Faced with a Tough Decision
 

Hi all...as a few of you know from my other posts...I have been weighing lift options for some time. I wanted to do SAS, but will probably be moving across the country about the time I would get all the parts together...and I don't want to move hundreds of pounds of auto parts, nor do I want to have a shop do the swap, then move away during the "fine tuning" phase after the swap is done. I'm not in a position where I can work on my own Blazer like I could 10 years ago, but I am in a position where I can pay to have it done.

So I decided to combine my (installed) 2" BL with the (to be purchased) RC 2.5" kit and (being shipped to me now) glass prerunner fenders to clear 33's.

I tucked under my Blazer today to check the pumpkin tag for a ratio...and noticed the rear diff is leaking from the cover, and the front...I think it's called the "yoke".

So here I am...do I pay a few hundred bucks to rebuild a crappy axle with crappy gears...or invest that $300 in a D44 (or something) with 4.10's. Even with my current 31" tires, that ratio won't be bad...just a little peppy. But then the front won't match...but I can disconnect the 4wd until doing something up front. So...would it be a viable option to buy a D44 with 4.10's, then take the entire front end off to install the lift, and while that's off, and the front diff is more accessible...regear just the front to match? I would think that would help ease the stress on the rather weak front end wit a gear ratio capable of tuning 33's much more easily that 3.42's. Also...how do you deal with the fact the rear wheel bolt pattern may not match up with the bolt pattern up front? Surely there's a spacer/adapter out there.

Your thoughts?

Its probably just the seal that is leaking. I would do the rear diff service and replace the seal. About 20 bucks worth of material and an hour, but I'm cheap, like the budget lol.