Stock Suspension?
#1
10-28-2012, 05:14 AM
Stock Suspension?
Hey everyone, my name is Brandon and I'm new to the forums, and i got a quick question.
I have a Full size 87 K5 blazer and i recently upgraded to 37" Cooper Discoverer STI's. Im going to be getting it lifted here in the next couple months, as the passenger side right tire rubs when i make sharp right turns. I want to be able to take this thing through some mud and get dirty with it, im just concerned about whether or not it will be strong enough to take the beating. Im fairly new to the 4 wheeling scene, as im only 19 and have had my license for about a year. I come from a family that has experience with this stuff, my mom drag raced her 67' Camaro RS, And my dad truck pulled in his old chevy which unfortunately was stolen before i was born. My main question is this:
Considering that everything is mostly stock on the truck, with the exception of the rear end which i just had replaced(now has a 10 or 12 bolt Posi i believe,) what kind of mudding do you guys think my truck could handle? i believe the leaf springs are about ten years old or so, and other than that everything is stock. I Really appreciate the help guys!!
-Brandon
I have a Full size 87 K5 blazer and i recently upgraded to 37" Cooper Discoverer STI's. Im going to be getting it lifted here in the next couple months, as the passenger side right tire rubs when i make sharp right turns. I want to be able to take this thing through some mud and get dirty with it, im just concerned about whether or not it will be strong enough to take the beating. Im fairly new to the 4 wheeling scene, as im only 19 and have had my license for about a year. I come from a family that has experience with this stuff, my mom drag raced her 67' Camaro RS, And my dad truck pulled in his old chevy which unfortunately was stolen before i was born. My main question is this:
Considering that everything is mostly stock on the truck, with the exception of the rear end which i just had replaced(now has a 10 or 12 bolt Posi i believe,) what kind of mudding do you guys think my truck could handle? i believe the leaf springs are about ten years old or so, and other than that everything is stock. I Really appreciate the help guys!!
-Brandon
#2
10-28-2012, 03:25 PM
stock rigs r only as strong as their weakest point. i would bet it would b safe to say u can do pretty much what ever u feel comfortable with. i wouldnt try and mud drags with it or anything, but if u wanna do sum mud holes in ur neighborhood woods i wouldnt see any issue with that. and with 37s u should b good.
#3
10-28-2012, 04:41 PM
stock rigs r only as strong as their weakest point. i would bet it would b safe to say u can do pretty much what ever u feel comfortable with. i wouldnt try and mud drags with it or anything, but if u wanna do sum mud holes in ur neighborhood woods i wouldnt see any issue with that. and with 37s u should b good.
#5
10-29-2012, 10:05 AM
Good comment re: strong as the weakest point!
The 10 bolt axle is not strong enough to stand up to some serious throttle bumping mud hold pounding, especially with 37" tires. They aren't going to snap the first time you drive into a mud hole but something will break especially if you have a form of locker.
To clear most 37" tires you need at least a 6" lift. You can also get away with a 4" lift if you aren't opposed to trimming the front fenders a little bit for clearance. After you go over 4" of lift you will start running into issues that need to be addressed. The rear drive line needs to be lengthened and adjusted to maintain proper geometry. Brake lines will need to be lengthened. Raised steering arm will be needed.
Another upgrade you should look into if you're going to be in the mud and trying to force your steering wheel back and forth is a steering box brace. It is a known weak spot and if you brace it before it breaks then you've saved a whole lot of grief. Check our Off Road Design's website for more information. Careful with that site though, they can take all of your money fast and some of their items are not worth it, I mean you can get the same effect with other products for cheaper.
If you're going to upgrade your power source any I'd step up to a GM 14 bolt full floating axle. These will bolt right in, you only need a conversion u-joint and you can even run your stock rear drive shaft. And since the pinions are a little longer it helps deal with the shaft length after you lift the rear.
Downside to 14bolts is they come with 8 on 6.5" bolt patterns. Good news is there are 8-lug rims everywhere... there are 6-lug conversion hubs available but for $400+ for a pair it is usually easier to get new rims and swap your tires over.
Another benefit with this swap is it is common to find a matched set of axles with 4.11 or 4.56, sometimes you can find somebody who has built up a set with 4.88's or 5.13's. the cost of having somebody build a set of axles for you along with a gear swap can get very expensive, go have a shop price it for you.... You'll see that you can save big money by getting a set of 3/4 ton axles. And sometimes you can find the elusive D60 kingpin front end. .. These are awesome for strength however they are also awesomely expensive too, going rate is about a grand for a usable D60, more if it has upgrades.
The 10 bolt axle is not strong enough to stand up to some serious throttle bumping mud hold pounding, especially with 37" tires. They aren't going to snap the first time you drive into a mud hole but something will break especially if you have a form of locker.
To clear most 37" tires you need at least a 6" lift. You can also get away with a 4" lift if you aren't opposed to trimming the front fenders a little bit for clearance. After you go over 4" of lift you will start running into issues that need to be addressed. The rear drive line needs to be lengthened and adjusted to maintain proper geometry. Brake lines will need to be lengthened. Raised steering arm will be needed.
Another upgrade you should look into if you're going to be in the mud and trying to force your steering wheel back and forth is a steering box brace. It is a known weak spot and if you brace it before it breaks then you've saved a whole lot of grief. Check our Off Road Design's website for more information. Careful with that site though, they can take all of your money fast and some of their items are not worth it, I mean you can get the same effect with other products for cheaper.
If you're going to upgrade your power source any I'd step up to a GM 14 bolt full floating axle. These will bolt right in, you only need a conversion u-joint and you can even run your stock rear drive shaft. And since the pinions are a little longer it helps deal with the shaft length after you lift the rear.
Downside to 14bolts is they come with 8 on 6.5" bolt patterns. Good news is there are 8-lug rims everywhere... there are 6-lug conversion hubs available but for $400+ for a pair it is usually easier to get new rims and swap your tires over.
Another benefit with this swap is it is common to find a matched set of axles with 4.11 or 4.56, sometimes you can find somebody who has built up a set with 4.88's or 5.13's. the cost of having somebody build a set of axles for you along with a gear swap can get very expensive, go have a shop price it for you.... You'll see that you can save big money by getting a set of 3/4 ton axles. And sometimes you can find the elusive D60 kingpin front end. .. These are awesome for strength however they are also awesomely expensive too, going rate is about a grand for a usable D60, more if it has upgrades.
#6
10-30-2012, 06:15 PM
Oh boy would i love to get my hands on a couple Dana's. This is kind of what i had in mind to begin with, what do you guys think?
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