98~05 Blazer brake upgrade! DONE!

[Texas82GP]

I went with Raybestos from Rock Auto. They weren't the cheapest and weren't the most expensive. They are China which I don't like. They also have an OE style ABS sensor so they would accept the grease fittings (check out my build thread - Space City 82 GP). I elected to go with new hubs since I'm overhauling the whole front end, the used hubs I got are off of two different trucks (came with each spindle) and I don't know anything about either doner truck. I would rather put it together once and be done.

 

[pontiacgp]

Jack, it sounds like they are good. I would use them and keep my eye open for new ones sold privately. I found two timkin hubs for my jeep that someone bought but the jeep was scrapped before they put them one. Got 2 for the price of 1. You never know what you can find

 

[Longroof79]

I will eventually go with new ones, but in the meantime I'll squeak a little more life out of these. I'll monitor these... If they start sounding funky, or feel funny, they'll get replaced ASAP.
If I do find a good deal too good to refuse, I'll take advantage of it.

 

[84dragcutlass]

Jack,
If you want to go simple and cheaper you could use the once I bought. They are a simple auto zone replacement and can be bought without the ABS sensor port so you don't have to worry about that hole and wire. I think I put in a 2002 Blazer and just went through the options and found those hubs

 

[Longroof79]

Jack,
If you want to go simple and cheaper you could use the once I bought. They are a simple auto zone replacement and can be bought without the ABS sensor port so you don't have to worry about that hole and wire. I think I put in a 2002 Blazer and just went through the options and found those hubs

Thanks for your suggestion, Josh.
I clipped the wire for the ABS sensor anyway, and left the remaining part as a plug. Pumping grease into them certainly seemed to tighten them up. I'll give 'em a try for now.

 

[Longroof79]

I went with Raybestos from Rock Auto. They weren't the cheapest and weren't the most expensive. They are China which I don't like. They also have an OE style ABS sensor so they would accept the grease fittings (check out my build thread - Space City 82 GP). I elected to go with new hubs since I'm overhauling the whole front end, the used hubs I got are off of two different trucks (came with each spindle) and I don't know anything about either doner truck. I would rather put it together once and be done.

Jared,
Thank you for the link to Riffraff diesel. Those grease fitting fixtures look awesome. Nice product.

 

[yennchi45]

Anybody selling any of these spindles

 

[Monte85Cruiser]

I just signed up to this forum. How do I bookmark this thread?

 

[Longroof79]

I just signed up to this forum. How do I bookmark this thread?

go to the browser on top of the page. You'll see where it says https://gbodyforum/threads/98-05-blazer-brake-upgrade-done-------you'll see a star at the end...click onto the star and it will enable you to bookmark the thread....you then click "done"....and it's bookmarked.

 

[North]

Hi All:

Just signed up. I have been following the discussion on the Blazer brake swap. This sounds like a natural.

I do have some questions that I would be interested in feedback and discussion on. Hopefully my concerns can get blown out of the water in short order.
The first issue is the use Knuckles off a 2wd. I don't have many (any?) 2wd Blazers in the area. I do have a whole mess of 4wd units sitting for parts in yards around me though. Why is it important to use 2wd knuckles? They appear to be the same castings. The 4wd knuckles have more machine work done on them i.e. the axle hole has been opened up. Why not use the 4wd knuckles and put a cap/plug or frost plug with a wipe of hi temp silicon to seal up the hole in the knuckle and use 2wd bearings. For that matter why not use 4wd bearings and fill the bearing axle hole in with hi temp silicon to keep your wheels clean. Both 2wd/4wd hubs have holes going through them. ( I presume 2wd and 4wd bolt patterns are the same, I forgot to check. Does anyone know?)

On the parts I checked, the spindle part of the hub assembly is the same 2wd vs. 4wd. From what I looked at, there is a sheet metal cap tapped in and filling in the hole on the 2wd units while the 4wd units are machined for axle shafts and open.

The difference between the hubs on the bearing site from the flange to the knuckle is something to consider. The 4wd bearing is stepped from the flange out. The bearing at the flange is 3.6" and is then stepped down to about 3.285/3.290, or there abouts. The height of the 4wd bearing from the flange to the knuckle is ~.960, or so. (The numbers are close approximations. I was just using a caliper and short on time when taking the measurements so I ask for some generosity and consideration with the numbers).
The 2wd bearings are not stepped. The 2wd bearing from the flange out is ~3.50" and has a height of .820" or so off the flange. Again the centre of the knuckle is machined on the 4wd units and not on the 2wd pieces so there is lots of room to put the smaller 2wd bearing.

From a design and manufacturing perspective, companies save large amounts of R&D dollars by copy pasting files/drawings and then making some adjustments to the new copy rather than starting from scratch each time. Think about the S10 brakes being the same as the G Body and the geometry - ball joints and placements fitting the 98-05 Blazer and G Body. If they can make one part to many applications with fewer adjustments any where along the line, all the better. My guess is that if they kept building a G Body the Blazer brakes would be on it as a natural.

Sorry for getting long winded here, but I have 4wd knuckles here for the picking and see this (Blazer-G Body) as the up grade I have been looking for. Any help, feedback or comments would be most appreciated.

Thanks.