Hello all, I've been browsing this forum for a few hours, and I gotta say it's pretty awesome... Yet one other thing to keep me from doing everything I'm "supposed" to be doing!

Anyway, in a nutshell, I'm new to lifting. I have a 94 4dr 4wd S10 Blazer, and I'd like to put 31x10.5s on it. (I might start going off-road here and there, but to be perfectly honest, I really just want to do it because I like the way it looks)

So, I've looked at posts, asked friends, and now I ask those that have experience with these things:

What is the best way to go about doing it? I really doubt they'd clear without some modification... I'm open to any suggestions, and all methods (ie body lift, suspension lift, adding leafs, etc.)

I'd like to hear the "correct" ways of doing it, as well as any "cheats" that anyone might be able to help me out with. I'll be doing my shocks when I do this too, how will that factor in? Might I need longer ones if suspension lift?

I know these questions have been asked many many times before, so thanks in advance for humoring a rookie.

 

install a sus lift kit but mine had cleariness with out it minis 27in up at the doors

 

well, go with a 2" body lift and crank your bars up 1.5inches and get either an aal or 2" shackle for the back. that should give you plenty of articulation on the trail and help with the looks too. i would get herf bars to hide the frame.

mine with 31 with no lift. she used to have 27s on it before i swapped to the 31s.

 

^ What is an aal?? (new to lifting, remember...)

After some research, I'm leaning toward a 2" body lift, and maybe a 1" suspension lift if I need it... I'm concerned about rubbing on the fenderwells, particularly during cornering, but if possible I'd like to try to maintain the OE suspension characteristics. I still need new shocks, but I'd guess OE dimensions would be fine, unless I need to do the suspension lift.

I read on another thread that someone installed polyurethane body bushings while doing a body lift, and this sounds like good sound thinking to me. Can anyone point me in a direction as to where I could get some? And for how much?

I'm going to be replacing the upper and lower balljoints on my truck next week, as well as installing polyurethane sway bar and control arm bushings (and will most likely do the leaf spring bushings too, soon as I have the $), so I think my stuff should be up to the task.

Thanks for all the advice so far, and keep it coming!

 

all = Add a Leafs

 

What he said....AAL means add-a-leaf. You can buy an add a leaf or make one yourself like I did. I bought an extra set of leafs from a junkyard and cut the eyes off the longest leaf and slid it into my leaf pack. I did mine mostly to help fight axle wrap.
I also did the body lift and replaced the factory rubber body mount bushings with new poly bushings while I was doing the body lift.
I'd suggest the body lift. I think you can get a 3" body lift for your year model. That's all you should need to clear 31's and you shouldn't have fender rub after that.
Check with Summit for your parts. Their prices are pretty good.
Here ya go...check this out..should get ya the lift you want and comes with good instructions.
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...p;autoview=sku

 

Being a 94 you can in fact get a 3" body lift (I suggest bds its the only one that bothers to tell you up front 94 requires a steering adapter and also includes new bumper brackets) personally as soon as I finish the body work on my 94 im going with the 3" bds body lift and 2" suspension with 32's but truck night is almost here again and this year I intend to prove to them you dont have to be a fullsize to make it through their mud bog

 

OK, bumping up this old thread here...

So, thx again for all that have replied with some helpful hints thus far.

Anyway, I've acquired some Dick Cepek 31s, and I'm one the verge of assembling pieces in order to get the tires on... Got a few more questions, hoping for a few more answers:

1. I'm really in favor of doing the 3" I think I'll need via body lift alone. I've seen a SuperLift kit and a Summit brand kit, for about $133 and $65 respectively. Any recommendations? I'm inclined to go with the SuperLift, as my past experiences have taught me that something that seems too good to be true, usually is.

Also, I looked at the BDS site, and was pretty convinced on the quality of thier product, but they only offer 2" kits for 94s, and as I said, I'd like to do it all with a body lift.

Any recommendations on the kit choice would be helpful...

2. Shocks! I can't get a solid answer from many people about this... What is the shock travel for the OEM Bilsteins?? If I do indeed do a 3" BL, could I use shocks with an OEM travel, or would I need extended travel shocks? It seems to me that the upper mounts would be higher, and I'd need longer travel, but I'd like a more concrete answer than what I've received from those that I've already asked... Also, let's say I did a 2" BL, and an AAL, or even a short lifting block and TB crank, would I need an extended travel shock in that scenario?

3. Wheels. I'm thinking about some 15x8 Cragars or U.S. Wheels, but backspacing and offset is an issue. I can't find anything much more than 4.5" of backspacing, and if I recall those were actually 15x7 (stock dimensions, I'm pretty sure?). I know stock backspacing is 6" (?), but I've heard of some people running 4" of BS with no rub issues. So, any suggestions? I'm looking for something black and steel, for around $40-50/wheel, as I'm getting a deal on ever-so-slightly used tires, and I want to try to keep this whole thing cost effective!!

Thx in advance for any assistance, and keep going with this awesome forum!! I don't say much, but I read a ton, and learn a lot of new stuff every visit...

 

I ordered my wheels through Discount Tire Co. They cost me $73 each.
A body lift will not affect your shock length but bigger (heavier) tires will need a more heavy duty shock.
You might also check with Performance Accessories for body lifts, I have had good luck with them in the past.

 

On your blazer what is the z85??