Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys

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Trailblazer and Envoy related, but not off-road related...

by Trail X » Tue Sep 16, 2014 7:40 am

v7guy wrote:I imagine it'll work until you start really bouncing the truck around off road, then the panel will probably pop loose or the screws will rip out of the panel.


Needs to be bolted through metal. Screwed into plastic has limited lifespan, but I do like the idea.
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by Hillbillybonez » Tue Sep 16, 2014 1:00 pm

Trail X wrote:
v7guy wrote:I imagine it'll work until you start really bouncing the truck around off road, then the panel will probably pop loose or the screws will rip out of the panel.


Needs to be bolted through metal. Screwed into plastic has limited lifespan, but I do like the idea.



Actually, I used the piece of metal strapping to bolt it to, the metal strap, ( A flat piece of aluminium bar i had from lowes ) I cut it to fit in the area behind the plastic cover. Once i get some more time to re-configure it, I will most definitely run the self tappers into metal.
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by Trail X » Tue Sep 16, 2014 7:11 pm

So you have a metal backer, but it's still just a trim piece that is held in by snaps. I wouldn't trust it to a rollover. I wouldn't trust self tapers either through thin body metal.
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by DirtyBacon04 » Tue Sep 16, 2014 8:54 pm

I wouldn't trust it on a trail. Not my kind of trails anyway.
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by JoeyV » Tue Sep 16, 2014 10:21 pm

Actually got some downtime. Did a much needed coolant flush and filled with Dex-Cool, replaced t-stat with Stant, swapped out OEM rad cap with Stant. On the agenda for tomorrow is a trans fluid and filter change. Will also be implementing the B&M 70268 trans cooler and Trans-Dapt 1028 filter bracket. Then, after that I can finally start working on my build. :woot:
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by KE7WOX » Wed Sep 17, 2014 10:13 pm

Blew out the passenger headlight bulb. Gotta change it tomorrow :/.
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by Eredin » Thu Sep 18, 2014 10:49 am

Lots to do this weekend, if I can make it around our office move for work. Oil skid is in from Mike, fog light is out, needs a bath and a need to disco the front sway bar in an effort to source my horrible popping noise that surfaced during the last off road excursion. -_-
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by v7guy » Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:57 am

Took the Envoy to get aligned, it needed a tie rod end. Given that's the only thing that wasnt replaced on the front end when I rebuilt it I wasn't surprised. I did have a momentary lapse in memory when I brought them one of my 04 spares only to remember the 02s used the smaller TRE. LOL


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by Trail X » Fri Sep 19, 2014 9:16 am

Time to upgrade the TREs!
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by Cable810 » Fri Sep 19, 2014 9:57 am

Drove it and had this happen
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by Trail X » Fri Sep 19, 2014 11:09 am

Dang, looks like Mario's did. What broke?
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by Wahugg » Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:27 pm

I was finally able to change out the bad bearing and noticed this in the process; a little gap between the rear bolt head and the bushing on the UCA. The drivers side does not exhibit this. Also to note (as shown in the second picture), the UCA hangs down when dis-connected from the UBJ. Before, it would always go up a little bit. I tried to tighten down the rear bolt to see if it had backed off at all, and it didn't budge. Is this normal after having a lift on for a while?

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by Cable810 » Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:27 pm

James, It looked like it just slipped out of a cap. The other one was still held in my the strap. Now I've got to figure out how to get it home...
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by Wahugg » Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:42 pm

Pull the drive shaft, put a gatorade cap in the back of the T-Case to keep the fluid from leaking out, put it in 4hi, and drive it home nice and easy.

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by Trail X » Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:18 pm

Wahugg wrote:Pull the drive shaft, put a gatorade cap in the back of the T-Case to keep the fluid from leaking out, put it in 4hi, and drive it home nice and easy.

-Wahugg


Yep, but I don't think you have to cover the slip joint hole. Though you want to if it's raining or if you're driving through dirt to keep it clean.

Wahugg wrote:I was finally able to change out the bad bearing and noticed this in the process; a little gap between the rear bolt head and the bushing on the UCA. The drivers side does not exhibit this. Also to note (as shown in the second picture), the UCA hangs down when dis-connected from the UBJ. Before, it would always go up a little bit. I tried to tighten down the rear bolt to see if it had backed off at all, and it didn't budge. Is this normal after having a lift on for a while?

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I wouldn't say that it's any more likely in a lifted tb. The bushings just wear out over time. Just like any bushing that gets a lot of use.
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by Cable810 » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:34 am

For Future reference the Gatorade cap trick wont work on the TC. I got the Shaft back in hopefully it wont happen again!!
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by BC backroader » Mon Sep 22, 2014 1:21 am

Yesterday I got a couple of 36"x48" rubber floor mats, and installed them in the cargo area and footwell where the 3rd row seat had been, and placed 2 plastic bins in the footwell, to hold the cable chains, comealong, tow strap, ratchet straps, jumper cables, and other assorted gear for trail use that will stay in the truck at all times.

Today I loaded a small folding table, 2 camp chairs, and a 5 gal. water jug in the back, which will also remain there on a permanent basis, then hit the road with 2 buddies and the 16 year old daughter of one of them, for a day long cruise of a couple of local mountain trails. Photos of the trip in another thread.
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by DirtyBacon04 » Wed Sep 24, 2014 2:14 am

I never was a big fan of the location of our interior lights. Casting shadows in the wrong area, plus not very bright. I've had this part for a several months now, but just got around it installing it. My patrol car has the same one and I love having it at night. simple 12V design. red/white switch. I was going to use bolt/washer/nut to hold it onto headliner, but the headliner is much stiffer than I expected, so I just used screws and it's rather firmly mounted. We'll see how it holds up long term and with all the vibration. Image

I've had this dashcam for a while. Pretty nifty. Video quality isn't anything spectacular, but mostly keep it running for insurance reasons. It's on loop, records about 30 mins in 3 minute intervals. I can watch, lock, or delete the videos on the small screen, plus once the screen is off, it's a full size mirror. Spring loaded clamps hold it in place.
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Mounted the inverter to my RAM mount
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Liked having the seat organizer in my patrol car so much, put one in my truck! Should be handy on my big trip, since I'll be riding solo.
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by Trail X » Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:50 am

I like it Bacon. Not sure about the dome light though, I think it would bump my head if I were sitting in that seat. Otherwise looks like it will work well though. Also - you might want to put another clamp on your inverter, looks like the top would flop around pretty good.
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by DirtyBacon04 » Wed Sep 24, 2014 2:37 pm

I have another clamp one for the top, but I take the post in and out frequently, so it's not on in that pic. However it is surprisingly stable with one.
On the dome light, you're only going to bump your head on it if you're 6'10" or taller. It's not in the way at all.
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