I am 16 and I have a 1986 chevy full-size blazer 3-inch body lift, six inch suspension, 14-bolt rear, 10-bolt front, NP203, TH 400, 350 bored 0.60 over with 2.02 heads roller rockers, cam, lifters, and MSD ignition system. Pretty good set-up for a beginner if you ask me. I'm thinkin about makin it just have a 3 inch suspension becasue right now it is in the clouds. i was wonderin how i could get at least 1 1/2 to 2 feet of articulation for $300 bucks or under...appreciate the help

flame-on!

DICKS!:flipoff2:

Use a search option and find out what type of set ups are best. There is difference between booty fab (cheap) and done right on a budget. It also depends how much you or your dad knows about wielding and fabbing (good bonding times if so). Your 16 so start asking around and looking in the paper for "deals." Search on here time and time again and learn different set ups. Good place to start is looking at pictures. A lot of the time people have notes on their setup in name or under the pic. That is how i started. before you know it you'll have know so much information you won't know where to start.

Do yourself a favor, get a star buy a hoodie and dont ask any questions untill you have spent your first five years searching. I've been searching for more than five years now and haven't not found something.

I've got a question that I would like to have answered! What kind of hose are people running for a rear mounted radiator on a toyota with a SBC 350. Now it would be really easy to just post the question but my intuition tells me the response will start with; dumbass, dousche bag, retard, or something similar to it. So I'm going to spend the next 5 or 10 days pissing and moaning to myself while I use the search button!

The search button is your friend! unless you don't have a star then your screwed.

Good luck with your project!

Take your time. Read a bunch...I mean a bunch. I'm don't have a crawler, I play in the mud. But I've been on pirate long enough and read enough and asked enough questions to figure a few things out.

So, some of what I learned:
Run 52" springs up front. I believe from a K5 rear and a few other applications. Run 63" in the rear, from an 88-98 half ton.

Ford shock towers in the front for longer travel shocks.

you will find that long flat springs flex more than hugely arched ones. (Do a search on 52 inch spring swaps.)

you will find that you need longer brake lines, and if you look for them on other vehicles, you dont have to spend a HUGE amount of money to get them. *(73-87 2wd chevy half ton front brake lines are 4 or 5 inches longer than the 4x4 brake lines and have the same ends.)

You will also find that if you dont relocate the mounts for your brakelines closer to the axle, you wont be able to use all that flex. *(mid 70s dodge vans have a bolt on bracket to mount brake lines that you can attach to the bottom of the frame to move your hardline mount down so it is effectively 3 inches lower....)

you may be interested to know that a giant tire will hit the firewall unless you move it forward with the spring swap.

You will find that while you dont HAVE to HAVE crossover steering, the push pull steering is marginal at best, and tends to lift the truck up as you steer when you use soft flat springs. It will also end up wearing out the spring mounts where the spring eye bolts hold the spring on the front mount.

Polyurethane is your friend when it comes to body mounts. best investment you can make.

steering boxes will not stay attached to the frame forever. look at the frame now, find the cracks, and fix them. box the frame and insert tubes while youre there, so you can prevent the problem WHEN (not if) it rears its ugly head.

Lube your hood hinges. *(that is, unless you like buying new hoods) be religious about pushing back before pushing down. if you dont understand, you will soon.

invest in parts that you are willing to KEEP on the truck, not the latest greatest bling thing that everyone says you need. buy quality once, not junk 3 times.

have fun with it, or you will hate it.

Damn, Grumpy! I don't think I've ever seen so much wisdom distilled into one post before!

Well, other than "Don't do it!"

:D

...and to add on a specific note to Grumpy's post, steer clear of "revolver" shackles which promise more flex. Their inherent 'unloading' will likely make you shit your pants the second you back off the RTI and hit a real trail.


And spidr, I see most guys are running thin-wall steel tubing for rear-mounted radiators...all excpet for the last foot or so.

And spidr, I see most guys are running thin-wall steel tubing for rear-mounted radiators...all excpet for the last foot or so.

After doing a little searching last night I did find that many people were using copper and thin wall tubing, or lots of hose, etc. etc...

I'm almost thinking of hole sawing a 2.5" hole in the frame, plating the side top and bottom and running 2 1" hoses on the inside of each frame rail. That would keep it out of the way for sure and the hose really isnt all that expensive. I cant see it wearing real fast either.

What do you think, yeah nay?

Sorry for the post rob!

im using .120 wall hrew tubing to pipe the water from the engine to the radiator.

it was what I had.

im using .120 wall hrew tubing to pipe the water from the engine to the radiator.

it was what I had.

1.75", 2"? I'm running a 100% aluminum rad, 180ºF thermo and a 18" 3200cfm fan think there would be any problem running 1.5" .120 hrew. I got a crap load of that. I could use a couple clams to hold it to the bottom of the cab.

I might have some 1.75" .120 hrew also, cant remember.

sure would be easier than running it through the frame.

1.75", 2"? I'm running a 100% aluminum rad, 180ºF thermo and a 18" 3200cfm fan think there would be any problem running 1.5" .120 hrew. I got a crap load of that. I could use a couple clams to hold it to the bottom of the cab.

I might have some 1.75" .120 hrew also, cant remember.

sure would be easier than running it through the frame.

i used 1 3/4 .120 wall. finding radiator hose to fit it kinda sucked, i had to use 76 caddy hoses to make all the corners fit on each end. had to size one end down to fit the old chevy radiator im using.

I welded tabs to the tube and welded the tubes to each other to stabilize them, and bolted them up under the truck. its up above frame level, and bent to follow the contour of the frame from front to back. just have to remove two bolts to drop the whole assy after disconnecting the hoses.

1 1/2 tube would work, but like i said, its not light.

i used 1 3/4 .120 wall. finding radiator hose to fit it kinda sucked, i had to use 76 caddy hoses to make all the corners fit on each end. had to size one end down to fit the old chevy radiator im using.

I welded tabs to the tube and welded the tubes to each other to stabilize them, and bolted them up under the truck. its up above frame level, and bent to follow the contour of the frame from front to back. just have to remove two bolts to drop the whole assy after disconnecting the hoses.

1 1/2 tube would work, but like i said, its not light.

what the hell! It's worth a whirl!

Thanks for the info!