Chevycrew's Build: 2002 TrailBlazer SAS

[chevycrew]

Here is a real build thread.

Original thread with b.s.ing allowed here:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1949" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2002 TrailBlazer LT
1988 Dana 60 front axle with 4.56 yukon gears and spartan locker with 2" spacers.
2002 Full Floating 14 bolt with 4.56 gears and detroit locker, factory dual piston disc brakes with 2" spacers.
Front and rear axles both moved out roughly 6".
Box4rocks doubler, modified 231 27 spline front case.
241 rear case, 32 spline with slip yoke eliminator.
Dual shifters in cab, 1 each side of console.
Leaf spring suspension, all 4 corners, using 73-87 chevy 1/2 ton rear springs.
Steering gearbox from a 1990 toyota 4runner with Trail-Gear pitman arm.
Trail-Gear 14" travel shock hoops, 14" travel rancho 9000 front shocks.
Trail-Gear Sliders, mounted inside out, outer tube has 1.5" .120 wall tube added inside.
1" body lift.
Flipped rear hitch.
Custom computer tune. (delete air injection, rear o2, torque management, upped shift firmness and top speed limiter, lowered fan temps, removed the possibility of po128 code, and more power!)
Hollow cat with performance muffler and 3" tailpipe.
10,000lb winch and recovery points.
Removed rear headrests
CB radio in overhead console, cowl mounted antenna opposite of ratio antenna.
Fire extinguisher install, passenger side of center hump.
Cabin air filter mod.
Mudflaps
Backup lamps, dual KC 55watt lights.
40x13.50x17 Goodyear MTRs on 17x9 Aluminum wheels.

Link to my photobucket with over 100 pics:

http://s909.photobucket.com/albums/ac29 ... /4CRAWLIN/

[chevycrew]

4-1-11
Purchased an 02 Trailblazer LT 4x4, Indigo metallic with Grey cloth interior, 130k.
Serviced, replaced wipers, and drove 500 miles home.

4-2-11
Repaired drivers front of roof rack (front screw was pulled through rack)
Installed cabin air filters
Replaced serpentine belt

[chevycrew]

4-3-11
Front and rear bumper covers off.
Front and rear bumpers off.
Mudflaps removed.
Inner fenders (in front of front tires) trimmed.
Measured for dual cases... going to be a very tight fit against the tank, may have to slide it back a little.
Poked around a little about suspension setup.

[chevycrew]

4-4-11
1" body lift installed (Total cost, $55)
Flipped rear hitch (cut bumper free from hitch)

4-8-11
Doubler assembled:
27 spline 5 bolt 231c, with a 32 spline 6 bolt 241c.
4x4machine Box 4 Rocks doubler, JB Conversions SYE kit.

[chevycrew]

4-11-11

Out comes the sawzall!

[chevycrew]

4-15-11

Cb radio install

[chevycrew]

4-18-11

Winch, sliders, front leaf mounts.

[chevycrew]

4-23-11

Dual cases in.
Muffler gone with aluminum hanger
VSS wires, use the wires from the rear most stock t-case sensor.

[chevycrew]

4-24-11

Point of NO return...

[chevycrew]

4-28-11

More chop chop!

[chevycrew]

4-29-11

Mockup of front, found no oil pan mods needed. Axle is roughly 6" forward from stock.

[chevycrew]

4-30-11

Got the weight of the truck sitting on the front 42s, rear is still on jackstands.

Overall height roughly, 85"
Ground to top of front fender opening, 50"
Ground to bottom of frame under drivers door, 24"
Tire width outside the fender, 10"

Im going to be setting the bumpstops 2" off of the springs, using a fairly hard poly bumpstop.

I have a couple reasons to bumpstop it. Springs are within about an inch of being flat. When turned to full lock, tire is only 4" below the tube part of the core support behind the headlight. Im sure it will rub on that. Still need to trim the fender behind the tire too.

Steering, yay... I took out the shaft between the column and the rack, chopped it up, and ended up with a much shorter shaft. Now it should be easier to get good angles on the shaft to the new steering gearbox. Gearbox choice is up in the air, but its looking like a toyota IFS box will do the trick. Drag link will actually sneak between the oil pan, and the front crossmember. I have arms to do full high steer, but the tie-rod is tight to the bottom of the leafs while mounted on top of the stock TRE holes in the knuckle, so, it is going to stay there. That also allows easier mounting of the hydro ram.


I think thats it for the days work.

[chevycrew]

5-4-11

Rear spring pocket, this was the old lower control arm pocket.
Rear springs hung.

[chevycrew]

5-13-11

Friday the 13th, and a monster is revealed...

[chevycrew]

5-16-11

Out of the garage!

[chevycrew]

5-18-11

Working on the steering.

Toyota steering gear, modified shaft, trail-gear pitman arm, heim drag link.

[chevycrew]

5-25-11

Front bumpstops are in, set with 2" of uptravel. I bombed over the RR tracks pretty hard (with no shocks) and felt them hit (hard) with no damage to the oil pan!

Front shock hoops (Trail Gear) with 14" travel rancho 9000's are installed. The inner fenders being different and the steering shaft gave a couple small challenges.

Drivers side shift lever is in. (No cable yet)

[chevycrew]

5-29-11

Less than 2 months in!!!

[chevycrew]

7-11-11

Clean out on the street.

[chevycrew]

8-14-11

Little more done yesterday and today.

To stop my fuel tank from rubbing on the second case, I decided not to move it back. It was more work than I wanted to mess with.

So I dropped the tank, drained it, (Fold a coat hanger over and shove it in the filler neck to release the check valve) removed fuel pump, filled with water, drained water, the got out the torch!

Just a small plumbing type torch (heat gun would be better!) These tanks are double layer: black outside, white inside. the outer layer melts rather easy, but it takes more heat to soften the white, so go slow! I ended up pushing the front edge back about an inch where I needed clearance.

Fill with water to test for leaks, drain, dry, re-install and good to go.

Bad thing, to pull t-cases, tank must come out. But thats only a 15 minute job.


9-1-11

So I broke one of the first t-case shifter cables, so ordered some new from Midwest Control Products.