel halfway in any dirrection they cv's started knocking.

finally took that thing to a offroad park, first time i had to crank the wheel to turn a corner, broke a cv joint. went home fixed it, came back next week, same exact thing soon as i turned the wheel it broke again

now im running fullsized 10 bolts which are basically dana 44s and 33s, no worries i floor this thing with the wheel cranked, fly up hills, climb rocks bounce up rocks whatever, these old axles will not break

very bad quality but i wouldnt want to be doing this with the stock front axle

 

hey lunchbox, im feeling your pain, im am personally starting to think this SAS craze is a nifty idea, and lots of folks are going that way for many different reasons, but SAS is not a nessesary option to injoy offroading
and the interesting thing is, that most of the offroad racing that is in the dezert and what not are running IFS. and most of the extremist that like the rocks use Solid Axles, if mild offroading is your thing than dont try to reinvent the jeep(woops wheel) IFS type suspension do just fine in the
area that they are designed for, mild offroading, some mud,water,trails ETC...i have personally gathered many,many parts for a SAS, and then took a real good look at what i would have accomplished, a lot of time, money, just to have a jeep cherokee with a GM badge, so i sold all the axles and many other parts and will buy a BDS 5" lift, 33" tires and enjoy life......
then go buy a cherokee

 

I don't see the SAS/SFA issue as anything other than doing what should have been done it the first place.

That said...this is my daily driver...off road adventures are rare for me...and owning a horse farm...my off roading typically comes from need, rather than fun...although I wish for the latter.

So I think I'll go for the 5-6" IFS lift.

I can always buy a junked out Blazer for a SAS...later down the road.

Thanks everyone!

 

I ordered fiberglass prerunner fenders this morning...gues I'll have to start a build thread!

 

And...I've changed my mind. SAS it is.

Here's why:

I'm at a point where I have to have someone else do the work...nothing I can do about that.

So...I can spend $2k for the IFS lift, plus upwards of a $1000 for installation...another $1000 in regear...and still have a weak front end and rear axle that are both not capable of supporting a 35" tire...even 33's are a stretch. I will still have to replace ball joints...bushings, CV's, steering components, even lowers...as I have already had to do just driving on the street. I have spent a couple grand on the front of my Blazer over the last 6-7 years...just to keep the stock configuration. REDICULOUS.

With a solid axle swap, I can pick up everything I need for under...possibly well under $2000. Axles...$500ish. Sky bracketry kit...a little over $200...a few steering components...some leaves...you get the idea.

But if I'm going to be out upwards of $4000 for the IFS lift after it's all said and done...and assuming I can gather the parts I need for a SAS, even rounding it up to an even $2000...that gives me $2000 for the installation and tweaking...and I will have a lift, larger tires SAFELY, wear problems and IFS upkeep eliminated, and a vehicle that I can actually take offroad with little worry. I can decide the lift height simply by picking springs, and will have solid axle reliability. i told my wife...there's a reason you see 50 year old 4x4's still running around on the same axles. It's because they work. IFS was only invented to squelch the bitching about ride quality.

So...SAS it is. My parts search begins. Build thread will begin as soon as I get my fenders.

 

I found a pair of D44 axles, driver side drop, with all steering linkages...for $200.

They are out of a 1998 Ram 1500 4x4.

Only bad side...the gear ratio is a bit lighter than I wanted (3.55). I may still consider it though.

 

Yes yes yes!!!

 

Well...in the latest news...my Blazer will not be receiving the SAS. I'm going with the 2.5" and glass fenders.

The SAS will be for a 4 door S10 4x4. Did some soul serchin'...what I really want to do, and with what. The SAS will happen. But not on my Blazer. The logistics of moving across the country in a year, and toting along hundreds of pounds worth of truck parts...there is too much to discuss.

But my Blazer...my BABY...will be built as a prerunner...so not too tall.

When I get down on the SAS in the future...I'll post up.

Am I a flip-floppin SOB or what?!