droppin' an S-10 Blazer

[franky]

Hey I know it's not a tow rig but......my son has a 1999 S-10 Blazer 2wd and want to drop it 3-4". Beltech makes 2" drop spindles but they are $260. Then we would have to do springs for the extra 1-2" drop. Someone, I can't recal the name" makes a replacement A-arm that drops the spring pocket 3" and costs $180. In the back we can use blocks, $40 or Beltech springs, $200.
Don't want to make it ride or handle like crap but don't want to drop the bank either.
What do you guys have to say?
Thanks in adevance foir your help - Frank

[XtrmWakeborder]

Hey I know it's not a tow rig but......my son has a 1999 S-10 Blazer 2wd and want to drop it 3-4". Beltech makes 2" drop spindles but they are $260. Then we would have to do springs for the extra 1-2" drop. Someone, I can't recal the name" makes a replacement A-arm that drops the spring pocket 3" and costs $180. In the back we can use blocks, $40 or Beltech springs, $200.
Don't want to make it ride or handle like crap but don't want to drop the bank either.
What do you guys have to say?
Thanks in adevance foir your help - Frank
First point if i was you i would deffinately stay at 3/4 ..anything lower in the front and you need to lower the back, and once u lower the back you need a c-notch. Do most of the front drop with spindles..i have djm 2" and 2" djm drop springs. The back id say blocks, but dont dearch the springs i have 2" blocks and 3 1/2 dearched and it screwed up the ride big time. I c- notched it and put airshocks just so i wouldnt bottom out. If you have the money i would put new leafs in the back for the drop just because ive heard that blocks make the rearend torque too much..i dont know if its true or not. If i could do it over again id bag it, it handles great but i hate having to worry about potholes, bumps etc..to each his own i guess. Hope this helps
David
Heres a 4/5.5" drop
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...552_1_full.jpg

[andy01]

Hey I know it's not a tow rig but......my son has a 1999 S-10 Blazer 2wd and want to drop it 3-4". Beltech makes 2" drop spindles but they are $260. Then we would have to do springs for the extra 1-2" drop. Someone, I can't recal the name" makes a replacement A-arm that drops the spring pocket 3" and costs $180. In the back we can use blocks, $40 or Beltech springs, $200.
Don't want to make it ride or handle like crap but don't want to drop the bank either.
What do you guys have to say?
Thanks in adevance foir your help - Frank
Block the back, spindle the front and cut the stock springs for the other two inches if you are trying to stay in a budget other wise buy some drop springs. Keep in mind it is a good idea to buy shocks when you are in there, put some lowered shocks in it. Don't buy bell techs, I had them and hated them. I have seen A-arms bend and break as well. So just block, spindle, spring. Shop, shop, shop and shop some more. Call every place in truckin mag. and shop the internet. You can find some pretty good deals on a lot of that stuff. Good luck.
Andy

[franky]

XtrmWakeboarder
SWEET RIDE!!! My kid went nuts when he saw it.
What size are those wheels and tires? Whats the deal with baggining it? What is c-notching? Is that to the frame?
racingrascal
What caused the a-arms to bend? Is it the drop pocket ones that bend?
THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!
MudPumper
THANKS for the PM

[Lightning]

AirRide makes a pretty nice drop kit for those, and it does not require you to C-Notch the frame.
I saw them do the install on that show "Trucks!" with the "super lame guy with tight jeans" as my girlfriend says.

[Jetdriver]

Bag it!
www.ifcustom.com

[HavasuDreamin']

If you buy 2" drop spindles, it says right on the box not to be used if the wheel has more than 3.5" of back spacing. The wheel will rub on the lower a-arm when you turn if you have more than 3.5" of back spacing.
I love the looks of a lowered truck but found out with my ride ('88 c-2500) that unless you do it right, you will be disappointed.
If I were you (or your son) I would first ask myself if 3"/4" will be enough? Probably not. Lower is always better.
The best way is to bag it. That is very expensive unless you can fabricate and weld. The other way would be to put aftermarket a-arm's, 2" spindle, and coils up front (with new shocks). The aftermarket a-arms are designed to work with drop spindles so you don't screw up your wheels (with more than 3.5" of back spacing). I have been happy with my KYB shocks.
Good Luck
HD
To answer your above questions.......cutting the frame to provide vertical travel for your rear axle is a c-notch. Bagging it replaces your up front coils with air bags that are inflated/deflated via an onboard compressor. Out back, you need a serious c-notch, usually a box notch. The ones I have seen have brackets off the frame where the bag mounts to, (and also to the top of the axle).

[XtrmWakeborder]

XtrmWakeboarder
SWEET RIDE!!! My kid went nuts when he saw it.
What size are those wheels and tires? Whats the deal with baggining it? What is c-notching? Is that to the frame?
racingrascal
What caused the a-arms to bend? Is it the drop pocket ones that bend?
THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!
MudPumper
THANKS for the PM
The wheels are 18" and in the front i have sumitomo 245/40's and in the back 255/45's. C-notching is cutting a notch "in the shape of a c" where ur rear axle would come into contact with the frame. The thing with my blazer is my body mounts are right over the axle so there are no kits for a big c notch. So what i did was take it to a shop the basically took out about 2 inches of my frame and boxed it in so i wouldnt hit as often. if you decide to go lower than 4 inches in the back hopefully with your model they might have a kit so you can just cut the frame out completely and weld in the new piece. If you want to bag it air ride technologies has some great stuff and is the way to go especilly if you want to tow but, it is wayy more expensive than just lowering it.

[tahitijet]

Franky,
If you want to give me a call at the shop i'll be in tomorrow and monday (before heading to SEMA).
I own and operate a shop and specilize in air bags and bodydrops.. and also do alot of lifting and lowering on all types of vechicles.. I can give you the run down on them and also put together a drop kit for you cheaper then the prices you have listed.
steve
559-291-9222
p.s. as a side note the minimum offest required on spindles usually only applies to running stock 15" and sometimes 16" wheels due the spindle causing the lower lip of the wheel to be closer to the lower control arm. Once you increase your wheel size to 17's or larger there is normaly more then enough room to not touch the control arm. On some vehicles you can also trim the lower lip off the control arm to gain the needed clearance while turning.

[tahitijet]

i also do not recomend running the combination of lower control arms and spindles. The control arms required for your drop accomplish the drop by lowering the coil pocket in the arms (towards the ground) so your spring will now be hanging however many inches of drop you have below the control arm and when you add spindles you essentially push that now close to the ground spring 2" closer.
Every vehicle has a correct method to drop it safely and maintain a good quality ride and in most cases better then stock.. In your case it is spindles and coils in front, blocks in the rear. You could pay more and go up to drop rear springs but in reality you don't have enough power in a blazer to hurt a good lowering block, just don't buy it from AIM or pep boys. And they now make bolt in c-notch kits for blazers.