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SAS Complete! **PICS**

Now that is just wrong not posting pics. Me wanna see so I can get motivated to do mine....
 
Here we go. Almost forgot to do it today. :doah:

PICT0131.jpg

You can see how much higher the front sits than the back now. :crazy: Need to get a D44 for the back to match the front.


PICT0129.jpg

PICT0127.jpg

PICT0128.jpg

A few poser shots.


PICT0130.jpg

There's one of the mounts I fabbed up. I didn't add a crossmember in the front like a lot of guys do, but I also left in the stock crossmember infront of the engine like a lot of guys don't.

I should've takien a pic of the shockmount too. All I did was weld in some of the Ford shock towers that are used in the Rancho Shock Conversion Tech. The stock shock mounts were unusable due to the geometry.

Also where I put the axle moved it forward a few inches. I'll have to cut the front fender again. IIRC I set it up with 20* of shackle angle. I used the axle and springs from an '84 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

So far it's pretty good. Gets kinda shakey after 55mph and it pulls one way or another when I hit bumps. Not sure what that could be, possibly because the steering setup is inherently loose? I figured I'd check the alignment just to make sure.

Anyways, there it is! I still need to re-gear and modify the crossmember and exhaust before I can make it 4x4. Also figure out how to incorporate the old selectable D44 "Command-Trac" system into the S-10's existing front diff selection system.

Fun fun fun.
 
Did you put the tracbar or panhard whatever you call it in?? With the shackles up front, it will make the steering rather wobby. Got any pics of the rear mounts?? So, stock springs off the waggy, and running 31s?? I want to do the same to my Blazer, but with SOA and 33s. looks good tho, but gotta get the rear done!!!
 
I see you're looking to put a D44 in the back, but have you considered an AMC 20? If you find the right one, they're really desireable if you can find the right one. There are certain versions which have given all of them bad names, with two piece axles and wimpy axle tubes. BUT, ours had thicker axle tubes than normal ones, and one piece axles which seem thicker than D44's. The ring and pinion have a lot more beef than a D44, that's for sure. I think H1's use amc 20 center sections too. D44's are fine for front ends, I just like to have a beefy rear end.

Looking pretty good though. So that that stock crossmember wasn't in your way? Our diff was hitting it with over 12" of lift, I guess maybe it was just a lot farther forward.
 
So how far forward did it allow you to move your axle? Ours is about 5-6" forward I think, we had to cut out the crossmember and go with a Astro steering box. I wouldn't mind doing a more mild S10 someday, something like yours. This first one went straight to trail rig status, so it required a lot of lift to keep up with the fullsizes.
 
You can look at the side pic and see how much it was moved forward if the stock setting put the wheel in the center of the wheel well.

At a guess I'd say maybe 3-4"? Possibly only 2".

And I wanted the D44 rear simply because of the aftermarket support and the fact that I have a bunch of D44 stuff laying around.



What should I do after the axle swapping is done? I'm thinking of maybe a TPI/LT1 V8 swap (LS1's are still way too expensive).
 
Go with a TBI SBC, get one out of an 87-92-ish, it will bolt in, the wiring will match, just need to swap the chip out. The motor mounts and exhaust is cheap.....
 
Well I think anything more than a 4.3 would be a bit much for a D44 rear.
 
I thought about TBI, but I kinda want something a bit more exciting and also something that will get a bit better fuel economy than the old TBI setup.

Although you may have a point with the D44 rear being too weak then. I guess I could do a 12-bolt and maybe shorten it up. I really don't want to move up to 3/4 or 1 ton stuff since I think that would just be excess weight. The blazer is pretty light and I don't plan on the v8 making more than 300-250 hp.

The problem then is shortening the axle tubes and stuff of a 12-bolt. Custom axles are cheap enough.

Or possibly a 9inch ford rear. They come in about any size and shape you could ask for.


hmmmm.... :thinking:
 
find a cab and chassie 14 bolt they are already narrow enough, yea its a lot of extra weight but the strenght is unmatched
 
1979jimmy350 said:
find a cab and chassie 14 bolt they are already narrow enough, yea its a lot of extra weight but the strenght is unmatched
Click to expand...

I just don't wnt to run something that big in my S-10. Keep in mind this is a DD and not my Trail only rig. It'll see trails, but I doubt it'll ever get lockers. Probably just limited slips. And I really doubt I'll do bigger than 35" tires. More than likely I'll stop at 33".

14bolt really seems like overkill to me.
 
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