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Hows your K5 drive?

88-383

88-383

1/2 ton status
Joined
Sep 11, 2005
Posts
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Location
Tracy. CA
Is it normal for Blazers to feel a little twitchy on the street? My ball joints are new and there's no cracks near the steering box. But sometimes, as I'm going tdown the street it just feels wierd. Like the back of the truck is swaying after going over bumps.

Maybe it's nothing, maybe it's normal. It hasn't caused any problems but I'm curious.

Kelvin
 
how old are the shocks? what kinda lift? tires? do u still have the sway bar? cuz all those will effect how that reacts on the street.
 
Mine always felt 'normal'. Push it too hard and you're in trouble. Drive it like a truck and it's fine. I then went and bought a new Ram truck last year as my DD. Tight precise steering, awesome brakes, smooooth suspension and and tons of giddy up. After having my K5 off the road for a re-build for a few months my first drive (and many after) in the K5 were horrifying. It felt unstable. Weaving all over the place, no brakes, vague steering and slow. But after driving the Chev for a week I'm in love again!
It's a truck. If you drive another vehicle it will seem odd.
The Dodge puts a grin on my face every time I drive it but my Chevy is that old pair of boots that just feels right every time you put them on!
 
I'll have to agree with southernspeed. If I drive my K5 like an old truck, it's fine. If I've been driving something else, like a small car or suv-type-thing it feels a bit 'loose'. I've got a little play in the steering, and the truck won't go over 74, so I take it for what it is.
 
my k5 has no sway and is pretty tight steering(new box, pump, hoses, coupler, and stabilizers) its great like new and only sways in windy situations. but it is that perfect pair of boots that fit perfetly. when i punch it the rear end gets all sqirelll but its perfect.
 
mine goes where ever it wants :\

anything over 50 and you feel like your riding over rumble strips

antyhing over 55 you feel like your riding on speed bumps

on the way home today it decided to pull a hard left at about 50 mph, scared me to death.

im still driving it every other day :P
 
I laugh when i hear "This lift will make it ride better then stock"


Good thing, if it wasnt super soft my ass would be up to my neck from the vibe hahaha
 
Better than it did when I bought it!

I've got no noticeable steering play, just some "sidewall flex" (I got rid of the stock steering shaft and rag joint, and the box is properly adjusted). I have the ORD bolt-in steering box/frame reinforcer (which helped a LOT). It has 3/4 ton leaf springs. I run the stock 1.25" front sway bar, and added poly bar bushings to reduce body roll. New gas shocks and stabilizer, all ball joints and other suspension/steering components within spec.

That being said, it drives like a big, very short-wheelbase, straight-front-axle 4x4 truck. Rides like a buckboard, really bouncy without a load, but much smoother with 3 adult passengers and a few hundred pounds of cargo. It's a ton of fun to drive, although driving one of these is more "work" than something like a longbed IFS truck.

It's kind of like a lively horse, in that it feels as if it might toss you if you weren't a good rider with a firm hand.

For long road trips, there's always the Crown Vic.
 
I own a 2002 WS6 T/A 6speed along with my K5 and talk about a big difference when switching from one to the other:eek1: but I still love driving
the Big Ugly.You have to obviously realize that a solid front axle with leaf springs coupled with possibly big tires creates a funky driving experience not
to mention if there are any worn components up front.Still gotta love it though:D
 
Maybe I'm a little crazy but I think my lifted one drives better then my stock one except at higher speeds. I have had the lifted one cruising 75mph though with no issues.
 
Ya i love how my truck rides, loose and sluggish enough to not kill myself. But at the same time still being fun. I've replaced all the steering components except the stabalizer and box. It is way tighter than before (before it was Looser than a 40 y/o hooker:haha: ) I want to put in the steeing box brace before it cracks. But havent yet. I run AALs and they are way the hell rough, replaced all the bushings with polys and it feels tighter.

Funny story let my best friend drive my truck, now she drives a 2wd 96 f150, we are on a road with those big ass angled S-curves. She takes them at about 50 and im screaming in the passenger seat, she has never even touched my keys since:D
 
Wow, from reading the post above it's probally just fine. My shocks are new Bilsteins and the tires are new 33x12.5 15" AT and the truck is still stock height. The sway bar is still in place, but I do paln on installing the poly's.

Also, I've been driving a 4runner and a Vdub for the last 5yrs. So as mentioned above comparing it to other vehicles may not be fair. But with that said, it's mine and I like it.

Are there any definite do's and don't I should be aware of when driving a Blazer? Are they really unsafe above 55mph? how about with a trailer?

Thanks

KM
 
88-383 said:
Is it normal for Blazers to feel a little twitchy on the street? My ball joints are new and there's no cracks near the steering box. But sometimes, as I'm going tdown the street it just feels wierd. Like the back of the truck is swaying after going over bumps.

Maybe it's nothing, maybe it's normal. It hasn't caused any problems but I'm curious.

Kelvin
Click to expand...

Feeels fine drive it :D
 
88-383 said:
Are there any definite do's and don't I should be aware of when driving a Blazer? Are they really unsafe above 55mph? how about with a trailer?

Thanks

KM
Click to expand...
You gotta see how your own rig feels really. I'm on 4" lift with 35's, no sway bar and crossover with QD panhard and I'm happy with mine at 90mph but I sure wouldn't want to have to make any sudden lane changes at that speed. Just drive to suit the conditions around you and what you feel happy with.
 
Hows your K5 drive?
Click to expand...
- Like a truck. Since that's what it is, I didn't expect any more than that, and I was never disappointed.

Of course, that's when it was still driveable. Been a while... but hopefully not too much longer.
 
88-383 said:
Is it normal for Blazers to feel a little twitchy on the street? My ball joints are new and there's no cracks near the steering box. But sometimes, as I'm going tdown the street it just feels wierd. Like the back of the truck is swaying after going over bumps.

Maybe it's nothing, maybe it's normal. It hasn't caused any problems but I'm curious.

Kelvin
Click to expand...

Thats how stock Blazers with some age on them drive,I have been driving fullsize Blazers now for over 25 years either has a DD or a secondary vehicle.

A couple of things that will help on those choppy crowned road would be to get the ass end up even with the front and widen your track width on the rear to match your front.

I run a 70" van rear and my front width is 69 1/2" and it drives excellent on any road without the top heavy boat feeling!
 
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