Lifting a 73 Blazer... advice please.

[Whistlerski71]

I’m trying to get a set of 39.5 x 18 Super Swampers to fit under my 73 Blazer.

It will mostly be driven short distances, no pulling other than perhaps a 2 jet ski trailer at times, and mostly driven in a small Mexican beach town on pavement and sand.

What options do you all recommend? Longer springs? Lift kits? Reverse the rear shackles? What’s the best shocks? How high?

 

[6872xtc]

I think that there are lots of opinions about this. You first have to make a very honest decision about how much money you are willing to spend and if you are willing to trim sheetmetal from the wheel openings of the body.
I would suggest that you look at the thread near the top of the list in the garage section. There is a "how does it look with xxx lift and xxx tires.

And welcome to the site!

 

[Whistlerski71]

I think that there are lots of opinions about this. You first have to make a very honest decision about how much money you are willing to spend and if you are willing to trim sheetmetal from the wheel openings of the body.
I would suggest that you look at the thread near the top of the list in the garage section. There is a "how does it look with xxx lift and xxx tires.

And welcome to the site!

What’s your opinion? (I already have the tires and I’m open to trimming sheet metal in a “tasteful” way.)

 

[sweetk30]

39.5x18 tires = prob solid 8" to 10" lift and still maybe a little triming if you dont want to trim much .

not a fan of huge body lift my self but years ago i had a friend with a short box chevy trucks mid 80's . he did a 4" lift with super stiff springs and 3" body lift . he could clear 38x12.50x15 tires on 10" rims . i think he did kiss the corners on the fenders some times .

any blazer lifted 4" or more should have or requires a c/v rear shaft for the drive shaft and this stuff can add up real quick to get it all in line and working correct for highway driving and also life of the u-joints .

there is a lot to get them under there correctly for that HUGE FAT tire do your home work here first so you dont need to spend the cash 2x over .

if me i would prob sell the tires and drop to a 38x12.50 size and still look real mean and fits a lot better with a lot less work .

there is a lot more to talk aout and figure out so soak this in and get back to us .

welcome to the nice friendly site for square body stuff

 

[sweetk30]

here is another way of looking at it .

its the HUGE width of that tire up front for turning and not hitting the body and firewall .

 

[6872xtc]

I would buy a custom set of leaf springs from Offroad Design for the front. They will give you a ride that is so much better than the big "kit" companies. Lots of guys don't go this way due to price alone, but never know what they could have if they had spent the extra money. I tried Tuff Country Ez-ride on my '70 which has 3" shorter front springs than a '73 and up. It was not good, and after buying a set from ORD for my '90 K5 as well, I am very glad that I didn't go cheap. Now, they don't handle like a linked front end would, but that is $3500 (?) for just parts.
The ORD stuff rides so much better than "kit" springs that it was amazing to me. 9n road and off road is better. I would also recommend moving the axle forward to get more clearance at the rear of the front fender, which helps keep it a little lower height than if in the stock location.
You can buy rear springs from then as well, if you don't want to cut rivets to do a shackle flip.

I will probably think of more later, sorry for the delayed response.