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2004 Blazer LS Build "Deuce"
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Well, I've been meaning to get started on my build thread, and since I picked up the Blazer in the spring, I figured it was time to get started on the thread since I've nearly reached the goal I intended to have complete by this fall.
I primarily use my Blazers as my hunting/weekends in the mountains rigs so I don't tear up the newer truck, so I wanted to have it completed to a certain level By mid September this year. My goal was: 1.) make certain Blazer was mechanically sound due to the fact it's a 10 mile walk to phone signal where I hunt primarily. 2.) lights and rack on top with spare tire mount. 3.) isolated accessory battery. 3.) 2.5" RC suspension lift. 4.) 31x10.5s 5.) 2"receiver hitch and wire for trailer lights. 6.) fix rust and bedline bottom half (truck saw a lot of salt apparently in a previous life in KY). So, This is the vehicle I started with. 2004 Blazer LS 4x4, picked up at an auction for me by a family friend for $1800. 134k miles. https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472092615 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472092615[/URL] you can see the rust on the right side. |
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So, Got it home, and to be honest, just did some playing around on it, getting a feel for the blazer. the factory cigarette lighter port was missing, and in this day and age of electronics, decided one day to fab up a digital voltmeter with powerport and usb chargers. Knowing I would be doing a VSR isolator with the accessory battery I would be installing, I wanted a digital voltmeter for the future. picked up a combo for 15 bucks on Amazon, and decided the ashtray could go away.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093301While I was in there, I decided to play around some with a couple cans of plasti dip I had laying around, to see what I wanted to eventually go permanently black with interior paint later. https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093301https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093301https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093301https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093301 Also picked up an overhead console at the local junkyard. Wanted one for the map lights, as well as a place for my future switchbanks for lights to go.https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093301 |
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mocked up some sides for ashtray at the angle it needed to be open to hold the voltmeter combo, cut them out, painted, riveted them in place, and mounted the plate, wiring the voltmeter to the power supply for stereo, and the power port and usb chargers to the original wiring for the cigarette lighter. That way volt meter only reads when key is on, but charging ports charge full time.https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093733
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093733 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093733 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093733 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093733 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093733 |
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also wired in the trailer light plug and the 2 inch receiver that weekend, didn't think to take any pics of the wiring, but got the hitch for 20 bucks at a junkyard, prepped it and rattle can bedlined it before install.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093992 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472093992 |
In the meantime, I was having a few overheating issues and the radiator was pure red inside. Considered a flush, but to be honest decided I was better off in the long run by replacing the radiator and thermostat. I had landed wrong behind my skid plate the weekend of the 4th of July, so had to get theexhaust rewelded just behind manifold, replaced the gasket on transmission pan along with filter kit, and had the radiator and thermostat redone.
The exhaust I traded work with a buddy that owns a transmission shop, and quite frankly, was out of town too much to do the radiator, thermostat, trans pan gasket and filter kit, so I dropped it off at a friends shop and he did it for me while I was out of town for work. Kind of cheating to have someone else do it, I know, but they were issues I needed and wanted fixed asap and I wasn't home to do them myself. Thus, no pics of any of that work. |
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Next came the lights, VSR isolator, optima battery located in rear, and switches in that overhead console I had picked up and put in.
I need to get some pics of where I located isolator and battery, didnt realize til I started posting that I never actually took any. So, we mounted the lights where we wanted them on the Kurt rack, and tore out all the interior panels that were in the way, and began running all our wiring. We took the line from the VSR isolator from just behind the stock starter location through the firewall, ran it under the trim at passenger door, though the interior body panel on passenger side, and came out at the right rear by the hatch, which is where I located the yellow top Optima battery. Removed the roof liner and essentially all the interior panels on right side of vehicle. Drilled through to inset for the right rear tail light assembly, and used that as an access back up to drip ledge under the back glass and up through to the rack. Wired in two 20 amp "mains" with an 8 gauge supply to ghem, than ran individual switches for front floods, front spots, ride side floods, left side floods, and read light bar. https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095066 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095066 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095066 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095066 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095066 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095066 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095066 |
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completed views of the lights and switches. rack, and a temp strap holding spare on top.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095342 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095342 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095342 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095342 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095342 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095342 |
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Next came the spare tire mount. Was getting tired of the strap and wanted something more solid and permanent. Spent some time thinking on it and decided to mock up one using a piece of unistrut, all thread, 2"x1/8" steel, and a center quick release spindle I welded up by welding 6 pieces of metal around a 1" anchor bolt nut at bottom, a ring on top, and some 1/2" steel rod I got from the scrap pile at work.
My welding skills arent all that great, so there was a lot of flapper wheel use and grinding before paint. https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095937 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095937 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095937 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095937 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095937 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472095937 |
Thats enough for tonight. I'll add the pics of the RC 2.5" suspension lift and a few other things tomorrow night or later, am currently dealing with the rust issues, so might take a few days before posting further, and add those in at same time as lift, wheels, and tires.
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I like what I'm seeing. Good job bud. Always wondered what to do with the ash tray since i dont smoke, i might have to borrow/steal your idea. lol
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Looks good so far. I like your idea for the ash tray. I use mine to store change.
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Nice mods. I like your earlier wheels over 04's. One of the reasons I swapped 18's, the stockers are now winter/off road wheels. Consider an LSD in the future,You wont regret it ! I lost front wheel 4x4 and got stuck once with one spinner.
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Finally got some time to sit down again. Anyone who likes it, feel more than free to use the ashtray idea.... and by all means message if you have any questions!
Been looking and just realized that I didn't get very many pics during the install on the RC 2.5" kit, but got a few. The front went surprisingly well for the amount of salt this truck has seen. I started about a month early hitting everything I could that I knew I would be turning with some PB Blaster, and I think htat had a LOT to do with the ease of the front end. front end went fairly smooth except the one bolt that holds the transfer case to the front left side of frame.... It was froze up but with a little tweaking and twisting, was able to work a short socket, 2 wobble joints, and an extension out far enough in half inch to get a good impact wrench to it, and we were able to free it up. The cutting of the transfer case bracket we did with a combination of a portaband and sawzall with a 10" blade right there under the truck without having to get it completely out from under it. Went ahaead and replaced the tie rods (inner, outer, and adjusters) on both sides, and the CV axles as well. (wasnt going to do them, but tore the outer boot on passenger side, so decided it had to replace.... and I'm a firm believer in the fact since I had it torn apart and had to do one side.... well, then its time to do both at the same time.) https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472436516 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472436516 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472436516 Rear end all went perfectly smooth except for.... you guessed it boys and girls.... seized bolts on the inner sleeves of the bushing on the shackles. The nuts came off all 4 bolts fairly easily, but no matter what I used could not break them free to even turn. So.... I went redneck. Took the sawzall and cut the old shackles free to give me a decent view from both sides. Once I did this I had an open view of the bushings. I asked some advice from boss, mechanics in our equipment department at work, and a few friends... and they ALL came back with burn them out. So, I borrowed a small oxy/acetylene torch rig from work, and spent about 4 hours burning out the right side, taking breaks to cool the fuel tank because that made me a bit nervous using that much heat there.https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472436516 However, when I got up the next day I took a different approach for the left side.... I took my cordless 20v drill with a 1/4" bit, and started drilling. Drilled all the way around the inner sleeve in 12 or 15 places, then used the tip of the drill bit almost like a rotozip to eat away at the rubber. from time of cutting shackles to the bolt knocking out was less than 1 hour for both frame and leaf spring. Thats not counting the time to remove the rear plastic bumper end and fuel send unit there to access it. Once I had all 4 bolts out and the rubber cleaned out, I scored the outer sleeve of the bushing with sawzall then collapsed it in upon itself to remove. Stock bushing went straight back into the frame, but the bushing were roughly 3/16" in diameter too small for the leaf springs. Did some figuring with the Oriellys guy, and ordered another set of bushings. Those came in, and the diameter was PERFECT...... but they were about an inch too long in length. https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472436516 A sawzall and a 4 inch cutting disk on grinder with 20 minutes, and I had my leaf spring bushings fabbed up. Installed em, finished up with the rear sway bar brackets, swapped out the shocks, and she was ready to go down on tires to limp in for alignment. https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472436516 |
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Now, after 04 Blazer complimented the old rims on an 04, I almost hate to post this, but my 02 Blazer had worn these same rims and TBH I was just ready for a different look, but I did want to stay with the stock 6" backspace of factory rims and stay tucked in.
So, I went junkyard digging, and found 5 PA3's from ZR2's, and carried them to a powdercoating guy I've used for work projects from time to time. Swapped a spare set of 5 rims I had at the house that used to be for my 'winter set' on the 02 blazer I used to have, and paid 12 bucks apiece for the 5 PA's after swap. The rims I pulled off I sold through FB for $150, and sold the tires that were on the blazer to a coworker for his dodge dakota for another $150 counting spare. One of the PA3's at the junkyard before pulling....https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472437569 Paid $40 apiece to sandblast and powdercoat the 5 PA3's, then took sandpaper and wire brushes to the centercaps and painted them with and engine paint (enamel with ceramic) in bright red. Lacquer pen to paint the indented bowtie in black, and my wheels were ready for tires. https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472437569 Rims after powdercoat and painting centercaps.... https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472437569 Went with Mastercraft Courser MXt's. Was originally gonna go with Cooper SST Pros, but the Coursers were EXTREMELY similar, and I was able to get 4 tires for $719 mounted, balanced, with road hazard warranty, which was about $150 cheaper than the coopers I had been quoted. Also gave me an EXCELLENT condition Rodian 31x10.5 with about 75% tread or more to toss on top for a spare for $30 mounted.... Sadly, I've not taken any pics with it on top yet, only pics I have are with the old 235/75/15 AT up there so far. https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472437569 Limped her in for an alignment, and took her out for a run in the mountains to test things out a bit!! https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472437569 https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472437569 |
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Well, as you can see in the pic, the rust was getting way out of hand, and the cancer had really wanted to start spreading since getting the blazer, so it was definitely time to address it before things got too serious...
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472438657 This next part I would love to say was me, but it wasn't. My boss at work owns a hot rod shop on the side, and he builds 1/4 mile cars as well as does restorations. I pretty much held for him while he tacked in metal to replace what was rusted out, then I did the rough grinding on each side while he did all the finesse work of matching in the bends, as well as doing the spider hair and bondo work. Finished up with an oxide primer, and she is repaired and able to roll a week or two before I get her Monstalined on the bottom half. Passenger side cut and replacement welded back in, with my first night of grinding and sanding the welds.... https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472438657 Driver's side... https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472438657 Passenger side was worse with rust, and we didn't get the bodyline perfectly matched with that roll in the body near the back, but I'm more than happy with the fix. https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1472438657 Going with a black monstaliner, and doing the detail line all the way around the blazer below the intent that seems to be where everyone does it on these blazers. Adding some personal details hopefully if I can get ahold of our CNC waterjet guy in NW Arkansas, I'm hoping to replace the blazer emblems on the doors and rear with "Deuce" done in the same font. It'll depend if I can catch him with some downtime on the machine, and if I can get the time to get some vectored drawings to him in time to cut them before the monstaliner goes on. Either way, the blazer or deuce will be done in the same red as the centercaps, as are the front tow hooks, and the shackle insert for the 2" receiver. I realize I have to get better at taking pics as I go.... I seem to get into the work and don't think about pics until I get done with a step and wanna show it! |
Considering how it looked before, the rust repair looks pretty good.
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dude looking good, i'll be watching this thread. most of those mods are what i want to do with mine.
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