Sway at highway speeds or when hitting a bump? My grandad left me a blazer with his estate when he died its been sitting for years at his farm covered up. Engine and transmission maintenance was top notch but it has a lot of miles and needs the front end suspension rebuilt. I'm planning on replacing all the front end parts but I have a question. On the interstate and at speeds above 50 of you hit a bump it gets this odd sway in the rear end back and forth that almost feels like trailer sway but obviously there's no trailer back there. No it has never been wrecked. I can't seem to find any side to side sway in the rear end.. any one have advice?

 

Leafspring bushings and shackle bushings most likely, put the back of the truck up on jackstands by the frame with the axle completely off the ground and try moving it side to side.

 

So would the easiest thing to do would be just rebuild the whole rear suspension I guess? Just wondering if there was something obviously wrong?

 

well, no, just check it first, if theres not any obvious damage or anything then it may just be the kind of vehicles you're used to driving, Live axles handle differently then independent rear does so if you're used to driving smaller cars and unibody SUV's then it will feel weird, my rig is a 2nd gen but has the same suspension setup and it definitely feels floaty some times, not that there is anything wrong with that once you get used to the feel of it.

 

I would start with the rear sway bar bushings and end link bushings. they are rel. in expensive and easy to replace. Do one at a time. You could use the OEM style rubber or for more responsiveness, try the poly. material as used by ESP and other aftermarket companies for a firmer response.

 

Please disregard my comments about the 'rear end link bushings'. Those end link bushings usually apply to the front sway bars, not the rear bars. I think from looking at your photo again , you have the full size K Blazer, not the 1st or 2nd gen. S-10 Blazer. It would help you get to get good responses to your posts in the future by posting the year and type Blazer you have and whether it is 2WD or 4WD. Manual or auto, etc. Thanks, Jim

 

It's probably due for a set of shocks, too.

 

Some one once said: check and change the simplest and easiest solutions first. With that in mind, start with things like tire pressure, tire condition ( separated tire, bubble in tire ), rotate tires front to back to see if the problem follows. Try a two or three P.S.I. boost in the tires to see if that helps out.