You’ll also notice when bumped straight across you’ll have about an inch of shock shaft showing, but when you droop one side, the bumped side will pivot up higher and use that inch of shock travel
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
'85 K5 "Denali" Blazer: Front 4-link
- Thread starter Conner
- Start date
The goal is to restore and upgrade this truck for mixed use on/off road (ex: drive across the country to a national park to 4x4 camp).
Thank you! Just to make sure I'm understanding, what you're saying is to set the limit straps with both sides of the axle fully drooped, so both shocks are just inside of full extension. This will protect the shocks from truly fully extending at high speed. When the axle articulates it will be hanging on the shock, not the limit strap, on the drooped side, but that's ok because this will be at low speeds. Right?
I did notice that too. In my case it's only about a half inch, which seemed less of a big deal than the 1.25" I was not using at full droop (because the bump stops land less inboard of the shock than the limit straps).
Last edited:
Probably mixed answers here, I set limit and bumps at one side full droop and the other full stuff because I'll see that wayyy more often than I see the whole axle drop out or stuff.
Yeah I can see both sides.
The bump stops make more sense to me because (a) the placement of them being very close to the shock means you get less lever effect and "lose" less shock stroke at full stuff because of that, and (b) even if you stuff a single tire at low speed, it still seems like you would want it resting on the bump stop vs the shock because the weight of the truck is on it.
The limit straps seem more grey area because it's only the weight of (half?) the axle/tires hanging on the shock, and if you don't slam into that point hard then maybe it's no big deal?
I appreciate the input on this guys, keep it coming if anyone else has advice!
I thought I remembered that, but my brain was a little foggy.
Cycled the suspension a bunch in every combination I can think of. Went ahead and started welding stuff. Got the link brackets, shock hoops, and bump stops all welded up. The different paint colors is weld-through primer where I still need to gusset, etc and regular paint where I don't.
Still to do:
Still to do:
- Fully weld the threaded inserts into the links.
- Cross bar between shock hoops. Will need to have another tube bent for this.
- Limit straps.
- Transmission crossmember. Probably will just modify the stock one to fit around the link brackets and fabricate a permanent one later.
- Sway bar.
- Put nitrogen in the shocks and bump stops.
- Probably a lot of other things I'm forgetting.
Really cool to see the progress, wish I had your skillz
Thanks man. I am very much figuring it out as I go to be honest, and relying HEAVILY on this forum to both ask questions and do research on other people's build threads (thank you again to everyone here!).
I will say, if you asked me 10 years ago about doing a project like this, I'd have said it was crazy and not something I would/could ever undertake. So it's been a fun learning experience, with lots more learning to go
Managing articulation vs straight bump is a challenge. It's tough to get bumpstops and limit straps directly inline with the shock. We did that on my K5 with a 3 link and the bumpstops are standing off from the frame several inches and it's not the same on both sides due to the panhard bar.
Moving the limit straps out works fine and there's good room to do it off the side of the link arm mounting plate. In general, you were all on the money in that they tend to articulate somewhat slowly so if the strap doesn't protect it perfectly it's still OK which is why the inboard mount is generally fine.
Moving the limit straps out works fine and there's good room to do it off the side of the link arm mounting plate. In general, you were all on the money in that they tend to articulate somewhat slowly so if the strap doesn't protect it perfectly it's still OK which is why the inboard mount is generally fine.
Thanks man. I am very much figuring it out as I go to be honest, and relying HEAVILY on this forum to both ask questions and do research on other people's build threads (thank you again to everyone here!).
I will say, if you asked me 10 years ago about doing a project like this, I'd have said it was crazy and not something I would/could ever undertake. So it's been a fun learning experience, with lots more learning to go
Man, you’re doing an incredible job! A year and a half ago you were complimenting my limited progress and the cool factor of yours has far surpassed mine! You and the rest of the forum have been great motivation to get back at it and keep making progress. Looking forward to what you have in store
Thank you! I am definitely still following along with and really digging your build! Taking breaks is important but I was glad to see you back at it.
It’s been a while since I’ve updated. I’ve been working on the truck almost constantly outside of my actual job. All the fabrication work is extremely time consuming, plus figuring out where stuff can fit, making sure it actually fits at every articulation/steering combination, etc. Or maybe I’m just slow LOL.
The high school shop the truck is currently at is remodeling starting this summer, so the Blazer has to be back home by the end of their school year, which is this Friday. So I have a few things to wrap up still (sway bar and shock hoop cross brace mainly) but I had to get it back on its own tires to come back home.
Since my last post I think I have added gussets to almost everything (shock hoops to frame, shock tabs to hoops, bump cans to frame).
I mocked up the sway bar and tacked the tube for it to the frame. I’m not happy with it though (the arms ended up shorter than desired, fitment for this is extremely challenging, I think partly due to my desired low lift and the fact that a 10b appears to be able to be bumped much higher than the d60 most people seem to use). So I will rework this, I think I have a vague plan to make it better by getting creative with the shape of the sway bar arms.
I also got the limit straps mounted. I had to order shorter ones than ORD provides (I think they send 21” and I needed 15”), which is fine, I assume this was because again I’m using a 10b with low lift. I added some adjustable upper limit strap mounts, bolted to the frame via 1/4” wall tube with 1/4” gussets surrounding it. As discussed here previously I set the limit straps to hold the axle about 1/2” above the top out point of the shock with both sides of the axle drooped. I should have at least an inch of remaining adjustment up on the limit straps mounts to account for any stretch over time.
I also hacked my stock transmission crossmember to fit around the frame side link brackets and just hold the transmission up more securely than the piece of rectangle tubing sitting across the frame rails. I didn’t want it to wiggle loose on the trailer ride home. I will fabricate a transmission crossmember that actually fits later.
I’m sure I’m forgetting a bunch of little stuff. It’s been a slog working against this hard deadline to bring it home. I am ready for a break, but I am also super stoked to see it sitting on the ground again after months on jack stands.
Not that they’ll see this but big thanks to my brother in law and my old auto tech teacher (who is retiring this year, end of an era!) for letting me work in the shop and for helping me out when needed, and my dad for also helping me out a bunch. And thanks to you guys here for following along and giving me much needed advice.
Might just be the pics but to the top of the shocks lean out further than the bottoms?
They do slightly, but the pictures do kind of exaggerate it now that I'm paying attention to that.
I'm not sure if that's different because of differences between the 10b axle brackets vs the d60 brackets, or what. Tilting the shocks in any more have the bottoms of the springs hitting the brackets (still had to clearance them for when it's articulated), spring getting extremely close to the steering shaft, etc.
Hoping that won't be a problem...
I tried to drill out my axle brackets and tip them in, ended up bending a shaft so just put them where ORD drills it.
I assume you're using their 10b brackets like I am? Do your shocks also have the bottoms more inboard than the tops slightly (using the original bracket holes)?
