Click picture for larger image

In the beginning... a very stock K5 Blazer purchased in 1991. The running boards were the first to go! GM 10 bolt axles front and rear, 208 t-case, 465 4 speed, and a TBI 350 exist under the sheet metal. The rear 10 bolt broke twice! A 383 was installed but didn't live long due to operator error.

History

Ever since this 87 K5 Blazer was purchased in 1991, it’s gone though many changes. This vehicle had begun as a daily driver at the early stages and has proven to be reliable transportation for a college student followed by a several years of an IT professional. It's moved countless number of people and has seen many pieces of furniture (you would be surprised what you can fit in a Blazer). The only problem encountered (in the stock days) was the rear 10 bolt toasted the ring and pinion but that may have been attributed to a heavy foot back in the college days.

Engine

The stock fuel injected 350 engine was actually decent on power but the power bug bit the owner and a 383 was soon installed. The only problem with the 383 was the fuel injection couldn’t supply enough fuel and air to the engine without a major injection update so a standard carburetor was used as a temporarily solution until more money could be spent on a better injection system. Unfortunately the 383 didn’t last long since somebody was too stupid to weld the oil-pickup on the pump not to mention the broken oil pressure gauge. DUH! After the 383 became a boat anchor, a used 454 that was in our 1 ton donor vehicle was screaming to be installed.

Click picture for larger image

This is engine number four. It's currently being modified with a stroker crank, aluminum heads, roller valvetrain and fuel injection.

Dana 60 and 14 bolt Axles

Click picture for larger image

Even though it's an expensive upgrade, the Dana 60 front axle offers the ultimate strength and can handle the stress of large tires and high torque engines.

For a large high torque engine, front and rear lockers, and large tires (36" or larger), the stock 10 bolt axles are a weak link. For a take no prisoner setup, a 1 ton setup is usually desired. A 14-bolt full float axle with 10.5" ring gear and large 1.5" shafts is used in the rear. This axle is almost unbreakable. The downfall is less ground clearance at the pumpkin but we would rather live with a few snags on rocks than a broken axle out in the middle of no where. For the front, a ¾ ton Dana 44 8 lug was first used to replace the front 10 bolt. We could have converted the stock 10 bolt but the 3.42 ratio didn’t match the 14-bolt 4.10 ratio. The donor truck we got the 14 bolt from had a 8 lug 10 bolt front but poor maintenance and water in the differential had destroyed this axle. The Dana 44 axle had matching 4.10 gears but this axle isn’t any stronger than the stock 6 lug 10 bolt. After a couple years, a Dana 60 was located and replaced the Dana 44. This kind of gradual upgrade works great for people on a budget that may not be able to afford everything at once. The Dana 60 has a 9.5" ring gear and 1.5" 35 spline shafts. The Dana 60 knuckles and u-joints are huge and can easily handle large tires and a good amount of torque. The outer stub shafts have recently been upgraded to 35 spline shafts and 35 spline hubs to match the inner shafts. Every stock Dana 60 come with 30 spline stub shafts and hubs.

NP205 Transfer Case

Click picture for larger image

The NP-205 transfer case is another heavy hitter. Here is our 205 getting converted to a fixed yoke.

The Blazer actually came stock with a NP208 but was upgraded to a stronger unit. We never had problems with the 208 but you can’t ask for a tougher transfer case that’s so widely available. Go to any salvage yard and you’re guaranteed to find one. Since the 208 is made of aluminum, it is lighter than the cast iron 205 but it can’t take any hits from the rocks. The 208 have a chain drive while the 205 have a stronger gear to gear design. Though the 205’s low range might be as good as a NP241 or NP208, its brute strength is definitely worth it. We’ll soon be giving it a lower range by going with ORD’s double in the future plus a twin or possible triple stick setup in the future.

465 4 speed Transmission

The Blazer actually came stock with the Muncie 465 4-speed and has been proven a very stout transmission. We’ve actually tested a 465 on a 120-mile trip to Buena Vista, CO with no gear oil! Don’t ask about how that happened! Anyway, our 465 is not the original since the output shafts are different going to the 205 but we’ve never had any problems with this 4 speed. With the hydraulic clutch, this setup is bullet proof.

Fuel Injection

Click picture for larger image

Fuel injection that will soon be added to the engine.

The 87 Blazer actually came stock with fuel injection but after going to a 383 followed by a 454, the stock injection wouldn’t be adequate either engine. A Quadrajet carburetor was used as a temporary solution. Even though Quadrajet carbs are known to be super off-road carburetors, we were still able to flood the Quad on a few ultra steep trails. This isn’t a good thing and could pose serious problems when the engine stalls on a traitorous hill. We’ve actually encountered body damage from the Blazer stalling and rolling back in a tree. Lets not forget the dreaded cold start and poor gas mileage carburetors are known for. We’ve had enough of the carb blues and will soon be doing a multi-port injection on the big block Chevy. .

Offroad Design Shackle Flip

Click picture for larger image

Offroad Design's shackle flip.

The rear shackle flip totally helped smooth out our ride by getting rid of the old super stiff 6" rear springs in the back. The 6" rear springs had so much arch to them that they resembled a half circle. The shackle flip is a stout replacement for the stock shackle bracket. It basically replaces the bracket, flips the shackle around, and gives more lift. We chose the 4" version so we only needed 2" springs. This system also replaces lift blocks, which will eliminate axle wrap. We haven’t had a single problem with this kit and it’s definitely worth it. You can’t beat Offroad Design’s excellent customer service either.

Kayline Soft Top

Click picture for larger image

The Kayline Fastrac top is the way to go for sunny skies.

The Kayline Fastrac top is holding up great. We were really surprised how simple it was to install and how it does on the trails against the trees. It really took some good hits from some branches. The windows zip out with ease and we really like the option going topless by just folding it down. Another option, that most top makers don't offer is the tinted windows. The rear corner windows almost eliminate the blind spots that the factory top had. The only complaints we have is the main rear window does get in the way when you close the gate and the color of the top is a little lighter than we were hoping for but it still looks great!

Crutchfield Stereo System

Click picture for larger image

The Anti-Shock Panasonic stereo provides skip-free opearion on any trail.

We never could of asked for a better company to get car audio products from. From the great tech support to the products they carry, it's tough to beat this company. Our deck is a Panisonic anti-shock unit. This thing takes a beating and keeps asking for more! With the 10 second buffer, you can still listen to your CD and rock crawl at the same time. The Infinity component speakers sound great but need a little more power behind them so an amp will probably be installed in the future. The Bazooka makes the thing thump pretty hard. We haven't had any problems with the stereo system.

Gears

Click picture for larger image

A gear upgrade is mandatory when running huge meats.

Without a doubt, huge tires and a stock gear ratio just won't work. Usually when you increase the size of tire past a certain point, a lower gear ratio is required. This means if you're vehicle came with 3.07 gears and you're putting on 38" meats, you better plan on changing to a ratio of around 4.88. National Drivetrain is THE place to buy any drivetrain related part. The installation was more difficult than we originally anticipated. After watching a professional do this, It was a good thing that we had a shop that specializes in gear swaps install the gears.

Detroit Locker (rear)

Detroit lockers are well known for the strength and durability. Since the only locker made for the GM 14-bolt FF axle is the Detroit we didn’t have any choice. With the Detroit replacing the spider gears and utilizing the stock carrier, this piece of hardware is actually simple to put in. You shouldn't have to set the gears but it's always a good idea to check. The rear locker made the Blazer a beast off-road. Now we hardly spin a tire with this in the back. Street driving isn't too bad but you have to realize the characteristics of this locker. When it goes around a corner, it disengages to let the tires slip. But as soon as power is applied to the rear axle, you will occasionally get a loud BANG. When the first time this happened, we though we lost something and was wishing the cars behind us the best of luck! This is normal with the Detroit so it's just something you have to get use to.

BDS Suspension

Click picture for larger image

The BDS springs have been holding up great. These flex better than expected.

The front and rear BDS springs have been holding up real well. They flex much more than expected and ride smoother than our old Skyjackers. In the front, we have 6" springs. These have the round Teflon pads and multiple tapered leafs which help with a smoother ride. In the rear, it’s a little more complicated. Since the front Dana 60 axle has 1" taller spring perches, this means we really have 7" of lift in the front. The rear has to match so we added the ORD Shackle Flip (see above) which gives 4" of lift. BDS 4" springs were used on top of the Flip but since we didn’t want 8", we decided to take the overload away from the rear springs hoping to get 7" of lift to match the front. This combination actually gave 6" of lift, so we cut the overloads so they were blocks and bolted them back to the springs. This seemed to have given the best match so both front and rear was lifted the same height. Testing these springs on the ramp and achieving 986 RTI on a 25 degree ramp isn’t too bad!

Revolver Shackles

Click picture for larger image

The Revolvers can really flex!

We get many email questions on these shackles. The Revolver Shackles (a.k.a. Terraflex) are holding up well. The Revolver Shackles will give you great flex and impressive scores on the ramp. Other things like hydraulic brake lines, e-brake cables, longer shocks, etc have to be addressed when slapping a set of these on. The shackles do give a little body roll in the corners and more axle wrap than we would like to see. There’s no issues with braking. Proper maintenance such as greasing them has to be done time to time. What would be great if the makers of the Revolver would come out with a steel plate and longer bolts so you could lock these down on the street.

High Angle Driveshafts

Click picture for larger image

These 1350 CV shafts mounted in the rear and front eliminated any vibration we were having with the previous stock shafts.

This upgrade was a must! After lifting the Blazer so high, we couldn't get rid of the shakes and rattles the stock driveshaft was giving off. This will drive you crazy not to mention strange looks from people around you! The best solution is to install a CV shaft. With the horsepower and torque this engine will be putting out, we were afraid to run the smaller CV shafts. High Angle is the only the company that makes the larger 1350 CV shafts. A custom flange is required to mount the super shaft but in the end it's definitely worth every cent. With the vibration and noise gone and the added benefit of stronger joints, High Angle gets a big kiss on the cheek!

AGR RockRam

Click picture for larger image

The AGR Rockram System.

The RockRam is the latest trick that many of the professional rock crawlers are using. It basically replaces the steering stabilizer with a hydraulic ram powered by the steering gear box hydraulic pressure. Instead of pushing against the frame, it pushes against the axle. With this steering setup, you can actually move boulders with your tires! With powerful steering like this, it won’t take much to break a knuckle so some care must be taken. The ram was a little on the short side and we had to mount the ram a special way to get full side to side steering. Another benefit, is the steering gear box ratio has been increased so the steering will respond better. It’s actually a sweet setup and we’re looking forward to some hard core testing with this RockRam.

Crossover Steering

Crossover steering has a big affect on steering control. The stock steering setup always had bump steer, poor turning radius and sometimes you couldn't even turn if the drivers side tire was drooped. The crossover eliminates all the problems above. The installation isn't difficult on a Dana 60. Now the K5 handles like a dream both on and off-road. Steering is much sharper. Hairpin turns on the trail can be done in one pass where it usually took a couple tries before crossover. When one of the front wheels is at full droop, you can still steer unlike before. The highways is much more pleasant to drive now without the bump steer. This mod was one of the best ones yets. We did have some problems with the drag link ends binding a little and the drag link hitting the crossmember. We solved this with a Rockstomper 1.5" dropped drag link.

Tuffy Console

This console is definitely a worthwhile upgrade. It locks your valuables like a vault but also has a nice compartment for a CB and is strong enough for people to sit on it if needed. The little tray that’s inside comes in handy for change or whatever. We'd actually like to see someone try to break in this thing (not using our vehicle of course). Trust us, they wouldn't succeed.

Click picture for larger image

The Tuffy console provides superior protection against theft.

Warn Classic Bumper

Warn has excellent products but when they designed this bumper, they forgot about strength. It does hold the winch fine and is actually beefy in the middle but the outer sides are very flimsy and it wouldn’t take much to bend it. You don’t want to put a tow strap around the sides and tug with it. It’s not too reassuring when you stand on it either. A stronger front bumper (non-chrome) will be installed later in time.

Click picture for larger image

This winch is a brute when it comes to pulling. It only takes a few more amps than the 9500 model.

Warn 12000lb Winch

This winch has all the power you would want in the winch plus more. It's never gave us any problems and works flawlessly. Though it does weigh a little more that the smaller models, and might draw a few more amps, it’s nice to know you can pull anyone out. The difference in weight and current draw isn't really that much more than the smaller models.

Body Mods

Click picture for larger image

Even with 7" of lift, our tires were still making contact and getting cut. A little trim with the Sawz-all takes care of that!

GM did not intend these trucks to run anything over a 33" tire size. Running a 35" and 36" tire, we found there was some major tire rub even with a 6" lift. The only solution was to hack the fenders. At first we though if we just cut the front fender back to the fender well, it would be okay but we were wrong. With the sway bar disconnected, the front tires hit the edge of the fender well and fender and cut one of tires pretty good. The solution was to cut the rear portion of the fender well and more fender was trimmed.

Tires

When the Blazer was first purchased, it actually came with dinky P235 tires and was later fitted with some 31" Discover tires and some used aluminum rims (couldn’t afford new wheels back in the college days). After a 6" lift was installed, we thought the Super Swamper Boggers would be an awesome tire for off-road use. We were right about the Boggers being great off-road but on the road, they had poor manors. After a year of driving on the street with the Boggers, we sold them and tried the Super Swamper TSL Radials. We were really impressed with the TSL Radials both on and off-road. We’re currently running 36" tires but are now thinking 38".

More to come!

You would think this project is close to being done but that's not the case. So many mods, so little time! Other things to come is an Gen II Offroad Design Doubler. This is two transfer cases put together into one which means a 3 speed transfercase! Lets not forget about armor and lots of it. Besides getting rid of the wimpy front bumper, we need some rocker protection and a full roll cage setup inside. Projection is a must so the full cage is essential. The gauges are starting to look out-dated so a set of racing gauges is planned. With more upgrades coming and our "never satisfied" attitude, you'll definitely be seeing more of Project Potent Rodent. Stay tuned!