The spark plug on cylinder 1 is right behind the steering column on my 2002, 2-door Blazer.
How the heck am I suppose to fit a long enough socket back there?

I'm using a standard 16 mm long socket. I have two other "spark plug" sockets that are slightly shorter, but they don't fit.

I'm thinking about using a rotary tool to cut an inch of my socket here and have it still be just long enough.

 

Easiest method I've found is to just pull the steering shaft off the steering gearbox. Get it out of the way and you have all the room in the world to work.

Pop the plastic cover out of the way that's around the gearbox and around the steering shaft. Then you'll find a single bolt that's clamping the steering shaft onto the steering gearbox input shaft. Pull the bolt all the way out, and wiggle the steering shaft coupler off the gearbox input (sometimes it can help to put a small pry bar or a large flat head screw driver between the gearbox and the coupler and pry it a little to get it to budge. hard to explain, but you'll get what I'm talking about when you're in there fiddling with it). You don't have to pull the steering shaft all the way out, just off the gearbox so that you can lift it up just enough to get to the spark plug with a socket and ratchet. Then reinstallation is just the reverse; line the steering shaft back up with the gearbox input shaft, slide it on far enough to get the bolt to go back in to lock it on, tighten it down, pop the plastic cover back on, and you're done!


BTW, it's too damn hot of a day here in Florida to be outside messing with that lol

 

I just finished doing the front end on my moms jimmy, left that plug for tomorrow lol.

agree with red, easiest way is by moving the steering shaft... saves you time in the end.

 

When I did mine, I think for part of it I put on the spark plug socket and then used a 3/4" box-end wrench on the socket end.

Getting out this spark-plug is sort of a "Right of Passage" you must go through to be able to count yourself as a REAL Blazer owner!

 

Whelp I got it out. I agree with Red, it seems un-bolting the steering column is the best way. I've never taken it out before and I just didn't want to get stuck putting it back it.
I was trying to knock out both the front shocks and spark plugs too since I was under there.

I did what this guy did in this video where he angled the 3/8 driver into the socket. I couldn't get enough torque with the lack of grip by hand, so instead of a ratchet, I let my impact drill do the work getting it out.

I then got it back in with a spark plug socket I found that actually fits and used a standard angled wrench on the 6-point end and tightened that way.

 

I'd try and find a tube spark plug socket such as used in cheap tools which used to be put on motorbikes and such, cut it to proper length and drill a hole or weld the head of a bolt to it.

An option could also be a spark plug socket with a hex at the connector side and use an open wrench.

Or get a 1st gen Blazer it's not so bad on the old ones.