I have just bought my first truck a k5 blazer from my uncles buddy. Right now we need to swap the one ton axles off (they weren't included) and put half tons back on. It comes with 6in front lift springs and 4in rear springs with 2in blocks. The guy I bought it from beat that thing to hell and back, around here he is the only person psycho enough to break a dana 60 front end. The frame is cracked in multiple places, the body has some decent dents in almost every panel and the last time my uncle drove it when you stepped on the gas thw whole frame would twist. For now the plan is to fix the frame, get a new tailgate with the glass, cleanup the interior and get front seats. I have a turbo 350 trans and 203 tcase we are going to swap in. And then we. Need to see about drivelines, I might have some that work might not. I'll post pictures when I go over to swap the axles out with my uncle
CK5
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Tbi k5 blazer
- Thread starter Eryn
- Start date
Sounds like lots of work. Post up some pics of your new ride and try to read up on old threads that deal with the same issues you have. Then ask questions. This site has more information than you could dream of.
Will do, I got work all day today and tomorrow but after that we should be good. The PO is keeping his shackle flip and longer shackle kit. Is there any preferred way to lift the rear? Are shackles better than blocks? And what about lift springs, I know they stiffen the ride but any other cons to them? And would 4in lift springs be too stiff for an uncomfortable ride or no? The plan right now is 6in front and rear and I already have the 6in front springs
Why would you swap an NP203 in???
Martin
Martin
It was included with the blazer, like the turbo350 is and maybe axles, he is a buddy of my uncles so if i need to change the gears from one of our half tons with one he has he will be okay with it.Later I want a np205 for sure. Eventually I want to go 14bolt ff and dana 60 for sure, lift it more somewhere between 8-12 inches depending on how much i have to lift it to fit 39.5-42in tires. The fenders are already cut as he was running 37in tires and 6in lift and from what my uncle said even under full stuff it wouldn't rub. As money permits I plan on upgrading the drivetrain. But for now it'll work. I doubt ill break it for just the light wheeling ill be doing.
@bent72, be nice, there is too few ladies who want to build and wheel. Let's aim her in the right direction...
Big lifts will eat driveshafts unless you do spend a boatload of money... but if you do have 6 in front springs already, use them until you can afford something better. For the rear look into chevy 56" springs (length wise, along the main leaf) or ford 57" springs, and a shackle flip with the new bracket adjusted accordingly. There are several companies that make new brackets or you can piece your own together with junkyard parts. This is where you would research. Lot's of info here. You might need a small 1 or 2 inch block, but that's ok. Don't know where you hail from, but it isn't too hard to come up with a 700R4 and a NP241 t case around here. Much better option than a 350/203 combo. Depending on funds you could do a doubler. Research is your friend...
Big lifts will eat driveshafts unless you do spend a boatload of money... but if you do have 6 in front springs already, use them until you can afford something better. For the rear look into chevy 56" springs (length wise, along the main leaf) or ford 57" springs, and a shackle flip with the new bracket adjusted accordingly. There are several companies that make new brackets or you can piece your own together with junkyard parts. This is where you would research. Lot's of info here. You might need a small 1 or 2 inch block, but that's ok. Don't know where you hail from, but it isn't too hard to come up with a 700R4 and a NP241 t case around here. Much better option than a 350/203 combo. Depending on funds you could do a doubler. Research is your friend...
Does it currently have a transmission and transfer case?
Martin
Martin
No other t case or tranny than the 350 turbo and 203 that were thrown in. The current hope is to buy a sm465 and 203/205 doubler kit or maybe the magnum one that ORD sells.
I live in arizona, morenci specifically but most people don't know where that is about 3 hours out of Tucson, past Wilcox, and about fourty minutes past safford.
I did a little research into 52 and 56in spring swaps. Cash is currently kinda scarce so I am making due with what I got till I can save up for the big stuff later, for one I am sure I will have a blast with what I got.
As far as big lifts go I have only seen one person with a 10+ inch lift and I only know of one other around here so I believe it will be expensive just thinking ahead. For now this will be my dd so I'd like a decent ride, it doesn't have to be great and I am not much bothered by noise from tires, my uncles long bed has had both pit bull rockers and mud grapplers and while they are loud it didn't bother me since I just turn the music up
. My uncle has a wealth of experience as well with what has worked for him but the more information I get the more informed decision I can make. But I will get some pictures of the blazer up once I get to working on it the plan is to swap the axles, roll bar, and mount tires this Thursday
I live in arizona, morenci specifically but most people don't know where that is about 3 hours out of Tucson, past Wilcox, and about fourty minutes past safford.
I did a little research into 52 and 56in spring swaps. Cash is currently kinda scarce so I am making due with what I got till I can save up for the big stuff later, for one I am sure I will have a blast with what I got.
As far as big lifts go I have only seen one person with a 10+ inch lift and I only know of one other around here so I believe it will be expensive just thinking ahead. For now this will be my dd so I'd like a decent ride, it doesn't have to be great and I am not much bothered by noise from tires, my uncles long bed has had both pit bull rockers and mud grapplers and while they are loud it didn't bother me since I just turn the music up
. My uncle has a wealth of experience as well with what has worked for him but the more information I get the more informed decision I can make. But I will get some pictures of the blazer up once I get to working on it the plan is to swap the axles, roll bar, and mount tires this ThursdayI would just like to clarify since I just assumed the entire forum was there when I bought it, all that it has on it as far as drive train that I get to keep is the tbi motor and 6in front springs. His sm465 and 205 are already out and going in his suburban, the axles he wants to keep as well as his rear shackle flip kit. The inside is bedlined, it doesn't have the fiberglass top and I need new glass all around. Luckily for me my uncle has had a few blazers (read more than he can remember) and has old half tons, an old top, and maybe glass for the doors. He also knows so many people I can hunt down all the parts I need to put the body back together
This truck sounds like a pile. Junk it, save as much $$$ as you can, and buy something nice. Whatever engine/trans/t-case combo you want, it's out there, and cheap. there's absolutely no reason to start with an abused basket case with a cracked frame. There's a turn-key 77 K5 for sale near me right now with a 60/14 already in it, 4" and 36" TSL's, and a 350/465/205 combo for $2500. This thing even has a plow on it. If you wanted an 87-91, those are dime a dozen too.
I started with a stock K5 at age 17. Even with open diffs and no lift I had a lot of fun with it. Start small with a solid running/driving truck and build it as you go.
I started with a stock K5 at age 17. Even with open diffs and no lift I had a lot of fun with it. Start small with a solid running/driving truck and build it as you go.
Around here I could probably have found something for cheaper, but considering this is my uncle's buddy and he allowed me to work off some of what I owed him and has plenty of knowledge I thought it was a good deal. We have plenty of metal to fix the frame and two perfectly fine frames to use if we can't fix it but my uncle has been very generous and i'd hate to wear that out. The one thing that made me buy this one was the tbi motor which is not as common around here. Hell that's what I bought really he was gonna give me the rolling chassis with turbo 350,203, axles, drive lines, and at least the front lift for $250, but I wanted the tbi so I payed the full $600
I would, but its not worth the money for what it accomplishes at this time, I'd rather spend time sweating under the blazer to save a little cash right now, plus I am pretty sure once its off its going to sit for sometime and when I do have extra cash and am going to lift more I'll pick it up for cheaper than he would want now. I am not shy about labor or learning so long as someone who knows what is going on is there to tell me I'm stupid lol. I'd also like to get to know my blazer a little better since I've only had some experience working on chevy square bodies
Pics? Sounds rough but rough but something to work with..
chulisohombre
1/2 ton status
Sucks you are dealing with someone else's headaches. For 600 and a bunch of parts to Play with you can learn a lot from this build and buy better stuff next time. I've seen people run 6 inch lift and the right amount of cutting on the fenders for 40 inch tires. If you get the correct backspaces on the rims you can make it fit better under the fenders as well. Good luck and have fun. That's the important part.
You can post pictures direct from your phone if you're a paying member.
Otherwise web host like photo bucket and links work fine
I promise I will have pictures soon been too busy working on it to bother with photo bucket. Although I have terrible news, the tires that were on it were 42in with hacked fenders, which means I have no excuse to turn this into a skyscraper. So far things are going okay except I need spacers for the rims because when the 35s are on the front they rub the steering so bad it locks the tires up. For now we have some smaller ones just to roll it around. Well better get back to work
