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School me on s10's

Stomis

Stomis

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Well today my girlfriend told me she wanted a truck to go wheeling with me. So I'm happy as a pig in **** :D We've talked about it and its either a Toyota or an S10 so we're going with an S10. I wanna get her a boxy style 80s/early 90's style truck. The plan is to throw a wrangler dana 30 under it and put it on 33s.

I'm just wondering if theres any common knowledge about these trucks tha you guys can shed on me. Is he 2.8L a piece of junk? Whats he low down?
 
Go with one that has a 4.3 in it, you will be amazed at how peppy they are. I just picked this one up for 600 bones, very clean but the wife claimed it. She would rather ride along in the full size Jimmy than wheel on her own. But hey they are great little rigs!
 
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Yeah I'm thinking very low lift, probably about as low as spring over axle can be, d30/d44 (or ford 8.8), lock the rear, and 33x10.5 MT's. Probably cutouts so she doesnt get her ass broke at school by security and a snorkel maybe.

Its gotta be auto because she is unwilling to learn stick so I figure that makes finding the truck easier. I know that 4.3s are good motors but lets say hypothetically I find a really nice truck for an awesome price and its a 2.8L, should I turn it down cause of that?

Also what year did the boxy style body end? 94?

What year did they switch from 700r4 to 4L60e?

Any common rust spots I should check frame and body wise?

What sorta steering would bolt up to a SAS? I figured the IFS box would work fine with typical jeep crossover and different pitman arm.

And last question for now. Has anyone ever swapped in a cherokee axle and used the control arm setup adapted to the s10 frame? I was thinking about this last night, it wouldnt be that hard just need to get the specs on a longarm kit make a crossmember and measure for links.
 
Those on the one Pictured (Black then Gray) are off of a Wagoneer (Grand) and though we need to come up with a Cross Over system the stock system works great.

Many will tell you the 2.8L is Spitty but Aside from the Leaks its a Good Engine. I had one in my Cherrokee and I loved it.

Once you put the straight axle in the Blazer it all goes together pretty easy with little amount of Fabrication. It all Fits and works Nicely
 
bronc3buster842001 said:
Check out the link in my sig. for my build thread.
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Very nice man. The fact that it sits that high up with stock fullsize springs worries me :eek1: I'm trying to keep this truck low since I suspect my GF drives like a maniac when I'm not around.

I've been tossing around the idea of making my own cherokee longarm kit and using a cherokee axle. It would be my first adventure with linking a suspension though... We'll see on this I need to do more research.

O heres a couple more simple questions. What year did FI start on the 2.8 and 4.3?
 
IIRC the FI started in 86. i have been toying with the idea of using a long arm kit for a jeep too. dont really think it would be that hard.
 
bronc3buster842001 said:
IIRC the FI started in 86. i have been toying with the idea of using a long arm kit for a jeep too. dont really think it would be that hard.
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Nah I mean with a cherokee d30 you've got the brackets already. Really you would just need to make links however long you want them, put the axle centerline where you want it to fall, bolt in a box tube crossmember and start mocking up mounts for the control arms where they fall.

I'm sure I'm over simplifying it but it doesnt seem too hard. I know my friend who has a cherokee was telling me theres a thread floating around a jeep forum some where with the exact specs and measurments on the rustys long arm kit so people could copy them.
 
Stomis said:
Its gotta be auto because she is unwilling to learn stick so I figure that makes finding the truck easier. I know that 4.3s are good motors but lets say hypothetically I find a really nice truck for an awesome price and its a 2.8L, should I turn it down cause of that?
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The 2.8L is eh. Seen many broke ones and had a few friends with them...craptastic mileage too. Definitely try and find a 4.3L S10. I remember a friend of mine has a '87 or so S10 with the EFI 2.8L...and it got about the same gas mileage as my '86 K5 got with a worn out 305 V8 with a Quadrajet.

Also what year did the boxy style body end? 94?
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'93. '94 was the first year of the "curvy" body style...I think...at least it was for the pickups.

What year did they switch from 700r4 to 4L60e?
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Should be '93.
 
AJMBLAZER said:
The 2.8L is eh. Seen many broke ones and had a few friends with them...craptastic mileage too. Definitely try and find a 4.3L S10. I remember a friend of mine has a '87 or so S10 with the EFI 2.8L...and it got about the same gas mileage as my '86 K5 got with a worn out 305 V8 with a Quadrajet.

'93. '94 was the first year of the "curvy" body style...I think...at least it was for the pickups.

Should be '93.
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alright thanks. Yeah i'm gonna hold out for a 4.3 truck since I know smallblocks and they are the same thing :D
 
Yep, literally 3/4 of a 350.

I'm really not a big fan of S10's...but then again you'd be getting rid of most of the craptastic parts (axles, suspension, etc).
 
A number of years ago there was a guy on ORC/Chevy who had a S10 that he'd SAS's. All leaf springs but it worked nicely for him. I don't recall the details but he had some thought into it beyond just mounting fullsize leaf springs under it. I think he might have used full width axles too.
 
AJMBLAZER said:
A number of years ago there was a guy on ORC/Chevy who had a S10 that he'd SAS's. All leaf springs but it worked nicely for him. I don't recall the details but he had some thought into it beyond just mounting fullsize leaf springs under it. I think he might have used full width axles too.
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Yeah we'll see. I definitely dont wanna use fullsize axles though. I cant stand the look of mini trucks with fullwidths under them
 
I keep considering swapping Cherokee axles under an s-10. I like the idea of using the long-arm setup on the front. I figured that would actually be easier than leaf springs. Add mounts for the control arms and track bar, use coilovers on hoops with a crossbar between them. A spring-over in the back would even things up a bit. Seems like it would be pretty simple, and I'm sure it'd work better than the leaves anyway.
 
I want to say the guy with the full widths was running HMMWV rims or something with really deep backspacing, at least 6" or so. The front hubs stuck out FAR because the tires were back towards the body quite a ways.
 
well again you don't have to do it so Extreme but the cherokee axles and leafsprings works just greaat and she'll have a great time and it will be pleanty safe

todd build4.jpg

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TDAWG1 said:
well again you don't have to do it so Extreme but the cherokee axles and leafsprings works just greaat and she'll have a great time and it will be pleanty safe
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Yeah I'm gonna stick with leaves @ all 4 corners just for simplicity, save money, and theres no way I'm letter her drive around on a long arm setup without a sway bar so I'd have to figure that out too.

As far as the fullwidth thing goes theres no way shes getting beadlocks and not me :haha:
 
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