Go big or go home.

[fishsticks]

Try to get an 8.6 with axle shafts in it at least (vs a bare housing). There are no chromoly shafts available in Trailblazer length and replacement stockers cost as much as the chromo ones would normally.

[v7guy]

I'd just get whatever was cheapest as far as the rear axle goes. Concerning lockers I've been reading some good stuff about the ole Grizzly lockers. If I was in your shoes I may be inclined to go that route. http://www.amazon.com/Yukon-YGLGM8-5-3- ... B00EHN7RAC

I encourage you to go ahead with the 4.56s. It's solid advice.

Since you're a welder, I would advocate piecing together your own control arms/panhard rod. You can save a lil bit of money and build the lowers out of heavier tube. If you're inclined you can lengthen the links a lil too.

I'd start looking for some 87 or 88 springs, especially since you're looking at a bumper in the near future. There's some rumblings that they're available again.



It's really nice to see a newb that has done the reading, I'm sure it's why you're getting the help you are.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Seems like some good ideas. Hopefully you do it right once and get just what you want.

[exb5182]

Thanks guys... im actually not a welder lol im a diesel mechanic who unfortunately gets stuck doing fab work bc no one else will do it... yea ive been reading up for a while just had to wait to get my funds together. As far as the 87 or 88 springs I talked to mark when I ordered my lift and he had said bc they are so stiff I may run into some issues. For the time being im going to keep my factory ft springs and in a month or so when I start designing my bumper I may go that route. Has any one had issues with stiffer springs and the markmc 3"? Also I unfortunately already ordered my contorl arms and panhard bar but I did see the sway bar links mike had made and am gonna try that route with hines joints and tubing. The worst part of all of this is I have almost everything ordered and now have to wait. Im excited to see how it turns out and can wait to get a little mud on the tires hahaha. Im hoping for some calls on axles today and ill be 1 step closer. Its nice there are so many helpful people on this site with the needed knowledge. I know my way around a shop and heavy trucks when I started thinking of this project and put my tb on the lift to scope things out I was like wtf am I going to do here. Ive learned alot and cant wait to get some parts delivered start my build thread and post some progress.

[The Roadie]

I'm sure my 89's contributed to a lower ball joint breakage I just suffered.

[exb5182]

Just to give a little update, I found a rear in jersey its out of a 08 swb with a v8. I didnt order any gears or locker yet bc I want to check the rear first. He wants 250 for it but told me its been sitting there since 09 so im gonna try to bring him down some. My body lift wont be here for a little while longer anyway so I got a little bit of time before I can throw on some 35s. Im hoping to start getting suspension parts this weekend so I get to play a little this weekend. I ordered some poly bushings and got all new bjs so worst case I can at least do that. Some stuff should be coming today. Hopefully tonight ill get to sit down and start by build tgread with my before pics and tell my story of why im doing all this. Oh and im thinking of going with kumho road venture mt 71 tires... anyone ever run them? I still have a good week or 2 before I can even think of mounting them up.... Ed

[mikekey]

Going to go cheap on your tires? Seriously?

[HARDTRAILZ]

Many like those tires. Only issue I found is directional. Janesys ran em with good results.

[exb5182]

Mikekey do you have any recommendations? I was going to go with them bc a buddy of mine has some on his ram and he likes them. Im open to any feedback on different tires like I said im only thinking of them still have some deliveries and installs to tackle first. Honestly out of every tire I have ever run on previous trucks I like bfg all terrains the most second was some pro comp x terrains but they wore like crap I think I got 10-15k out of them. But that was a heavy truck so im sure I may get more here. Give me some input please id like that better than just criticism.

[Cable810]

Get the Fierce Attitude M/T. They're going to be my next set in a couple of years when I go to 33s, Kyle is running them in 35s. For the price you can't beat them, I've read lots of good on these tires.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Loved my Pro Comp Xtreme MT. Had 30K on them and I think Hatchet has put another 20K on them. Great tires overall. Would have bought again if money was not a concern.

Always had good luck with BFG, but the new KM2 rather suck in snow. Great otherwise though.

Hated the Treadwright Guard Dogs.

Love swampers of most all variants, but you don't get much wear. 10-15K and loud and so-so on-road, but offroad they are real tough to beat.

Cooper makes some solid tires by many reports. The STT are nice. Lots of my buddy's run them for some reason.

I am really impressed with my Fierce Attitude MT right now. Could not ask them to do anything better really. Price is great, performance is really good.

BFG AT and GY Duratrac are both good tires. Zillions of reviews on both if you google.

Many like the Nitto or Toyo MT, but $$$ to me.

There are tons of basic MT that perform well. Firestone, Dunlop, and others make many that get different brands, but are basically same tires.

Do you want an aggressive tire? An MT tire? A hybrid that shares both features? An AT that will ride better n last longer with most performance one would need?

I have owned a shitload of tires and tried tons of combos. Some were great and others sucked, but my opinion may be far different from someone that did not ride on Super Swampers for years or that tows a boat all the time or does burnouts and hard cornering n pavement. I did a ton of research in person and on the web to pick my FA MT and it seems to have paid off. I am more than satisfied.

[exb5182]

Im really going for a mix of both of road and road qualities something that I wont be heard from a mile a way but will also keep me from geting my boots dirty after a little drizzle of rain. I honestly like the look of the kumhos and thats why I leaned away from sticking with bfg ATs. Wear wise if I get 25k ill be happy im really not to big on swampers but im definitely going to look in to the tires you recommended thanks. Like I said im not stuck on any tire as of now.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Most MT are noisy and I think the Kuhmo are included.

The Duratrac/Kelly TSR/Fierce MT are all kind of a quieter hybrid tire and might be right up your alley.

The AT3 are liked by several as well.

The BFG AT are an old proven design, but they are an old design and I really think there are better tires for everything they do these days. Not a bad choice, but not the end-all do-all best AT they were decades ago.

[exb5182]

I dont mind a hum I was talking more of the sound produced by swampers

[mikekey]

If Khumo makes their MT's like they do they're street tires, they're garbage. However, sometimes a company makes one line of crap and another line of quality. They're "popular" like K&N's are popular. It's mostly a price point, they've offered fairly decent tires in lower prices, but they are known for lasting a year before you need new tires again. I used to run them on my IROC when I was younger. You could get a great street tire in large sizes for half the cost of things like Nitto's and Goodyears. But they wouldn't last longer than a summer. So yeah, lots of people are running them. Doesn't mean they're any good.

I can only recommend General AT/2 becuase I've used them, not for everyone though. I run Nitto's but I don't recommend them becuase of their wet pavement performance. However, they seem to be lasting.

[HARDTRAILZ]

From what I found the kuhmo mt longevity is part of the popularity.

[HARDTRAILZ]

The atz are popular w diesel guys. Look good too.

[TBYODA]

I used to run them on my IROC when I was younger. But they wouldn't last longer than a summer.

Hmm young teenager with IROC trying to impress girls = burnouts and hard driving.

[HARDTRAILZ]

My 85 z28 would kill a set of 4 new coopers every month back in the day.

[mikekey]

I didn't need a car to impress girls. It's called game, some have it, others don't.