Build thread: 96 blazer LT

[johnwiseman]

Startia new build, thought somebody might like to see this one. Very abitious build. I am wanting pretty gp survival rig.

This rig:

Starting with a 96 blazer Lt 4d 4wd lite blue. Very stock but every thing works, and it was only $1500.00. Power everything ac, cruise, auto.

All the running gear is coming out, from the tranfer case out. Replacing with solidly built Ford 9" front and rear. The quarter eliptic suspension will be tamed by a custom link set up and some massive detachable anti sway bars. Head out from there to a set of bfg km2 in 35x12.5x15 on Ford 6 bolt pattern DOT double beadlocks. About 8" lift overall including the tire differance. So not too much.

Kill off the left over abs junk and add a custom snork. seal everything under the hood. Add a extra battery under hood and upgrade the alt. and power steering pump. Change over to the hydro boost for the breaks and add a new master cyc. for the disks front and back. Try to seal the passenger compartment to avoid flooding.

I am currently designing the front and rear bumpers including a very slight exo. Just covering the corners really. I dont think I'l be tring to flip my truck. Side protection. The bumpers will be reinforeced steel, the front carring 6 lights and the CAD tells me it will hold about 20 gal of fuel. the rear will do about 26 gal. w/ 6 more lights as wel as carry 2 spares and all my digging, chopping, and lifting equip. I am only going to have one winch but it will be transferable to front and rear of rig as well as the rear of the trailer.

Top rack will be about the same as the stocker but I am planning to add a pop up tent of my own desinge that will be removeable if needs or wants be.

Underneath, I am keeping the huge muffler so I can hear myself think, and enjoy the woods. The spacewhere the spare was will hold the oba, welding eqip. and a small gen. Skid plates every where, and anouther battery if I can swing it.

Inteirior will be all vinal. Carpet and cloth seats must go. There will be room for all my swithes in the over head console, and in floor console. Adding many 12v outlets and a few 110 outlets. An over head rifle/fishing pole box in the rear. As well as locking system for the cargo area to keep my stuff from siding about. Gotta love the fridge, transferable from rig to trailer.

have already installed the remote start and gps kill incase it gets stolen. I am locking it front and back. Probly arb.

I am building a trailer with a nice(ie not bouncy) suspension with the same tires on it so I effectivly have 4 spares. It will have the same Cargo locking system in it. Pitle hook, realy is there anthing else? Couple of batteries and maybe anouther small gen. on it.

That about sums up the build I will be posting pics of everything as it comes togeather. All opinions apreaciated. If you want to know anything or want to request pricing on the stuff I build for this project just ask.

Someone tell me where to post pics and I'll get on it!

[mrstang01]

Originally Posted by johnwiseman

Head out from there to a set of bfg km2 in 35x12.5x15 on Ford 6 bolt pattern DOT double beadlocks.

Ford has a couple of eights and a 5, but no 6 bolt pattern.

Michael

[johnwiseman]

strange..... i thought i use to own a 250 with a six bolt pattern.... maybe i was too drunk to count properly.... either way... idont think my bolt pattern will greatly effect my rig down the way... I ill just stick towhat ever comes with my 9's and be happy

[mrstang01]

A 9 for the front? Dude, you need some more research.

[gumbojeepyj]

Originally Posted by mrstang01

A 9 for the front? Dude, you need some more research.

... or perhaps you need too.

[johnwiseman]

Spidertrax makes a very nice 9 for the front if i am not correct... maybe agian i am running into the few who wish they knew.

What I am not sure of is if any high 9's are available for the front in the proper turning direction. Perhaps someone who does in fact know could tell me. And if you have no idea what your talking about please reserve comments for the newb forums. This is intended to be a build thread. not a playground for kids with daddy's check card.

Thank you.

[johnwiseman]

By the way... thank you for the nice pic gumbo.

[Stowe]

Originally Posted by johnwiseman

Spidertrax makes a very nice 9 for the front if i am not correct... maybe agian i am running into the few who wish they knew.

What I am not sure of is if any high 9's are available for the front in the proper turning direction. Perhaps someone who does in fact know could tell me. And if you have no idea what your talking about please reserve comments for the newb forums. This is intended to be a build thread. not a playground for kids with daddy's check card.

Thank you.

True Hi -9 makes them...
www.Truehi9.com

I have a rear True Hi-9, which I love. And will be going front and rear Diamond axles with true high nines in the future.

[johnwiseman]

Great link. Thank you very much. Did not realize Hi 9's were so much differant. These would apear to be of very good quality and engineering.

[PAToyota]

Spidertrax offers 9" fronts with 5,6, or 8 bolts.

[johnwiseman]

I am seriously concidering the spiders but can they be daily driven? are they any good for long drives? I have never owned any and while they have a great rep for trails I am not so sure about the highway. Has anyone heard of any problems with them as day in day out axle housings? I haven't.

By the way, if someone could. I am new to this forum and tried to post some pics and they didn't work out. I want to get the truck picks on as well as all the 3d work I have done on the 4 link and bumpers and tire rack and my beginings of the roof tent and trailer plans.

[PAToyota]

To post pics, you either need a red star ($20 - support the board) or get a PhotoBucket account or such and then link from there.

The Spidertrax axles should not be any problem for regular driving use - they're using a 1-ton unit bearing - basically a Ford F450 unit bearing. IIRC, those are used on the street somewhat often... Other than that you're using 35-spline axle shafts, a 9" differential, and a housing and knuckles that are more stout than most OEM configurations.

[johnwiseman]

They take credit cards? The board I mean.

As far as the Spiders. I had no real doubts about the quality. I have done som reasrch on them and every thing is looking good. They are a little on the $ side but i think in the end they may be worth the dinero.

[1LegLance]

Sounds like an intersting build..
What kind of trips are you planning with this rig?
How many people?
Staying in the USA or out of country?
What kind of mileage do you expect?

The reason I ask is that custom builds might have trouble going out of country and finding parts.

I like the sound of your custom tent idea and looking forward to the pics/cad drawings.

Good luck with the build and keep us posted.

[PAToyota]

Red star: Top of every forum is a sticky with info: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/annou...php?f=102&a=24

I guess the question for going with basically a 609 front axle is that with a full-size truck it may end up being easier and cheaper to just go with a 60 plain and simple. Usually the 609 setups are for smaller rigs to save weight.

[johnwiseman]

Working on some picks and stuff tomarrow. As far as your questions. 1-4 peeps. The t10 blazers are pretty common so parts arnt that bad. s-10 trucks share many of the same parts and are very very common. They are heavy duty little trucks though. Wow is this thing heavy. They come with an assortment of plates already and the frame is boxed to hell and back. If i did my research right, this should be one of the toughest little suv body/frame combos (note i didnt say drive train) available as stock. If i wana go to aussie land or some weird place it is called take the common breakdown parts with me. Trailer! Seriously, you should never take an unproven rig overseas, if you havent driven it enough to know what breaks down most of the time, dont take it! I would say 90% USA though. I am getting about 21 on highway now. The truck weighs in around 3800 lbs dry i belive in its stock config and i am probly going to bring it up to about 4500 + trailer if my math holds up. By doing some decent power adding work to the motor and doing a chip burn all for effieciancy, coupled with the nearly 60 gal of fuel it will hold for long trips over land. I would perfer to give overland figures as hours of operation, they are more usefull. I would supose 12-14.5 hours of runtime on highway at 55 mph (range about 650-800 miles), and running accross terrain at slower speeds maybe 20 or more hours of actuall runtime. The fact is this is a DD and and all around trail rig. The suspension should be pure insanity if it works out right. I am not building the best rockcrawler, DD, tow rig, or even expo rig. The fact is I enjoy all ofthese things and wish to build a rig to do a bit of all, and with a bit of restraint on my part in my driving. Have a truck that is built heavy enough to handle these things (without getting dumb) and be able to make it to work monday morning.

I did go hunting in it this weekend though.. I am 5'8"' I and my girly slept real cumfy in the back with a blow up mattress. It froze over night and we didnt have any issues, remote starter with a four foot exaust extesion for idleing. Turing on the heater with the fob in the middle of the night is nice! She named it Blue Blazes. Girls.

[Chris85]

there was a 6 lug ford axle back in 97-98?. it was a light duty F250. basicly looks like a F150 but can carry a heavier load

[johnwiseman]

I was yong when I had that truck. It was a 73 model. Someone may have swaped them in and I was too young and inexpierianced to know the differance. Either way, the 6 bolt offered by spider will work fine I would think. I had a brain fart and assumed because it was a Ford 9" axle it must be a Ford 6 hole pattern. My bad. Assume can be a deadly word.

[acousticrawk]