chevy S10 Blazer Pickup Sas - 4x4 Tires - Photo 10841620

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10. The tires clear the rear of the front wheelwells fine since the kit pushes the wheel centerline slightly forward. However, front bumper trimming or replacing with a different bumper that doesn't hang down as much will be needed before serious trail use.

1. We started with an '02 Chevy S-10 Blazer with the ZR2 package. It already had a BDS 5-inch suspension lift and 31-inch tires, but the owner wanted more-more tire, more strength, and more off-road performance.

2. The old suspension kit, while not bad, is like all IFS suspensions in that it has many moving parts. The A-arm can result in alignment and steering issues over time when abused off-road with large tires.

3. Taking an impact gun and torch to the old suspension is very liberating, but also scary because going back isn't easy. This wasn't the first solid-axle swap that Jeremy Salewsky, head technician at Diversified, had done, so he made short work of cutting the frame mounts for the IFS A-arms.

4. With the chassis cleared, a template is applied to see where to cut for the spring bucket. A torch or plasma cutter makes this job quick and easy, but be careful if the frame has a thick layer of undercoating or grease so you don't set your truck on fire.

5. The upper coil bucket will reside in the frame notch. The bucket is made from 3/16-inch-thick steel tubing, and though it will hold the coil, the kit will be fitted with limiting straps to keep the suspension from overextending.

6. A shock mount and gussets are added to the coil bucket, as is a bumpstop that will attach to the center of the bucket and hang inside the coil. Be sure your welds have good penetration because these are what will hold your frame up off your axle on the trail.

7. The Diversified Creations S-10 solid-axle kit uses a four-link with track-bar design rather than leaf springs because the front of the framerails is not very well suited for leaf mounts. The kit includes a crossmember that is bolted to the frame and mounts the four fore and aft running links. Two of the mounting holes line up with existing frame holes and the others are then drilled with the crossmember in place.

8. A front track-bar bracket needs to be welded to the frame on the driver side as well. The track bar is included in the suspension kit and is mounted parallel to the steering drag link. Other benefits of the S-10 are that it comes with a standard steering box, not some goofy rack-and-pinion, and it already turns the correct direction for use with the solid axle.

9. With the axle in place, the 6-inch lift springs are added. The kit is available with 6- or 8-inch springs, and we went with the 6-inch size to clear 35-inch tires. The kit reuses the stock sway bar (with added sway-bar disconnects) for control of body roll while on road and added articulation when off.

10. The tires clear the rear of the front wheelwells fine since the kit pushes the wheel centerline slightly forward. However, front bumper trimming or replacing with a different bumper that doesn't hang down as much will be needed before serious trail use.

11. For front driveshaft use, a new transfer-case front-output flange is supplied. The flange installs easily and is held in place with a snap ring and set screw. This allows replacing the original CV-style driveshaft with a more robust and common unit that uses a standard flange-mounting CV. A new front driveshaft will need to be ordered as well.

12. Because the S-10 uses a 5-on-4 3/4 wheel bolt pattern and the Jeep TJ is a 5-on-41/2, you either need to swap in a different rear axle, redrill the TJ front unit bearing and brake rotor to the S-10 pattern, or swap in the S-10 unit bearing and redrill the rotor. Using the S-10 piece requires this adapter ring, but it also keeps ABS and the proper speed-sensor components, keeping the PCM happy and the dash free of warning lights.