Hi,
My friend owns a 1985 chevy blazer, with the 6.2 diesel. He has a 4inch lift with the blocks in the rear and 35s. Right now we are looking into ways to get it to have a flexier ride, because she is stiffer then grampa on viagra! I am totally new to this fullsize thing since I own a swb vehicle (samurai), so that is why I need you guys help for info. all I can find for these fullsizes are shackle flips. (Do they even help that much?) Is there anything else that can be down, without going into a custom 3-4 link suspension?

Thanks for any help,
Chris

A shackle flip will alow you to remove the rear block. Longer front shackle's will help the articulation. You might want to look for info over at coloradok5.com they have product reviews on both the flip and 2 diffent front shackle's

Colorado K-5 has excellent tech articles for chevys, you might try lookin there.
Depending on what kind of suspension your friend has, will determine what you can do with it. Might have to get new springs if you want flex, especially if your runnin a Rancho lift. The blocks don't help either.:skull:

the marv spring suspension offers insane flex. ORD has a good, economical shackle flip also.

For the rear, I also recommend (and use) the Springer setup. Shoot Marv an email at marv@springersuspensions.com. He is a great guy and his suspension gives more flex for the rear than you can use. Just don't plan on towing or hauling really heavy loads with it.

As for the front, your options are limited. A soft flexy set of springs from BDS or Tough Country make a good start. If you really want it to flex in the front you have to do some work. One problem is that all lift front springs for GMs are shorter than they should be from eye to eye at rest. This pulls the shackle forward so that the lower eye is well forward of the upper eye. Unfortunately this is necessary to keep the eye from hitting the frame when the spring compresses (which pushes the rear eye back). One solution is to use longer (about 1" is enough) shackles and get more lift than you need. Say, get a 6" when you want 4". Then, with the longer shackles on, you can remove a leaf (maybe two) so that the spring sags down a bit. This will force the eye further back than where the company put it giving a better shackle angle. It also provides a more supple spring. Just make sure you have a good warranty (the spring may not last as long) and good shocks. This is basically what I’m doing with my BDS 4” lift. I really don’t need the full 4” so I’m taking a leaf out. I’m also moving the shackle mount on the frame forward about 1.5” too, but that is more work than most people want to do…

The guys have it, but I went a slightly different route in the rear. I put 4" lift springs (Tuff Country), and 4 days after the complete installation of the one ton axles and new springs (not broken in) it ramped a 722. That was WITHOUT relocated rear shocks, no long front shocks, and again no road time to loosen up the suspension. In June we have another ramp day and I expect to see a pretty good improvment with the relocated rear shock kit, a year on the springs, and the long front F250 shock tower project (All available on www.coloradok5.com for info)

Best of all, for me, I get great road manners, no axle wrap, can tow anything I want and everything from the frame down is new.

I run 2.5" Rancho springs and 2" longer shackles in front.In the rear is 2.5" Rancho springs and 3" blocks.It works very good offroad.I don't know what it ramps at.It is over 1000 on a 20 degree.It does ride rough on wash boarded road but not bad on the highway.Going to go to new springs sometime.These are old and sagging.If you have the cash get a set of custom springs made.National or Alcan make great springs.Blazin:rasta:

A pic of a front shackle moved about 3 inches forward and with a longer shackle. I cant remember the exact measurements but I will go take them if anyone is interested.
http://www.alaskaoffroad.com/images/Tech/Front_Suspension/Shackle_Angle2.JPG

Thanks guys!:D
I am going to relay your info to my friend.
Does anyone know why lifted springs aren't as long as the stockers?
I also read on the off-road.com site about a guy running a shackle flip with revolvers in the rear. But when I look at the teraflex site, they don't show that they make the shackles for anything other then jeep. How is this possible?:confused:

Thanks again,
Chris

Originally posted by bgreen
A pic of a front shackle moved about 3 inches forward and with a longer shackle. I can remember the exact measurements but I will go take them if anyone is interested.
http://www.alaskaoffroad.com/images/Tech/Front_Suspension/Shackle_Angle2.JPG
Nice, that's exactly what I was planning. Only difference is I wasn’t planning on going quite that far, only far enough to clear the original hole. I've never seen anyone relocate the original bracket on a GM before. Here I thought I had a semi-original idea. :D Thanks for the reference pic…

Originally posted by littlejackass

Does anyone know why lifted springs aren't as long as the stockers?

I mentioned this in my original post above. If they made it longer it would hit the frame when the spring dearches in compression. Factory springs are pretty much flat so compression and droop pull the eye away from the frame. Lift springs are arched so they push the eye into the frame on compression and pull the eye away on droop. With the angle of the shackle (for common lift springs) that means the spring is always fighting the shackle. Moving the mount corrects this. However, the ideal angle of the shackle is a matter of some debate and you need to remember that changing the angle will change the effective rate of the spring...
Originally posted by littlejackass

I also read on the off-road.com site about a guy running a shackle flip with revolvers in the rear. But when I look at the teraflex site, they don't show that they make the shackles for anything other then jeep. How is this possible?:confused:

They no longer recommend or sell the revolvers for full size rigs due to various problems. Most people (at least those I've talked to) who tried to run them on fullsizes pulled them back off.

Baddog I like it.I was going to do something of the same.But was going to use a sleeve and bushing under the frame.This would require you to box the frame above the mount.I like your idea better.Littlejackass I would not recomend the revolvers on anyrig.Let alone a fullsize.I don't like the idea of uncontrolable droop.Just my opinion.Blazin:rasta:

Here is a picture of what I did.
http://www.rustbucket.rockcrawler.com/images/rustbucket9.jpg

You can see more pictures on my site. http://www.rustbucket.rockcrawler.com/photo.html

What I did is put longer springs under and they did work great. I will do the same thing on my next one.

The reason I used such a long shackle is that I needed to accout for the 3" Square tubing that I mounted over the front spring mount. I'll post a pic later tonight.

Donovan, How did you convert the 14 bolt to 6 lug?Is that a 15" rim?Have a 14 bolt sitting around and was thinking I could do this.Can you convert back easily?Blazin

He turned down the hub on a lathe and then redrilled. Going back would be a simple matter of finding another unmolested hub. Donovan has some cool ideas about making GM suspensions work well, I know his old K5 worked like crazy...

BTW Donovan, I'm still waiting for the details on those Dodge springs. :D

Originally posted by blazin
Donovan, How did you convert the 14 bolt to 6 lug?Is that a 15" rim?Have a 14 bolt sitting around and was thinking I could do this.Can you convert back easily?Blazin

Blazin it told me a lot of machining to put the 6 lug onto the 14 bolt but I did it with using the stock 14 bolt brakes. Someone on the CK5 board converted one to 6 lug and he used front disk brakes and that looked to be the easiest to do and it can be converted back to 8 lug.

BadDog I have not had time to do those springs yet. I have spent all my time and money on make a 3 spd transfercase. So when that is done then I will try to do those springs on my dually.

Ford shock towers, 31" shocks ..no sway bar...2 leaves taken out of 6" spring pack..longer front shackles....Take out over-load rear spring!!...Not much...But pretty good for little $$$$!!!...~CLINT~

mo!

sum mo!

I didn't see anyone ask this yet, but what Springs is she running? They may be a stiffer spring and she could swap them out for a set of Softrides...

Originally posted by AZFJ
Ford shock towers, 31" shocks ..no sway bar...2 leaves taken out of 6" spring pack..longer front shackles....Take out over-load rear spring!!...Not much...But pretty good for little $$$$!!!...~CLINT~

When you do that, does it make it pretty scary to drive on the highway?

I cruise to work at 80 mph everyday!!.....Slamming on the brakes can be a little sacay!!..Just throw on a ORD sway bar disconnect and your fine!!!

http://members.aol.com/ok17roper/images/flexint.jpg
:rasta:

:eek:

Originally posted by AZFJ
I cruise to work at 80 mph everyday!!.....Slamming on the brakes can be a little sacay!!..Just throw on a ORD sway bar disconnect and your fine!!!


Hmm...I think I'm gonna relocate the shock mounts and see where that gets me. Then I might try that.
I already got the sway bar disconnects :cool:

Any idea of what it ramps?

Originally posted by Muddin



Hmm...I think I'm gonna relocate the shock mounts and see where that gets me. Then I might try that.
I already got the sway bar disconnects :cool:

Any idea of what it ramps?

Do it........you thinking about F250 towers? Just did it this weekend, not a bad project. No idea on the ramp yet on mine, did a 722 RTI with stock front and rear shocks and brand new springs. Should be quite a bit better with front and rear 9012 setups and a year on the springs.

Originally posted by AZFJ
Ford shock towers, 31" shocks ..no sway bar...2 leaves taken out of 6" spring pack..longer front shackles....Take out over-load rear spring!!...Not much...But pretty good for little $$$$!!!...~CLINT~

did you do anything with the rear shackles? flipped em, springer suspension?

Originally posted by bigwillys


did you do anything with the rear shackles? flipped em, springer suspension? ..

...I did'nt do anything to the shackles!!...You can always do a ORD flip or your own...( NOT that tough )...My shackle dont hang up at all!!!...BLAZER IS FOR SALE!!!! if anyone is interested!!!!!