Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

So I've have this thing since 2004 and drove it with a static slam (Axle flip, spindles, cut coils) for about three years before I had a shop weld in a bigger notch and install a 4 link and bags. After seeing how simple the air plumbing was, I regretted paying someone to do it. I was less than impressed with where the valves and lines were routed, so I ripped everything out and redid it all myself.
My main thorn in my side has been these two POS Viair 12volt compressors. They take forever to fill my two 3 gal tanks and they're loud. I upgraded to a slightly larger Viair and was very unimpressed with it's recovery time. (Upwards of 10 min) JUNK!
I decided to stop fooling with junk, bite the bullet and cough up the dough for the most badass compressor I've seen yet.
Just over $1000 gets you this belt driven heavy truck style compressor that's turned by an 80 amp 12 volt motor. It makes less noise than a 12v electric Viair and it fills my two 3 gal tanks from 0-150 psi in just over 2 min. So when I'm cruising and playing with the air ride, the recovery time back to 150 psi after the pressure switch kicks in is only about 30 sec. I've been driving this to work every day for the last 6 weeks or so with no complaints. I LOVE IT!
I added a deep cycle RV battery with an isolator to power the pump so I can run it at shows without killing my main battery or starting the engine.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

My old compressors..

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Badass Blazer!!! hope to check it out in person one day!!

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Some :canada: style mounts

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Thanks! I hope to drive it down to the Rock 'N Red Deer show next month, maybe I'll see you there!

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Few more pics, last one is when I bought it.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Nothing is more Canadian than hockey pucks as isolators, I have a few trucks with those body mounts!..... I am a little worried about how bad you say the pumps were, I have similar pumps. My neighbour told me to get rid of them in favour of a larger engine driven style pump like yours, because they work so much faster. I don't want to tell the guy he was right....... Starting to sound like it's going that way.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

I always had two pumps wired together. I made sure they were getting enough amperage, I chased all my leaks and was still never satisfied with their performance. They wouldn't be bad for a set of helper bags for a work truck, but not great for a full air ride vehicle that you want to play with need to have air on demand. I've talked to some guys who don't drive their vehicles much and don't care if their compressor is slow, but mine is a daily driver and I like to ride low and be able to jump up in a second for a speed bump, driveway or dip in the road. This compressor has made my air ride vehicle way more fun to drive.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

The Viair 380 isnt the choice 12v compressor. I had 2 Viair 450c's and was very happy with them on a single 5 gallon tank. You probably would have been better off just mounting a York 210 engine mount compressor and saved yourself from having a bulky box in your luggage area. Also would have been easily half the cost. You have a very nice blazer by the way!

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

I thought of that, but this way I can run the compressor without running the engine, plus it was extremely easy to install.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

your blazer is my favorite on here....hope mine ends up that nice...and yeah, about the compressors. i have 1 380 on my tan truck and it takes like 10 mins to air from 0-140 with a 5 gallon tank. i think one of my problems is the compressor is like 10 ft away from the tank. my 380 is mounted where your 380's were and the tank is where the extra tank would have been under the cab. funny, i thought i was being unique when i picked that spot for the 380...lol

love the hockey puck isolators!

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Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Thanks for the compliments. Maybe I should have tried a larger diameter air line to the tanks, may have helped a little bit.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Well my 20" tires were gettin to be unsafe, so I'm going to throw some new tires on the smoothies in a few days. Until then, I'm rollin on some 15" steelie dubs..:metal:

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

love the steelies on it too. when i saw the first 2 pics i was like....man mines almost that low...then i saw the last picture....:metal:

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

I think these 235/75/15's might be slightly shorter than my bald 255/45/20's. Might be a tad lower than normal now. What size tires you running? How much notch?
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Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Hey mr pops, I've got some 20/22's with brand new rubber for sale, matte finish c5 coys.

Check my build thread!! I'll take the smoothies on trade! Lol
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Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Looks rad with those steelies too!!!

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Tempting. Those are pretty nice. I want wider smoothies on the back but I don't see them on Centerline's website anymore. I think I'll keep them the ones I have.
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Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

if your talking about my 78 blazer....ive got 215/70/15's in the front with 2 coils cut giving me 5 inches of drop (and neg camber). 235/75/15's in the rear with pulled leafs and no c-notch. the rear was on the bumpstops in my last pic on my build thread. a little lower now that i took them out. its sitting at 25 inches in the front and 26 in the rear.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

I assumed you were talking about the 86 in your profile pic
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Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

my blazer according to the white walls is about an inch or 2 higher than the 2 pics of yours aired up. then i saw the last of the 3 and yours is slammed and looks sick on the ground with steelies...kind of makes me want some bigger steelies and keep whitewalls...you ought to think about doing the painted smoothies with 67 camaro center caps and keep the lips polished...like the green 67 on this link....http://www.sportruck.com/events/brot...ow-2012/4.html

to me that would finish your blazer and i couldnt imagine a better look to keep it old school


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Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

I've considered painting my smoothies. I wish the price would come down for 20" rally wheels, those are sweet too.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

I swung by a local tire shop and saw they had a decent selection of used rubber out back so I picked out a pair of 255/45/20's for the front (same as before) and decided to go a little fatter and taller on the back (wanted more of a hot rod look) with a pair of 265/50's giving me about 1/2" of clearance to my inner fender. The tires have at least 60% tread left and the guy only charged me $150 for all 4 tires mounted and balanced!

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

you got an awesome deal! looks good, and used is the way to go, since our tires will wear uneven anyway, due to riding at different camber all the time

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Yeah you can only rotate them so many different ways, so many times.. :lol:

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

What did you do in order to keep the back seat with that drop?

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

I kept the front mounts bolted into the floor and just lifted the back of the seat up a few inches tilting the seat forward a little bit. It's not noticeable to look at, and my buddies haven't complained about comfort issues on cruise nights. (I don't have to sit back there anyway :lol:)

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Oh and for the seat belts, I wanted to bolt them into a crossmember since the floor structure has been compromised, so I bought seat belts out of a fullsize chevy van at the wreckers. They were the only ones I could find that were long enough to reach back to the crossmember. (Too bad the belts are purple)

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Do you have these old compressors still? I need some for a display and don’t want to pay top dollar for brand new ones..

Also your new compressor is nice, but in the end think about doing a york ac compressor to run your air ride.

I keep mine at 200psi of and 170 on. Fills my 2 5 gallon tanks from empty to full in about 2 mins. 170 psi to 200 about 10 secs.

And silent. no electrical, except for the clutch, but that’s like 16 gauge wiring.


-And by the way, nice blazer! i do like 'em

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

I'm planning on throwing the old compressors in my daily driver pickup so I can run an air tank for filling tires and running an air horn..
Thanks for the compliments.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

i seen your blazer this summer, almost drove off the road when i saw it! amazing truck!

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Haha thanks. I don't think I've seen your Blazer, is it on the road?

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

not since 2009, it was my dads truck for years and he gave it to me when i was 14 so its been my project for the last few years.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Bad ass blazer- That is exactly what I want for a daily...with a 4.8L and a 700r4.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Thanks

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Took this one the other day on my way home from work.

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

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Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Man I love this k5 ! I have always wanted a 2wd k5.. Keep 'er between the ditches!

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

Thanks buddy! :metal:

Re: Bagged Beater, Daily Driver (76 Blazer)
 

what does your front suspension consist of? just spindles and cups? mine is in the shop now and just wondering what all i need to lay low like yours. i dont want my mechanic to miss a step then have to dig back into it