project Rentedmule

Did you try the 550's on your blazer Doug?

I had them on my Blazer for a few weeks.   I loved the way it rode with them but I wanted a drop, that they didn't provide, so I went with softer coils.  I had the Z85 suspension on my Blazer so the 550 springs felt about the same.

Later, Doug

Cool, thanks for the info.  I originally had Z85 coils on mine as well and found the ZQ8's a bit soft when I did the swap so maybe the 550's will be OK. 

FYI power leather blazer seats weigh about 62 lbs each!  I should have my race seats mounted soon, I just need to drill some holes and paint the brackets.  They should cut about 60 lbs from the cab.



I also installed an MSD 6a and it cleaned up my idle quite a bit



and I cleared the orange reflector out of a set of 'noma headlights I had hanging around



I put on a set of bridgestone RE71's a while ago and they feel great.  I think the old eagle F1's I had must have been toasted because these feel really sticky even though they're a bit narrower.  1st race of the season is in a week!

looks like your driver's headlight isn't on right or something.  maybe it's just the angle.  seat looks great btw.

I think it is just the angle.  I made sure it was clipped in on the bottom and I haven't noticed it any other time outside of this one pic.

A few mostly pictureless updates:

QA1 coilovers are installed with 550lb springs and the truck feels like it's on rails now.  Body roll is completely (honestly) gone, so much so that I'm still trying to figure out how to change my driving style to match.  It's hard to predict when the front tires are going to let go without the normal corner dive so I'm over-driving it a bit and it's costing me time.

I ditched the rear swaybar 2 events ago and it freed up the rear end to move a bit more and really helped with traction.  I'm sold that it was the right move given the heavy spring pack I'm running in the rear.  It's not quite as easy to control without it but it is faster.

I have a Zexel-Torsen sitting on the bench now but the box was damaged in shipping and the thrust plate was lost so I need to track down parts before the install.  I also have a set of QA1 single adjustable shocks for the rear but I need a t-bar adapter kit to install them.

So far I'm 3 for 3 in ESP wins this season and I'm creeping up on the faster raw times of the events.  It's a small club though so take that for what it's worth.  I'm running a regional event this sunday that should put things in better perspective.

one event pic from a few weeks ago (still on ZQ8 coils here).  I posted a vid from that camera on the roof in another thread

How do you like the new seats? Any thoughts about upgrading to a harness?
Great pic btw. Where did you post that video I would love to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm9oYB4NzmY&feature=player_embedded#at=58

I've put the coilovers on since then





I still don't have the seats in.  I have the brackets figured out but I neglected to realize that I would need a new female part to keep my seatbelts since the one on the power seats bolts to the seat, not the floor.  I tracked down a pair but don't have them yet.  As soon as that happens I'll get them in.  For now I'm still running kitchen cupboard liner on my leather seats to stop my ass from sliding off!

I'm picking up a pair of slightly used Toyo Proxes T1R's this week, 275/40-17's to replace the fronts I have on now which are ruined from camber wear.  They lasted almost 2 months!

Spohn didn't have any LCAs on the shelf without BJs installed so they're building some for me.  I got the coilover specific versions with delrin bushings.  The shock mounts on my stock LCAs are collapsed to the point where I'm scared the bolts are going to tear through so I parked it until the new ones get here.

I also bought a house that came with a little shop in the back yard 

There goes all your truck money... Congrats!

Little shop eh? I would kill for a place like that. Congrats man, that is so sick. If you have a moment snap a pic of the lower control arm deformation. I would like to see it.

Thanks!  One of the benefits of living in a small town is super cheap house prices    We couldn't have gotten a crappy condo for the same price when I lived out west.

I'll get some pics of the LCA damage this weekend as I was planning on doing some tinkering on the truck anyway.

^ I hear you on that. I'll definitely be living out in the bush when I get out of school. Live in a mansion out there or live in an apartment downtown for the same price. Go figure.

Where are you from again?

nice progress man and congrats on the house, let me know how the spohn LCA's work out, i was checking them out myself

Here are some pics of the LCA carnage.  The shock mounts are supposed to go up into the control arm, not down towards the ground 

The spohns should be here this week

Yikes! What's even scarier is there is guys saying it's ok to run stock 2wd lowers with coil overs. What spring rate are you running?

550 lbs.  I really don't know if that's a decent rate yet since I haven't been able to dial it in with the settling springs and bending arms. 

Wow, that's really bad. It's the first I've seen one of these LCAs deform like that, ever.

They may work better installed from the top.  I probably drive my truck harder than the average guy who just buys them for the drop too - they have about 20 auto-x laps on them already.

oh wow im impressed.