OEM with lowered rear?

[AzTruckGuy]

So I thought I was set on doing a 2/3 lower kit for my 4x4 03 Trailblazer and I keep reading the same comments "harsher" "bumpy" ride. Which makes sense since the springs are stiffer. Along with all new springs, shocks, new upper control arms and rear upper and lower bars (not needed but I would have done them), the costs don't justify a "harsher" ride to me, plus the trailblazer is about 6k away from 100k miles. I wont be doing 4x4, mostly daily drive and out of town driving and from the comments I have read, seems the Monroe SensaTracs are the way to go for what I want to do. So here's the issue. The ride height in the rear is just too much. I am currently running P245/75R/16s. The front gap isn't bad and could prob go down half and inch.



The rears are just have too much gap



So how to level the rear without going too stiff?

 

[07TrailyLS]

all you need is rear springs and shocks. If you get 2 inch lowering springs and beltech shocks, you will be removing your rake. By rights these trucks have damn near two inches of rake, so all your doing is alleviating this with the rear drop.

 

[fletch09]

and if really want to fill the wheel well's, get the 1.5" spacers and go w/ 265's.
i had MarkMc's 3/2 lift. had to remove out of necessity due to family issues.
kept the spacers and the 265/70/17's. (Destination AT's) plenty of clearance at ball joint and no rubbing. now thinking i may want to lower rear.

 

[AzTruckGuy]

all you need is rear springs and shocks. If you get 2 inch lowering springs and beltech shocks, you will be removing your rake. By rights these trucks have damn near two inches of rake, so all your doing is alleviating this with the rear drop.

Hmmm I am new to the Trailblazer, what is the rake? The front is nose diving, if I took the 2 inchs at the rear I would be leveling it? That's all I am looking to do is level out the rear

and if really want to fill the wheel well's, get the 1.5" spacers and go w/ 265's.
i had MarkMc's 3/2 lift. had to remove out of necessity due to family issues.
kept the spacers and the 265/70/17's. (Destination AT's) plenty of clearance at ball joint and no rubbing. now thinking i may want to lower rear.

View attachment 73412

I'm going to get 22s, I don't mind the front and wish I could lower it by .5 inches but that's not going to happen but my rear is stupid looking. I think your rear does need to be lowered to level it out, I've seen Trailblazers in my town, leveled out looking nice with 22s and no full lowering kit. To me my 4x4 trailblazer needs to be lowered 1 inch in the front and 2 or 3 inches in the rear to level it out, but they don't make the front kit in 1inch

 

[Blckshdw]

How many suspension threads do you have now? Please see my post and links in your other thread.

Also, using the +Quote link at the bottom of posts will allow you to reply to multiple posts at once, so you don't double post.

 

[djthumper]

Maybe you and @therealsethallen can do a spring swap. He want to lift his Saab and you want to drop.

 

[therealsethallen]

Maybe you and @therealsethallen can do a spring swap. He want to lift his Saab and you want to drop.

I'm sure the 9-7x front would work. Maybe I'll sell these when I put the TB front shocks and struts in next week.

 

[AzTruckGuy]

I'm sure the 9-7x front would work. Maybe I'll sell these when I put the TB front shocks and struts in next week.

I'm confused? Does the Saab front springs work with the TrailBlazer fronts? and they are lower?

 

[therealsethallen]

The Saab sits about 1" lower than the TrailBlazer from the factory. I'll gladly sell them to you once I have the new fronts end in mine if you're interested.

 

[AzTruckGuy]

The Saab sits about 1" lower than the TrailBlazer from the factory. I'll gladly sell them to you once I have the new fronts end in mine if you're interested.

Interesting I was looking up Monroe struts and they are the same height, rate, etc. I maybe interested as I am really only interested in lowering the front 1 inch. Are these new or how many miles do they have?

 

[07TrailyLS]

Shocks/struts have a ridiculous change rate of every 20k miles. Just throwing that out there. Probably be better off buying new and getting the full duration

 

[therealsethallen]

So my 253,000 mile Volvo needs new ones? They're original AFAIK.

 

[07TrailyLS]

To each his own man. Didn't mean to hit a nerve. Just stating what is needed

 

[therealsethallen]

Whoever told you that is delusional. Most shocks are rated for 75,000 miles. My originals have 130k on them and are just now at the end of their service life.

 

[djthumper]

I'm confused? Does the Saab front springs work with the TrailBlazer fronts? and they are lower?

The springs on all 360/370 are basically the same. The rear may have some slight differences if you have air bags.

Shocks/struts have a ridiculous change rate of every 20k miles. Just throwing that out there. Probably be better off buying new and getting the full duration

Where ever you got that number from has had a little too much wacky tobacco. Most of the struts and shocks are rated for 50K miles, though your mileage will vary. Road conditions can destroy them as other worn suspension components can as well.

 

[therealsethallen]

I personally think that depending on driving conditions 100k is right around the time for all suspension components to be checked and replaced. I'm a pretty frugal person, so I go by the "fix it when it's actually time" principle.

 

[AzTruckGuy]

So I was looking at struts yesterday and some of them have different heights depending on who makes them. So I am thinking the strut that is the shortest height from the normal trailblazer, would be the ones I choose to lower the fronts a tad.

 

[djthumper]

Just because the struts are shorter does not mean they will lower the ride. You need shorter springs.

 

[AzTruckGuy]

What about Elibach front and real coils? The site claims mod lowering front 1.5 and rear 1.5 to 2? I was thinking of getting a .5 or 1 inch lift spacers for the front? Using Monroe sense trac front and rear shocks and call it done? And no I don't want to do BellTech due to all the harsh ride comments and the requirement of new upper arms

 

[AzTruckGuy]

I think I may have found a set up that would work for my application?