04 blazer project

slight updates:

rust hole


rust hole removed


donor sheet metal


fitted



leaf spring removal


4 leaf bastard pack made with a modified ZR2 blazer main leaf under the original main leaf, and gave the tbars 5 turns to even it out (now at "spec" Z-height range)



and got around to bedlining the bottom half


now rushing to get the rock sliders on there for offroading over the next couple weekends

Looks great. I need to learn how to properly repair rust like that, the box on mine is getting rotten despite undercoating it every year.

oh i forgot to post pictures from my latest offroading at drummond island.
went up for a 3 day weekend but came back on the 2nd day because my buddy in the FJ shattered a CV and I lost the tcase shift motor function

decided to car camp rather than pitch a tent. Blazer is the perfect size for that with a dog

also got a ton of poison ivy

here's a bad stuck i got into, had to winch out of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMkz9HQW69o













https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvCEGQEoM0A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcOhWDNZVKc

busted up the t case stock skid plate so ordered an aluminum one from an earlier 4dr blazer from ebay.
looked like it would be a bolt-on, but the trans crossmember on my blazer has a "droop" that required quite a bit of material removal

also finally got around to welding on the rock rails from a while back

Well I lost the clutch here


Still not exactly sure what happened but this is what it looks like now
https://www.facebook.com/greencactus3/videos/10107104762081653/

Either the clutch insta-wore out in the mud, or the PP springs broke, although everything looks reasonable.
Waiting to compare to a new clutch/PP when it arrives.

flywheel side


pp side


it does appear to be flush sitting still.

Weird, it just wouldn't hold at all?

Looks like the best place you could lose a clutch.

did some more local offroading...
managed to not get stuck a single time, including when i stalled it here.


But, started overheating later, appears the fan clutch has failed so i'll be replacing that today.

still having a weird intermittent Tcase problem, would really like to figure it out or I'm going to manual convert it....

also started on things that are somewhat excitingish

Is that based on my CAD work?

Is that based on my CAD work?

yup, i hope you did it right, I'm basing it entirely on your work, and hoping it doesn't have to come back out for a re-notch after the first test fit.

I'm hoping it is right too! I'm confident in the data, but not so confident in the manufacturing tolerances.

I'm hoping it is right too! I'm confident in the data, but not so confident in the manufacturing tolerances.

Haha we'll know next year (hopefully)


onthe other hand im bringing back minitrucking trends from decades ago...





mainly the stock rear bumper/hitch is dragging on everything so i'll be making a lower profile one, but needed a place to put the license plate.
This was the easiest solution that keeps the plate from getting ripped off by trees in the next trip

You should have angled it up 

Getting comfortable with body work? How did that work with the gate latch mechanism?

I still want to mount my Blazer plate in the tailgate although I've tossed around the idea of building a bracket that attaches to the frame either above or below the roll pan I also dream of installing. Most likely it will be zip tied to the frame to start with...

Getting comfortable with body work? How did that work with the gate latch mechanism?

I still want to mount my Blazer plate in the tailgate although I've tossed around the idea of building a bracket that attaches to the frame either above or below the roll pan I also dream of installing. Most likely it will be zip tied to the frame to start with...

I can do bodywork, it'll hold structurally, and blending with body filler is just a matter of patience (I plan on smoothing it a bit this weekend)
You can judge quality of the weld/fit tonight.
I can help, but i don't guarantee any results.

I placed it about as low and to the left as I can without needing to do anything with the latch or anything else. simply cut a rectangle in the skin and cut away some material from the inner layer and that's it.
there's probably quite a few locations you can place the box without interference with any components internally, I just wanted it on the left side in case I decide to add the swing out gate again, and as low as possible so the box tips "down" for better water drainage from the lower surface.

doing things....
junkyard haul


patching things


making things

I added a 3/8 square so I can manually shift it without difficulty in case there is any issue with the push pull cable at some point (also while I don't have a lever built yet) I'm hoping I can access that without even pulling the skid plate off



had to bend some things to clear the strut but got it to fit.
routing the cable over the trans was not easy

By "3/8 square" you mean the top of a socket? haha The red paint should make it all easy to find!

By "3/8 square" you mean the top of a socket? haha The red paint should make it all easy to find!

Exactly, gotta find a use for all the cheap chinese sockets I have everywhere!

finished it up, ended up being a lot more complicated than I wanted, mainly to retain room for the passenger seat to slide forwards for better in/egress for the rear seats
https://www.facebook.com/greencactus3/videos/10107299486163033/

notice the stock switch lights work correctly.

https://www.facebook.com/greencactus3/videos/10107299503787713/

I would still like to reduce the detent harshness, anyone have success trying to make it softer?

had another fun trip last weekend

i learned that the terrain changes significantly over time, so an easy way up a hill last trip might be a significant drop off this time.

always walk it first when you can't see over a crest.

luckily no real damage.

I'd also love to step up to a bigger tire now.
33s would be nice, but I'm already lightly rubbing at extreme travels and steer angles.
anyone ever try pushing the body of a blazer backwards? the firewall is the limitation and that seems easier than moving the front axle forwards without going solid axle.