a friend wants to trade me his 86 k5 blazer on 35" claws for my 86 toyota on 37's with 5.29's, detroit, 8" lift, all the goodies. i really really like the blazer. what do i need to know about them? id does have hte 10bolt rear, and i would swap that out eventually so i could run 38's. any odd things that k5's are known for? thanks. the balzer is not regeared, and i dont know how it will pull compared to my toyota. just general info and thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Go to ColoradoK5.com (http://coloradok5.com/forums/wwwthreads.php) and all your questions will be answered.:)

see above:D

also www.offroaddesign.com to get the K5 rock ready

I dont own a Toyota (have in the past) but I do own a Chevy and have had several Blazers. Unless you need the room or to tow anything I think you bumped your head for thinking about trading your Toy!

okay, yeah i'm thinkin, i guess i'm jsut a kid and want a bigger truck :) my toy is as follows 86 x-cab, 5.29's, detroit, custom bumpers, all -pro style rock sliders, flowmaster and header, 5" susp lift, 2" body. 37" SSR's, all windows tinted, sprayin bedliner. motor has only 30k miles, has a cam, 4 KC's, CB, firestick antenna, buggy leaves, diff mounted traction bar. body is almost perfect. all SR5 options, hand throttle, etc. this blazer is stock except for a 6" susp lift and 35" claws. i am thinkin toyota, but i dunno.....

The 10 bolt axles sucks in the rear.... if you go for a 87-91 K5 you get fuel injection. The 86 you don't get it but it's a good truck. I might be slightly biased seeing how mine is an 86. They are a ton of fun and cheap to upgrade (with the exception if you choose a dana 60 up front with run $$$).... I think you should keep your Toy and get a Blazer if you want one from someone else. You can get a stock one for really cheap sometimes (My friend bought one 2 weeks ago for $600 bucks). Then you can go from there and make the mods as you want them.... but that's just my opinion! :D

If it is an '86 Toy SR5 then more that likely it is fuel injected. Fuel injection was an obtion starting in '85. I would stick with the Toyota, unless like said above you need the space. Your truck sounds all set up. Remember all the money you spent to get it that way? Well you will have to do it again on the Blazer.

If your toy has been solid axle swapped because of it's size it would be a better wheeler and that's comming form a DIE Hard K5er. My problem with the Toy trucks is size. I just don't fit well in them. The seating possistion drives me nuts. The newer they are the better it gets though. My sister just got a 98 Tacoma extra cab and they have a better seating posisiton it seems. I also have kids and short of the newer 4Runners Just not the room for us.
If your still IFS it would be easier to upgrade the K5. You can pick up 14 bolts for $200-400 and some will even have the Detroit in it and 4.10 or 4.56 gears. I would try to get one with 4.56's to take some load off the OD tranny that truck will have. The extra V8 power will overcome the need to go to much higher gear unless you go to some huge tires.
You can convert the front axle to 8 lug by swapping from the spindles out. Up gradding to a D60 front if you plan to be real hard on it. It's a heavy truck and with big tires they are prone to blowing the front shafts out or the u-joint and taking the shafts with it.

I have owned both, and I would have to say keep the Toy! I am a die hard Chevy fan also...My first Blazer, on a good day would get 12 mpg... Definetely didn't pass too many gas stations. This was when the truck was perfectly dialed in, on flat land.... In the mountains :eek: it really sucked gas..... Compare the mileage and maintenace between the 2 and make your decision.. :skull:

KEEP THE TOY, you'd be getting ripped if you swapped straight across.

If you want the Blazer really bad you should trade your toy but then also get a grand or more. Only because your toy is already "SET-UP"

Dallas,
I currently own both a built toyota rockcrawler and a semi built blazer, built much more than the one you are considering. I will be the ummpeenth person to tell you to keep the toyota. The blazer does not wheel nearly as easily as the toy. It also does not float in snow the way a toy can. The only positives for a blazer is a. size, to haul things or people b. more power for towing c. taller for more imposing rig d. V-8 sound. Keep the Toyota for Wheeling, driving, or reliability!!!
Michael.