Annual Chevy K5 Blazer Bash - Moab - Rock Crawling

Another easily solved problem was Ed Laliberty's separating front driveshaft. A few minutes with wrenches and hammers had it back together, and avoiding the steep climbs kept it together.
Another easily solved problem was Ed Laliberty's separating front driveshaft. A few minute
Moab regular Dave Cowley knows the Rockpile and, after feeling it out a few times, drove it like he owned it. Dave generally makes more modified rigs look silly by using experience and driving skill with some nice but not extravagant equipment on his '88 K5. The most obvious mod is the bobbed rearend and fender trimming to fit the 39.5-inch Swampers, but the drivetrain is once again where it's at. The almost standard GMD60F/14FF axles run a Powerlok/Detroit combo and are pushed by the nothing-special 350/TH350/NP208. Suspension is a 4-inch Tuff Country front and ORD Shackle flip rear with crossover steering.
Moab regular Dave Cowley knows the Rockpile and, after feeling it out a few times, drove i
Despite the precarious position on the Rockpile, a highlift jack and a Power Tank put Nate's H2 and MTR back together again.
Despite the precarious position on the Rockpile, a highlift jack and a Power Tank put Nate

Utah native Jason Barker is now considering beadlock wheels much more seriously. The first of two lost beads is shown here, but following some quick work with prybars and air tanks he was back on the trail and in good spirits.
Utah native Jason Barker is now considering beadlock wheels much more seriously. The first
Sheetmetal Gang trail leader Michael Salbaum's 10-bolt front axle U-joint decided that the cap wasn't necessary to proceed. Michael thought otherwise and swapped in his spare before things got really ugly. Front axles are a common weak point on these larger trucks equipped with anything less than a D60, so spare parts are often on board.
Sheetmetal Gang trail leader Michael Salbaum's 10-bolt front axle U-joint decided that the
While it's not really a full-body rig, Jason Payne's bobbed '96 crewcab is definitely fullsize. The 153-inch wheelbase made steep climbs like the Dump Bump look silly, while the link and coilover suspension and armored belly let it get through rougher terrain unharmed. Drivetrain? The only deviation from the stock GM 1-ton is the Ford D60 in front. The rest is the standard Vortec 454/4L80E/BW4401 with a 14-bolt FF bringing up the rear.
While it's not really a full-body rig, Jason Payne's bobbed '96 crewcab is definitely full

Michael Salbaum's '85 K5 is set up for long-distance desert exploring with a 3-inch lift, Bilstein shocks, 35-inch tires, D44/D60 axles with ARBs, and a new ORD tube bumper. For Moab 'wheeling, Michael ditches the roof rack and camping gear and bolts on the Pimp tube doors.
Michael Salbaum's '85 K5 is set up for long-distance desert exploring with a 3-inch lift,
"Wally," Offroad Design's '82 K5 truggy, shows the advantages of a narrower tapered body while making this tight turn in Coyote. With tools like a 504 BBC, ORD Doubler, ProRock 60/14FF, and 42-inch IROKs, Wally spent the weekend dominating obstacles and still seats five in the hybrid tube/frame chassis.
"Wally," Offroad Design's '82 K5 truggy, shows the advantages of a narrower tapered body w

Nate Marsh's jeep became an honorary K5 with the simple addition of a GM drivetrain and a Blazer fender emblem. This shot from a tight offshoot of Pritchett Canyon shows that anything fullsize gets big in tight spots. Nate did come equipped with a stereo and teenage daughter Jessica to ensure its proper operation. He has 1-ton axles and a Doubler, too.
Nate Marsh's jeep became an honorary K5 with the simple addition of a GM drivetrain and a

Neil McBride arrived at Blazer Bash in his show-quality '87 Blazer in stock trim with 33-inch tires and open differentials. The truck's shiny paint brought out protective instincts in fellow Blazer owners, as everyone wanted to make sure that the truck got through the trails without any harm. With some careful spotting, Neil expertly drove the truck over two 3.5-rated trails without a single scratch. While the Blazer made it through unscathed, Neil may have been infected with the Blazer-buildup bug. We look forward to seeing what he'll bring next year.
Neil McBride arrived at Blazer Bash in his show-quality '87 Blazer in stock trim with 33-i
We couldn't find a pretty side of Toby Erwin's chopped-up K5. Mechanically, though, it looks just fine. Close work with ORD on the crossover and high-steer setup got maximum clearance with a 2.5-inch lift over the D60 front, while the rest is a collection of pretty nice hand-me-downs. Motor is a carb'd ZZ383 followed by a TH400 and ORD 203/205 Doubler. A Waggoner 3:1 203 gearset and 5.13s in the axles give a crazy low-crawl ratio with the ability to choose higher gears to get the right bump. Brandon Watson's terrible spotting job gave us a good opportunity to show how not to drive the escalator; Toby came out on the winch.
We couldn't find a pretty side of Toby Erwin's chopped-up K5. Mechanically, though, it loo

Tapering the nose of the big GMs is a popular modification, since it can net big gains in clearance and visibility. Ed Laliberte and Ed Duff both enjoy the less obstructed view of their front swampers and the trail ahead.
Tapering the nose of the big GMs is a popular modification, since it can net big gains in
With further proof that there's plenty of fun to be had with a simple K5, this rig showed up with a new ORD/Tuff Country lift and some hand-me-down 33s. The stock drivetrain ran through Hell's Revenge and Gold Bar Rim with minimal difficulty but there's still plenty of room for further mods and harder trails.
With further proof that there's plenty of fun to be had with a simple K5, this rig showed