Hey, new to the forum and got a few questions about my newest project. Got a 96 4wd Blazer Lt. Wanting to know about availableity lifts andwhatlockers are out there for it, and if anyone makes a lite bolt in roll cage for it. I was also wanting to know what front and rear diff this truck came with as well as the t-case. Any help would be greatly apreciated.

 

Hey, welcome to the forum.

 

Hello!

Lifts for this are a little lacking...youve got a 2' suspension from BDS, Superlift, or Rough Country, but theyre just t-bar cranks and shackles. Then you've got 5/6' kits from Superlift, Trailmaster, and BDS. The biggest issue with lifting blazers is the that the axles are relatively weak. Even with the 6' kit, the recommended tire size is still only 32x11.50.

As for the axles...unless you have a ZR2 blazer, youve got a 7.625' rear axle, GM 10 bolt, and the front diff is 7.2' IFS. Transfer case if you have the electronic push button on the dash with 4hi, 4lo, and 2hi is NP233. If you have autotrac 4wd (auto4wd), its NP236, or if you have the floor shift, NP231. NOW...the BIGGEST ISSUE for lockers, is the front axle. The rear axle you can find detroits, powertrax, arb..etc. Front axle, unless you have a ZR2, you won't want to lock it. Non-ZR2 blazers have aluminum front diff housings, which tend to crack like egg shells when you do heavy wheeling with a locker. But..if you want to lock it anyway, and get yourself an excuse to find/buy an iron front diff housing from a ZR2 5spd...Richmond makes one for the front.

In conclusion , If you really want to do some heavy offroading, and really want some lift, go with a solid front axle. Then you can fab your own roll exo cage, and look like this:

 

So i have a 10" in the rear a 231, and the front dif is garbage... cool... all the excuse I need to swap in a solid front... probly better in the long run the the ifs anyways... maybe a better t-case too?..... hmmm... could be fun... I am wanting about 6"-8" in total lift with 35" goodrich mt... not a totaly dedicated trail rig but something i can get my deer out with ya know... maybe some lite...(sane) rock stuff and some good old fasion mud... Wanting them lockers though... gotalove em... 231 is a bs t-case right? or is it heavy enough for a little truck like this one?....

 

When some of the ZR2 guys build up their trucks, they usually keep the 231. The only reason to really swap out the t-cases is for a lower crawl gear. You'll shatter your axles and drive shafts long before the tcase

 

Ill probly go for some good old Dana 60"s They seam to work well and not break very often. I hear the either gm 1 ton or 3/4 ton rear axel is a direct bolt on prop. one or the other.. cant remember.. but that would beef up the rearend .I wonder about the lenght of those though.. anyone know if they need to be a shortened type? either way... should be fun.. 60 up front and a 12" in the back... big fun... lol

 

I wouldnt go with a shortened axle...full width will give you much better stability when you put on the huge tires and lift.