My thoughts on 52's, one year later

[zcarczar]

As many of you know I was one of the pioneers in the 52" front spring swap one year ago. I probably made the mistake of putting the late model 52's up front under my truck, had a helluva time trying to find bushings. I ended up contacting Az-Kickin Off road in AZ to have him make me some out of UHMMV, talk about harsh ride, but they are very very durable. I also found that the 52's work great in just about every possible situation, but need very good shocks to work with them. Im running the Sway Away Race Runner 14" travel shocks and they actually dont have enough travel to keep up with my front suspension, so my suspension is limited to around 13" of pure vertical travel. This seems to work very well with the shocks and springs, but when things get articulated I can achieve almost 20" of travel, but im not too sure since ive never measured it.

Overall, im happy with the results, and not impressed at the same time. The travel is excellent, but the excessive travel, and stiffness of the front spring bushings has killed my frame. Its also made me take my truck places I shouldnt have been and caused it to get smashed. Nearly 2 months after I got them on I smashed the hell out of both quarter panels, then a little bit later I smashed all the panels up. Oh well, it happens, the front fenders are broken anyway from excessive frame flex.

 

[white-rhyno]

wow, you had custom made bushings.... Were they really that bad?

ps, i love that pic

 

[beater_k20]

i'm going to run my 6" TC EZ rides.

 

[Silver84k5]

sorry for the dumb question. but why did you need to have bushings made?

Couldnt you just go get some regular run of the mill Spring bushings?

 

[white-rhyno]

i'm going to run my 6" TC EZ rides.

Wow, where did that come from?

 

[Bullet]

So what are your plans now?

Have any recent pics of all the carnage or of your rig?

 

[stallion85]

[

[/QUOTE]


PIMP

 

[rubbinz raczn]

As many of you know I was one of the pioneers in the 52" front spring swap one year ago. I probably made the mistake of putting the late model 52's up front under my truck, had a helluva time trying to find bushings. I ended up contacting Az-Kickin Off road in AZ to have him make me some out of UHMMV, talk about harsh ride, but they are very very durable. I also found that the 52's work great in just about every possible situation, but need very good shocks to work with them. Im running the Sway Away Race Runner 14" travel shocks and they actually dont have enough travel to keep up with my front suspension, so my suspension is limited to around 13" of pure vertical travel. This seems to work very well with the shocks and springs, but when things get articulated I can achieve almost 20" of travel, but im not too sure since ive never measured it.

Overall, im happy with the results, and not impressed at the same time. The travel is excellent, but the excessive travel, and stiffness of the front spring bushings has killed my frame. Its also made me take my truck places I shouldnt have been and caused it to get smashed. Nearly 2 months after I got them on I smashed the hell out of both quarter panels, then a little bit later I smashed all the panels up. Oh well, it happens, the front fenders are broken anyway from excessive frame flex.

so you are saying 52's suck cause you can wheel where you couldn't before maybe only 52's should be used for the mall? cage the frame and bash it! buy longer travel shocks got any more pics?

 

[zcarczar]

Dammit, I had a big long response typed out but i got BSOD on the laptop and lost it all.

Anyways, I had to go with custom bushings since everyone thought I was crazy for doing the 52's up front, and told me it wouldnt work at the time, and I have now concluded that I have the "metric" springs off of the late model truck. They came off the back of my '89 K5, so that might explain some of it. Basically the spring eye is 1.7" or so, while they are normally 1.5". Plus it was a problem trying to find a bushing like I wanted, with the shoulder I wanted. The bushings were bad because they were made out of UHMMV, basically like delrin. They dont flex at all and Im sure they have made the frame and springs take a beating. Im interested to get this frame out from underneath my truck to see where its broken. I know of a couple spots that are pretty trashed so far. It just sucks cause its gonna be at least 3 months before I can start on the new frame since Im still waiting for the shop my dad and I are building to begin construction.

As for Future plans, the blazer is getting a new frame built, gonna either freshen the motor or drop a 6.0, 4L80E combo in there with a 3:1 NP205 hanging off the back of it. If I stay with the 5.7 I'll keep the 700/241. Im shooting for close to 400hp without nitrous. So that way when I hit the button I can haul ass and make some cars look bad. Im also gonna full cage it, with an engine cage, aluminum dash, tubular engine cage and core support. Basically get the dezert racer treatment. You know, bypasses on all four corners, maybe a link'd up rear end. Its also probably gonna get a 9" in the back, and im gonna figure out a way to get some 14" rotors and 4 piston calipers in the front, and dont tell me to run a 60 cause I still havent broke my locked 10 bolt.

The damage isnt too bad, but considering I did have a completely straight, cherry truck in March 2002 when I attained my license at the young age of 16 its pretty bad. I've bashed both quarters, the rockers, fenders, and managed to tag the doors a bit. All of the spot welds are broken in teh front fenders also. I took some crappy pictures of the damage, its kinda dark outside.

 

[zcarczar]

so you are saying 52's suck cause you can wheel where you couldn't before maybe only 52's should be used for the mall? cage the frame and bash it! buy longer travel shocks got any more pics?

Ok first of all your a jackass, second of all I had a cherry truck and it got smashed cause I overbuilt it per se. Its more my fault than the springs, I mean cmon, a teenager with a blazer thats locked front and rear with some flexy ass suspension is gonna try and go up stuff he shouldnt. Oh and look at my website if you want pictures.

 

[az-k5]

I feel your pain, I was in the same boat. I had a clean truck in the middle of november and by new years i had hit a few trails and don't have a clean 8 inches of body panel too my name. My doors were fine (cause I always remove them) but got tweaked from the bashed fenders. You can go with more armor or give up on the body or just be more careful around the body. Either way try and plan for a run in AZ this year cause we can accomodate any type of desert wheeling and any type of rig.

 

[81jimmyslt]

Do you drive it on the street?

If so how do those 52's handle with your shock combo?

Thanks
Jesse

 

[spoolnaround]

I feel your pain, I was in the same boat. I had a clean truck in the middle of november and by new years i had hit a few trails and don't have a clean 8 inches of body panel too my name. My doors were fine (cause I always remove them) but got tweaked from the bashed fenders. You can go with more armor or give up on the body or just be more careful around the body. Either way try and plan for a run in AZ this year cause we can accomodate any type of desert wheeling and any type of rig.

This is why my $800 rig has a salvage title.

 

[Bullet]

Looks alot like my passemger side of the Jimmy. I know how you feel about the damage. It took my Dad and I four years to build our jimmy. Some dumb b*tch destroys it in less than 4 seconds.

We got the new door hung and before too long it will be back in the body shop and looking cherry.

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

This is why my rig rides on a trailer now.

I never put a dent in it off road ever until I rolled it on its left side in November 2003. It was all downhill from there.

 

[sled_dog]

I don't think I've seen anyone but the buggy guys around here with their front section caged(engine bay) something people should really think about it seems. I know I'm caging mine but all I need is to roll right over backwards and have a fresh $$ motor be what stops me.

 

[nomadman]

Do you drive it on the street?

If so how do those 52's handle with your shock combo?

Thanks
Jesse

I second that question, no sway bar & 52's, how's the handling @ highway speeds? around town?

 

[rubbinz raczn]

Ok first of all your a jackass, second of all I had a cherry truck and it got smashed cause I overbuilt it per se. Its more my fault than the springs, I mean cmon, a teenager with a blazer thats locked front and rear with some flexy ass suspension is gonna try and go up stuff he shouldnt. Oh and look at my website if you want pictures.

i may be a jackass but building a nice rig nice paint etc. then making it more than capable offroad locker,flexy suspension etc. then smashing it doesn't make alot of sense! i see alot of rigs on here that were nice bodywise. now they are rough in the body but tough looking cause they can go anywhere! thats why i picked up a $500 rig that i knows gonna get smashed thats all i was implying

 

[Bullet]

He had a very nice and straight panel blazer when he first got it when he was 16. He repainted it and then began to do the offroad upgrades, which led to the 52" spring swap and other hardcore upgrades.

It's impossible to know how to build your rig for your future wheeling. First you might start off with a nice rig, get a taste of hardcore trails and want more, which leads to bodydamge of your nice straight panels. Hindsight is 20/20

 

[leadfoot067]

I second that question, no sway bar & 52's, how's the handling @ highway speeds? around town?

ill answer this...im running 52's and 56's...mine body rolls around corners..but nothing excessive to me...the on highway ride at freeway speeds is like driving a car(compared to my 4"ranchos)...overall i really like the way it rides on the street,and im used to the body roll and drive it accordingly...and the bigger bonus to me is the way it works off-road...rarely does it ever lift a tire...