Blazer Forum - Chevy Blazer Forums - Howdy from Matt in Northwest PA.

Im not a new owner, as I've had one before, but I am the current owner of a 1996 GMC Jimmy SLE with intentions of making it a whole lot more than GM designers ever considered.

I'm currently running 3.42 gears and 235/75/15 tires, just removed a set of factory Jimmy wheels and Uniroyal Laredo tires for a set of American Racing 136 Ventura wheels with worn out BF Goodrich AT T/A tires, and have since saved up to swap out the worst two BFG tires for 29x8.5x15 Super Swamper TSL tires, not going to swap them back on until I have the other 2 saved up for, bought, and delivered.

I have added a grille guard and matching brush guards with a pair of driving lights and set of fog lights as well as a 102 inch whip CB antenna to the front end, a very well used and capable trailer hitch receiver and replaced the factory pigtail for trailering (I tow a trailer at least twice a week). A set of AVS Ventvisors on all 4 doors, and an AVS full length wraparound bug deflector.

I have done a few simply maintenance things after buying it, air filter, oil and filter change, and check the levels of all fluids except the front differential.

The biggest and best changes I have made to it so far are swapping out EVERY interior light bulb for LED's except for those in the instrument cluster, which ended up getting too cold working at night to try to remove it before finally giving up. The front dome has a pair of 12 LED panel lights, the rear cargo has a 15 LED panel, the positionable map/reading lights needed bored out for 8 LED adapter bulbs, the footwell received a pair of 28 LED bulbs, the front cornering lights were swapped out for a pair of 20 LED bulbs, the heater control, rear wiper, and rear hatch switch panels were also converted to LED's and the glove compartment light was also the recipient of an LED conversion. The reverse lights have been swapped out for a pair of 31-LED bulbs, and I have added a pair of LED spotlights between the rear bumper and trailer hitch for additional light at night.
The bese swap I have made so far is to the underhood light of converting the factory bulb to add wiring out of it and under the hood insulator and skin layers to a pair of 15-LED panel lights that light up the night just perfectly if the need arises to work under there in the dark.

I have also started to install a set of 8 flashing 22-LED amber panel lights for emergency work as I am a volunteer for the County and the local National Weather Service as a Skywarn weather Spotter.

I previously owned a 1999 GMC Jimmy but had a fuel problem and heater core problem that plagued me for the entire time I owned it, and after going full time over the road as a truck driver, the ex-wife let it go back to the bank screwing up my credit for several years, still not all worked out as she pulled that stuff all over the place before leaving me.

Anywho:
I am seriously considering a 6 inch suspension lift, 2 inch body lift, swapping the rear axle for a newer disc brake unit and going for 4.10 gears front and rear, especially since both axles have to be removed for the lift anyway.

I am looking at every aspect of swapping in a 350 (5.7) engine/4L60E and whatever model transfer case that comes in the donor truck I find the 350 in, while keeping the same type of fuel injection to make the donor truck PCM happy.

I have never seen in person ANY front differential carrier out of the S/T series or anything with an IFS in a full size GM vehicle, and have wondered the dimensional differences in the differential units as to whether the swap to a full size would be feasible or not.