Before my neighbor sold me this 1998 2-WD Blazer LS, his daughter's boyfriend had possession of it with intent to buy. He didn't buy it after all, and it came back with thin-profile tires, 3" lowering blocks and long (un-cut!) U-bolts in the rear, and blue "Ground Effect" ("Ground Force" maybe?) coil springs in the front.

It also had a tendency to scrape or rub when I merely added a passenger. It got hung up on a car-wash rail when the seller tried to run it thru. And I found out awkwardly that there wasn't even enough room to get the jack under it when one of the skinnytires was attacked by a typical Houston pothole.
I really want to undo what was modified as I plan to use it more like a truck. I already have bigger tires/rims on and they rub fender when turned over 20 degrees... but there's better ground clearance at least.

Neither the seller or the boyfriend will help restore it to normal or provide any of the stock hardware (they even denied changing any springs when I asked what mods were done) so I want to learn how to do this right, do it myself if possible.

What I do know:

• I'll need fresh U-bolts of stock proportions as the threads on these won't go as far as the bolts will need to go after removing the blocks;
• It doesn't look like he cut the rear bump stops any;
• An alignment is needed after raising the front;
• and, I know you can learn an awful lot on the right forums. I replaced the engine on my last car with the help of that car's enthusiast forum - before that my experience consisted of changing the oil and plugs and wires.

What I don't know:

• Whether the shocks were replaced;
• Whether I can use torsion bar adjustment to accomplish most of the needed rise in the front;
• Whether any other hardware was changed in the front;
• Or the exact procedure of what to support where, or how to safely remove/install coil springs...
• Whatever other "gotchas" I'll hit if I don't prepare for them.

Thanks in advance for any input. If this is already covered in a thread (I did look for a while), knowing the author or some keywords will do fine. An actual link would be great but I don't mind searching. If it's not already covered somewhere, well then this can be that thread and help out the next Blazer owner in my position.


In the meantime, I'm already putting this great resource to good use on the truck's other needs (A/C, P0420, brakes, etc) and darn happy to be here!


Rick

 

Oh and moderators,
Feel free to move to "Suspension Tech" if the thread's not appropriate for the Mech & Maintenance area!

 

i am a 4x guy by nature, but i would say its a safe bet the previous owner tried to do this on the cheap (just a hunch..i would do it that way).
i would check the "cheap ways of doing this"...like so

https://blazerforum.com/forum/loweri...-4-door-55369/

that might help you with a list of things that potentially have been swapped out.

hope that helps you a little...its the best a 4x guy like me can toss out there.

 

I did the lowering with 2001 S10, to bring it back to stock you will need the coils in the front and remove the blocks in the back, you might be able to find the coils at a junkyard and if they don't have the stock size u bolts you will need those too.
He most likely just cut the coils(that's the cheap way) so they are ruined anyway

 

Fair enough. Just borrow a spring compressor from the Autozone then? I can order new U-bolts once I measure. Salvage a pair of front coils.
What about the tbar bolts? Turn them clockwise?

Thanks,
Rick

 

2 wheel drive has coli springs...no torsion bars or bolts
...yes on the rest

 

X2^^ no torsion bars on 2wd and if they went the cheap way they didn't replace shocks either wich will ruin them too so eventually you are going to need new shocks too. When I lowered my S10 I used a bell tech kit with shorter coils and shocks so when it was time to bring it back I just replaced everything with the stock hardware but most people don't do that

 

Thanks a million, gojorg and warthogdriver!
I've got State Inspection items to do first, but this helps a lot in planning the ol' shopping list.

One Q. on block removal: Is it really safe to jack up the rear by the differential (just long enough to put stands under the axles of course)?