Newcommer

[Fisker]

My name is Avery, and I am from Youngsville NC. All I have done to my 2003 Trailblazer so far is add a 2 inch leveling kit, add a roofrack, and some painting.
I plan to add 1.5 inch spacers soon and go to some bigger tires. I am a college student so progress is sow as incoming money is slow!

I am new to vehicle modifications so I am a little out of depth here, but I feel like I can get a lot of help and have some fun here!

[Jrgunn5150]

Welcome!

You actually picked a good vehicle to learn on, since there isn't a lot available, it isn't overwhelming lol. Also, they are very easy to work on.

[Lil Papa]

nice TB. I'm as college student as well! I try to make things on my own or with friends help (for welding) to cut back on costs. If you can it really helps and you can make them however you want!

[Fisker]

Welcome!

You actually picked a good vehicle to learn on, since there isn't a lot available, it isn't overwhelming lol. Also, they are very easy to work on.

I'm glad on both counts. The lift wasn't that bad thankfully because of my neighbors hydraulic lift and large accumulation of tools. I believe I will be getting to know him well

[Fisker]

I hope having the leveling kit instead of a two inch all around won't hurt me when it comes time for bigger tires

[Fisker]

nice TB. I'm as college student as well! I try to make things on my own or with friends help (for welding) to cut back on costs. If you can it really helps and you can make them however you want!

I like your TB a lot and I really like the push bar you made, could you mount a winch to that you think?

I wish I knew how to weld! The only welding Ive done is on a plastic boat that I got for free.

[Jrgunn5150]

I hope having the leveling kit instead of a two inch all around won't hurt me when it comes time for bigger tires

I fit 32.6's on mine with no lift at all, so you should be fine.

[Fisker]

I hope having the leveling kit instead of a two inch all around won't hurt me when it comes time for bigger tires

I fit 32.6's on mine with no lift at all, so you should be fine.

Did you use spacers? And what tires did you use.

I would really like to get up to 33's in the future. I was getting concerned I would have to do a larger lift later on.

[Jrgunn5150]

I believe there are pics in my build thread, but I don't read my own build thread so I'm not 100% sure on that lol.

My tires are 255/74r17, or 32.06" tall, Goodyear Duratracs. I used Mark Mc's wheel spacer's in the front only.

[Fisker]

Does having spacers on the front only effect the way it drives or the way the tires wear? I have 16 inch rims and plan on the 1.5 spacer because I really don't want to cut studs. How do you fit tires to the max? I mean like do you go to a tire shop and have them put tires on until they wont fit anymore or is there an easier method.

I've looked at Trail-x's chart but it all seems to depend on the individuals TB

I like your TB alot btw

[Jrgunn5150]

Does having spacers on the front only effect the way it drives or the way the tires wear? I have 16 inch rims and plan on the 1.5 spacer because I really don't want to cut studs. How do you fit tires to the max? I mean like do you go to a tire shop and have them put tires on until they wont fit anymore or is there an easier method.

I've looked at Trail-x's chart but it all seems to depend on the individuals TB

I like your TB alot btw

Having spacer's effectively moves the center of the wheel outward. It's the same as buying a wheel with less backspacing, but cheaper and simpler.

It does cause extra wear on balljoints, but with the little tire sizes we are dealing with, it's negligible. I will paraphrase Kyle, in saying that if you can't afford an added maintenance cost from modifying the vehicle and the wear it causes on part's, you are best to leave it stock. Of course no one wants to do that lol. Just be aware, your truck won't fall apart tomorrow or anything, but you will have to take care.

There really isn't a foolproof method of determining what the max size you can fit is, alot of factors come into play. However, with your 2" lift, and some wheel spacer's, any tire in the 31-33" range with a width of 10-12.5 inches shouldn't pose any real fitment issues. Mpst of us on the site are running the same range of sizes.

[Fisker]

I appreciate the quick responses!
That is some good news!

[Jrgunn5150]

I appreciate the quick responses!
That is some good news!

No problem, I'm at work, and talking about trucks beat's doing PPAP's any day lmao.

[Fisker]

PPAP's? and in that case I have one more question. can you put any size tire on any rim? The reason I ask is I was planning on putting my 33"s that I want on my 16 inch stock rims and then painting my rims black with some trim to match the theme.

I realize these might be alot of questions, but I've been accumulating them over the last 6 months of creeping on the site lol.

[Jrgunn5150]

PPAP's? and in that case I have one more question. can you put any size tire on any rim? The reason I ask is I was planning on putting my 33"s that I want on my 16 inch stock rims and then painting my rims black with some trim to match the theme.

I realize these might be alot of questions, but I've been accumulating them over the last 6 months of creeping on the site lol.

I'm a Quality Engineer, PPAP is Production Part Approval Process. I have to test and inspect parts and determine how they are going to be inspected and submit that to the customer for approval before we start production on thing's. It's mainly used in Automotive manufacturing, but other industries apply variants of the process, and each customer has their own special slightly modified process.

As for any size tires on any size wheels, height does not matter, but width does. However, for the purposes of our conversation here, any ordinary 33's with a width of 10-12.5" will be fine on the stock wheels. But 12.5's will be pushing it.

Also, what engine and gearing do you have now? Most stick with tire's under 33 to keep the engine happy and the transmission from hunting all over in gear's.

[Fisker]

the answer to your question is I do not know. It is a 2003 LS 4.2L V6 but Im not sure the gearing I would have to get into the glovebox to tell you.

That sounds like an interesting job! Is that where you learned your auto skills?

[Fisker]

If they stick with tires that small why do they lift them over 2 inches? Isnt the purpose of the lift to put bigger tires and raise the rear dif?

[Jrgunn5150]

the answer to your question is I do not know. It is a 2003 LS 4.2L V6 but Im not sure the gearing I would have to get into the glovebox to tell you.

That sounds like an interesting job! Is that where you learned your auto skills?

My guess is it's likely 3.42, perhaps 3.73, could be 4.10, but that seems to be fairly rare. With deeper factory gearing you can get away with a taller tire before the trans get's cranky from not being able to stay in lockup at speeds from 45-65 ish.

No, I grew up poor, I had to wrench or walk, but now I do it as a hobby on various project's. I don't design the part's, merely make sure they meet the specifications. There are a few design engineer's floating around the site, they have the cools jobs lol.

If they stick with tires that small why do they lift them over 2 inches? Isnt the purpose of the lift to put bigger tires and raise the rear dif?

My lift is 3", because that's the lift Mark Mc offer's, and I feel it is the best bolt on design. Lifting the truck also helps get the fram up off the ground, which is a real problem in these thing's. They were designed to be very low and stable, it leads to them dragging their belly everywhere offroad, but offroad performance was not even remotely considered during the design of them I'm sure. They were marketed as family SUV"s, not adventure ones.

Now that said, a few member's like Hardtrailz, have 35's, but they have also geared down to match. Driving a 4.2 powered truck on 35's with 3.42's would result in the transmission kicking down at every single incline on the road most likely lol.

[Fisker]

So Lower gearing means you can have bigger tires safely. I see what you are saying about the body, that was the main reason I lifted/Leveled mine. When I look in my glove box ill use the gear calculator thingy and see if I can figure the tires out.

Im just trying to do some planning ahead, and you have been a huge help!

Yeah HardTrailz has a sweet setup, but way out of my realm of possibility financially and mechanically at the moment lol.

[Jrgunn5150]

Mine too lol, I'm basically happy with my offroad performance with my current set-up. The only thing that really thwarts me is deep mud. And I avoid mud anyway.