**DISCLAIMER**
This is no way an instruction set, therefore use the information at your own risk. It is highly recommended to seek professional and certified people/companies for consultation before preforming a lift, otherwise damage may occur.
Recently, I replaced all my shocks and springs on the trailblazer. I gave everything about two weeks to wear and settle in to see where I stood and assess how much front lift would be needed to make the truck level. I measured that I need around 3/4in of lift in the front to get rid of the rake I had going on.
I saw three possible options on how to fix the rake
One: Purchase the .5in adapter off MarkMc for $40 shipped. *Not bad.
Two: Buy aluminum blocks and make my own spacers. Our machine shop doesn't stock aluminum and a sheet big/thick enough for my needs would cost to much. Plus I had to find a source. *PIA
Three: Buy a HDPE board (poly. cutting board) and make my own spacers. They are very easy to come by at your local appliance/home store. *Simple and cheap; we had our winner.
I went over to Wally World and picked up the thickest cutting board they had, which was 10mm thick (.394in) for about $11 with tax. Then I dug one of my old upper mounts to base the measurements off of.
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First, I removed the studs from the mount. This was achieved by tightening down the mount in a vice grip, and using a small sledge to hammer the studs down and out.
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Secondly, I simply outlined the mount onto the cutting board. When I did this, I made a dot in the very center of the mount and bolt holes, and I outlined the whole mount purposely a little big for cutting lose or errors. (Note: Do not make the spacer any bigger then it has to be. Explanation at the end of the write up)
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Next, I took a 1 1/4in bit, and drilled a hole in the very middle of the material where the rubber mount, washer, and middle nut would go through. By making this hole, you can then use a jig saw to cut away the circle. Also, it's much easier to cut away the middle, before you cut the entire piece off the board.
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Then, cut out the actual spacer and test fit it on the mount. Try to stay on the line, but the spacer doesn't have to look pretty (as mine obviously are not). With the space fitted on the mount, go ahead and use the existing bolt holes as guides to drill holes for the studs to fit through. Also trim down the spacer as needed, but make sure it covers the whole upper mount *Note on this at the end of the write up
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Now is the time you go and remove the strut assembly off the trailblazer. It should only take about 15 minutes per side to remove. Once removed go ahead and test fit and make any last minute trimmings. *Note: Since this is a small spacer we can get away with putting it on the outside of the strut assembly, but you should put the spacer inside the strut if you are making it .75in/19mm or bigger. Otherwise the CV joints binding up WILL most likely occur. (You might be okay going up to 1in/25.5mm, but it is not recommend)
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Once the spacer is confirmed to fit, slap everything back together. Make sure that the two upper strut nuts are tight. I recommend to take a small drive right way to make sure everything handles okay. Once this is determined, go ahead and go on a extremely bumpy road and drive for a while to see if anything shifts. Tighten the upper strut nuts more if need be.
The finished product:
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The rake of the truck is gone, or at least the same as a stock TB. I only got .58in of total wheel lift out of the desired .75in which explains why it isn't completely level. This is a problem I will have to assess in the future, as I am leaving on a week long trip Monday.
As for the note from the article regarding cutting the spacer big and shaving it....
I specifically cut my spacer a little big to make up for any cutting accidents and I wanted to be sure to cover the entire top mount, which is important for spreading out the weight. In doing this, the spacer is accidentally a little 'too' big diameter wise. It's nothing that is a safety concern or a risk to the truck or strut assembly. But now the spacer can rub the sheet metal next to where the upper mount is located , causing a good ol' fashion squeaking noise when going over sudden moderate bumps. It can't be heard in the cab with the windows up, but outsiders can hear it and I don't want to be known as the guy with the squeaky truck, so it will have to be fixed. Also, be aware that if the diameter is too much bigger, then it will cause problems with the studs on the strut assembly not being able to line up with the holes on the truck. That is what could cause a safety problem, so make sure to trim the spacer just enough.
I hope this is interesting and helps someone down the line.
-Wahugg
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