Uploaded November 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
In my continued quest to make my 1997 Chevrolet Blazer just a bit less homicidal, it was time to change out the almost completely rusted off rear suspension leaf spring hangers. It's not an exaggeration to say the rear suspension was about to fall out of it. You could actually *feel* the difference in driving it before and after this job and that's not something that I would normally expect from replacing typical automotive hard parts.
*ATTENTION REGARDING THE SPRING BUSHINGS:* There is a story to tell here that I didn't make clear enough in the video: The Moog spring hanger kit comes with a bushing that appears to be appropriate for the upper frame location on all S10 platform vehicles. I'm 90% sure that same bushing fits the spring eye location on 2wd 4-cylinder S10 pickups. 4x4 Blazers (at least my '97 4 door), and I suspect 4x4 pickups, seem to use the larger bushings. The only thing I'm completely positive about is GM needlessly used a bunch of different bushing sizes across the S10 platform over the many years of production. Be prepared to spend some time getting the right parts. I linked what I know for sure down below.
Also, visit @JasonTheMunicipalMechanic if you want to see how a pro does it on an S10 pickup. I'd have just about killed a man to have access to his 2 post lift for this job. 🤣
Stuff Links (Affiliated; I earn a small commission on these links):
Parts:
Moog Spring Hanger â–º amzn.to/3OCtuSI
Moog "Small" Spring Eye Bushing â–º amzn.to/3GJhVa4)
AC Delco "Small" Spring Eye Bushing (Functionally Identical to the "Small" Moog bushings) â–º amzn.to/3tVhAcU
AC Delco "Large" Spring Eye Bushing (what I installed) â–º amzn.to/3Uanxx7
Tools I had to have or this job would have never happened:
1/2" Breaker Bar (cheap is fine) â–º amzn.to/3EzCD9O
21mm Traditional Craftsman Wrench â–º amzn.to/3EBFwqF
Ball Joint Press Kit (or "rent" one for free... either Autozone or Advanced has my exact kit) â–º amzn.to/3XzvyyW
Air Hammer:
Mine is a cheap HFT, but I would step up to at least the tool linked below if I had to do it again. The cheap HFT comes with garbage bits and a spring style bit holder and both were so terrible that I had to pay to replace them. A "decent" air hammer that comes with good bits and a good quick change is actually cheaper once you combine it all. Also... all of the air tools used in this video were powered by a $150 HFT compressor; nothing fancy.
"Decent" Air Hammer â–º amzn.to/3gzRCIM
*Good* Air Hammer Bits (that a better tool than HFT would come with) â–º amzn.to/3U5VWNV
Quick-Change Bit Holder for Air Hammer (if you have a cheap one already) â–º amzn.to/3UaokOB
Video Links:
Blazer Playlist â–º youtube.com/watch?v=iH3YR26YdZk&list=PLP18uejB3RCeAKMVRrUeExjmgn5byDo3E
Want to contact me? â–º Info@TheBrokenLife.net
Send me everything... except to jail:
The Broken Life
4000 E. Bristol St.
Suite 3 #253
Elkhart, IN. 46514
In my continued quest to make my 1997 Chevrolet Blazer just a bit less homicidal, it was time to change out the almost completely rusted off rear suspension leaf spring hangers. It's not an exaggeration to say the rear suspension was about to fall out of it. You could actually *feel* the difference in driving it before and after this job and that's not something that I would normally expect from replacing typical automotive hard parts.
*ATTENTION REGARDING THE SPRING BUSHINGS:* There is a story to tell here that I didn't make clear enough in the video: The Moog spring hanger kit comes with a bushing that appears to be appropriate for the upper frame location on all S10 platform vehicles. I'm 90% sure that same bushing fits the spring eye location on 2wd 4-cylinder S10 pickups. 4x4 Blazers (at least my '97 4 door), and I suspect 4x4 pickups, seem to use the larger bushings. The only thing I'm completely positive about is GM needlessly used a bunch of different bushing sizes across the S10 platform over the many years of production. Be prepared to spend some time getting the right parts. I linked what I know for sure down below.
Also, visit @JasonTheMunicipalMechanic if you want to see how a pro does it on an S10 pickup. I'd have just about killed a man to have access to his 2 post lift for this job. 🤣
Stuff Links (Affiliated; I earn a small commission on these links):
Parts:
Moog Spring Hanger â–º amzn.to/3OCtuSI
Moog "Small" Spring Eye Bushing â–º amzn.to/3GJhVa4)
AC Delco "Small" Spring Eye Bushing (Functionally Identical to the "Small" Moog bushings) â–º amzn.to/3tVhAcU
AC Delco "Large" Spring Eye Bushing (what I installed) â–º amzn.to/3Uanxx7
Tools I had to have or this job would have never happened:
1/2" Breaker Bar (cheap is fine) â–º amzn.to/3EzCD9O
21mm Traditional Craftsman Wrench â–º amzn.to/3EBFwqF
Ball Joint Press Kit (or "rent" one for free... either Autozone or Advanced has my exact kit) â–º amzn.to/3XzvyyW
Air Hammer:
Mine is a cheap HFT, but I would step up to at least the tool linked below if I had to do it again. The cheap HFT comes with garbage bits and a spring style bit holder and both were so terrible that I had to pay to replace them. A "decent" air hammer that comes with good bits and a good quick change is actually cheaper once you combine it all. Also... all of the air tools used in this video were powered by a $150 HFT compressor; nothing fancy.
"Decent" Air Hammer â–º amzn.to/3gzRCIM
*Good* Air Hammer Bits (that a better tool than HFT would come with) â–º amzn.to/3U5VWNV
Quick-Change Bit Holder for Air Hammer (if you have a cheap one already) â–º amzn.to/3UaokOB
Video Links:
Blazer Playlist â–º youtube.com/watch?v=iH3YR26YdZk&list=PLP18uejB3RCeAKMVRrUeExjmgn5byDo3E
Want to contact me? â–º Info@TheBrokenLife.net
Send me everything... except to jail:
The Broken Life
4000 E. Bristol St.
Suite 3 #253
Elkhart, IN. 46514
