99 blazer 4wd 4dr.

Currently sitting on 235/75-15s. Would like to run a 30" tire and would like improved breakover and exit clearance (tail dragger).

It's got over 200k on the clock and I saw where some folks had swapped in some ZR2 torsion bars. I really want the ZR2 height or a little less. If my stock height has falled (appears to be based on parking next to others) I'd like to regain enough to clean 30" rubber without rubbing (minor trimming I'll allow.

I've even thought about ditching the rear bumper stuff and going to a rollpan. I go through fields and ditches and have to be careful of dragging the tail (which it does very easily).

Articulation isn't my goal and neither is eye-gawking looks. It drives 75% as a commuter, but home is a rough place and is more than a 1/4 mile off anything looking like an improved road. Heavy rains and the driveway becomes a canyon. When it floods I have water to cross.

The rough country looks like a good option for me though I think I'd rather use an add-a-leaf or spring pack in the rear (ZR2 maybe if it would bolt up). The rear of this thing can't haul squat the springs are so weak.


Thanks......

 

For the front end, to get it back to factory ride height, I would get new torsion bars if they are weak enough to make that much difference. A torsion bar crank with weak bars is just going to put a lot of stress on your torsion key and what not. As for the rear, new springs would be the best idea, not only will they put you back at factory ride height, but will also give you the ride that it had off the showroom. If you don't really care that much about replacing the springs to regain the ride, you could do the add-a-leaf, which is a fairly cheap way to regain the ride height, but will compromise your ride. The last thing for the rear would be to put on longer shackles, this will only increase your ride height, if you get larger than factory, but will not really effect your ride. The Rough Country 2in suspension lift had torsion keys that hold the torsion bar at a different angle and give you the lift, and the rear has longer shackles. The kit recommends going with no larger that a 31" x 10.5" tire, so you should have no problems with clearing 30" tires, and it won't look much higher than stock. I would suggest replacing your springs and then going with the 2in lift. That is just my 2 cents though, do what you want, it's your vehicle.

 

Thanks a lot.

longer shackles are not in my plan. The add a leaf would increase my height as it increases my rate.

Perhaps some used ZR2 rear springs (again, if they will bolt up), some new (or good used) ZR2 torsion bars, and perhaps the keys on front. What about the upper control arm adjustment....balljoints, brake lines, alignment....?

This isn't my first 4x4, but is my first newer with IFS. I read the stories of poor geometry and I don't want a catastrophic failure. This truck doesn't get abused or see air time when off road, but it does work and carries my family around when we're not in the Suburban.....

I can put this thing in places the suburban can't dream of going....all 7,000lbs of it.

 

I'm running the 2in RC lift right now. I didn't like the upper control arms that came with the kit so I have the stock ones on still. Ball joints, just get some beefier ones, you can find other threads about them on here and what ones are good. If you still have the ball joints on that came on it from the factory, you'll want to change them before you mess with the torsion bars. You can tell if they are the factory ones by looking at them, the factory ones are riveted in, while after market ones are bolted on. As for the front suspension geometry, as long as you get it in alignment you shouldn't have much problems with chewin up tires or cv shafts. The brake lines were just fine and didn't need any extending. The only thing I really warn you about with the lift is make sure you grease your joints and always inspect them for too much play. I'm not sure if the ZR2 rear spring would work, as long as your spring on now is the same distance from eye to eye as the ZR2.

 

ive done the z torsion bars. beware. its a stiff ride.

with the z bars & my original factory blazer keys all the way down, is equivalent to a getting aftermarket keys. Im not saying they are the same thing, only that it gives you the same results. Now im not sure how much lift youll actually get from them, i personally got roughly 1.5 - 2 inches... I havnt measured tho.

with just these torsion bars you will have NO problem clearing 30's.

the easiest, most cost effective way to raise the back level with the front while also raising your spring rate back there is to install some air shocks on the back. havnt done that yet myself tho.

as far as alignment goes, im not in spec now, but the only thing that is off is the caster. my alignment adjusting cams have no more adjustment left in them after the Z bars.... maxed out..... but it will work.

here is an example of what the ZR2 bars will do, make note of the stance.

factory sagging bars keys turned almost all the way up



fresh ZR2 bars keys turned all the way down.

 

what i would do is get an add-a-leaf from suspension connection. It says it will lift 2in but it lifted mine almost 4in. Which made up for the sag and gave it a slight lift. For the front just crank the tbars a little. You will be fine as long as you dont go over 1.5in. Thats when you run into problems with balljoints and cv's. So with that you will have a slight lift for about 60 bucks. Dont waste the money on a 2in lift kit. All they do is crank the tbars and add a shackle in the back. Yes they have different keys but that doesnt mean you can crank the tbars farther. They are indexed differently so there will be the same amount of tension on them if the bolts are all the way out compared to cranking them in with the stock keys.

 

but, if you crank the t bars after its been sagging already.... within 6-8 months they will sag back down again. once they start to sag they are starting to distort/twist, and once they start to twist (nose dive!) all the turns of the bolt in the world wont put it back where it was. hence the reason for my t bar upgrade.

example, the front was down about an inch. i cranked the bars and leveled it and was super happy.
6 months down the road, I was like " HUH.... why are my tires rubbing all of a sudden?" Get out and measure & it was right back where it was before i leveled it. t bar adjusting bolts almost maxed out sitting under factory height.

The bars were so distorted from their original position that when i took the adjusting bolt out, i didnt even have to use a puller to unload the bars... they were so twisted they just slid forward & the keys fell out.

 

i have had mine cranked for almost a year. they have been fine so far

 

yeah, it all depends on how much sag you have in your bars.

I was just throwing it out there as there is a good chance they will sag again, since he said they are already sagging. in my case the bars were the second from the weakest bars put in the blazers & they were just shot. every time i took off from a stop my front end would lift up about 5 inches. stopping was the same... nosedive so bad it felt like it was going to do a flip.



lol damn that had to be funny to watch.


EDIT: if you do decide to get a pair of bars, they are pretty cheap used. check here.
http://www.partshotlines.com

 

You do realize you can fit 30's on stock height without issues? I've had 30's on my truck since the day I bought it.