avalache build anyone

[HenryJ]

Exhausted! Not me the Avalanche. Cherry bombed. Took about an hour. Sounds like a truck now. Hopefully mileage will improve a little too.

Next issue, the Jotto desk laptop mount hindered the two cup holders quite a bit. The navagator has no really good options for a cup holder. I really wonder why they did not add one to the door pocket? Those worked great in the s-series.

Anyway...I had used a pair of the German designed cup holders available from Groit's Garage in my old truck. They were...Ok. They survived for quite a while. The passenger side broke a couple of the pins. It still held a drink, but took efforts to close properly.
With experience behind me now, I did not reinvest in those again. Too pricey for the durability. This time I opted for the less expensive folding cup holders: NAPA Cup Holder # 751-1027 $5.49

Availability is good. Less than half the price of the German cup holders. They fold up thinner than the others , although it does take two operations to close or open them. The upper bracket is adjustable so a larger cup can fit. That might be useful. Time will tell if they are a good investment.

Mounted below my knee on the sides of the center console. Should work out just fine.
I think cockpit adjustments are just about complete.

 

[HenryJ]

Sail panel LEDs installed today. I like'em :ylsmoke:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ztXiz0IEOc]Youtube video (not mine)[/ame]

Amber DRL and wigwag'd up front.

 

[HenryJ]

Today I took care of a weak link up front. Literally. The link between the tierod end and relay rod is small and is known to bend or break. These are just a couple examples:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxrdwXXat14]H2 tierod failure[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80KNavSXvfs]Pull Chevy bent tierods[/ame]

Today I installed stainless steel sleeves on both rods:

They were on sale for $50 a pair from Merchant-Automotive. I had to drill the inside threaded portion down .125" so that the sleeve would thread on far enough to set the toe properly. A 9/16" drill bit did the job.

One less worry. Next up, servos.

 

[HenryJ]

OPT , Oregon Performance Transmission set me up again. I ordered the Corvette servo , billet fourth and cover. Good prices and here quickly.
Installed tonight. It now shifts like it should.
This transmission is not the slush box the last started as, but it did need a little help. Those stock servos were indeed sloppy.
I have only the ride home under my belt. I am sure that it is a good improvement. The install took about 40 minutes. Just enough room for the install to make it fairly easy.

Next up may be the auxiliary fuel tank. That will likely be a X-mas break project.

 

[HenryJ]

I just happened across a post on a bed mount rack for bikes. It sure looked similar to the rack we use on the Maxx. Inspired, I went out to the garage and dusted off the Thule 400xtr Rapid Aero clamp on racks. They fit clamped to the cover panels on the bed!
I had one Yakima Blockhead mount. I modified a couple elevator bolts to work as channel bolts and mounted it in the center of the front bar. I'll try hauling Tach's bike a few times and see how well it works. It looks like it should work well. If it does I'll buy a couple more Blockheads and carry three bikes back there.

 

[offroadcamperguy]

Ultimate Avalanche Accessory:

I just sold my 03 lc to sleeoffroad, and have a 08 avalanche and am looking for ideas. Has anyone built an avalache yet.

When you're done with all the other mods on the lower end, you might want to add the ultimate Avalanche overland comfort accessory....

 

[HenryJ]

I have been looking for a way to vent underhood heat, much as the cowl hood did for my last truck. I did not like the engine heat vented right where the air is picked up for the interior though. No cowl hood for this one.
I did lots of looking for something that might work. There are several louvered panels available, but I'm not so happy with their appearance or methods to attach them.
I came across this install : Oman 4x4 Hood Vent Install
My search for new louvers ended when I found out they have been discontinued and the few that are still out there underwent a substantial price increase. $160 plus freight was more than I was willing to spend.
One local yard had two Pontiac Grand Prix the correct years. They had checked the green one last week and forgot to call me to tell me they were gone. I saw that they had a white 1996 hood with louvers. They had not checked out that one. I offered to come over and check it out.
Over the hill and through the snow! It was iced over and had six inches of snow on it, but they were both there. The hood was 80% , but I knew the guy running this yard and he was willing to let them go. I shoveled the hood off , pulled them and $20 later they were mine.
Returning home I coated them with paint stripper and removed three layers of white paint. I'd say this car had been repainted more than once. Down to original paint, I scuffed them good and gave them a coat of black satin Krylon Fusion.

There are a few minor imperfections, but they are not too bad.

My son arrived home from school and off we went to the shop to get inside. Masking tape and below 20 degrees outside just don't mix well.
I had already laid out templates and spacing earlier so once masked off things went pretty quickly.
Sixteen holes drilled, there was no going back now.

I would have liked them farther back and more toward the outside, but hood braces hindered any other positions. This was the only place with space enough on the underside. These need to be functional, so there was no other option.
I did not realize that I was out of metal blades for the jigsaw, so a run to Wally world slowed the progress a little. Once we returned I cut out the big holes. Then I installed the hood insulation and chalked it to cut holes on the interior. Once that was ready I painted the raw edges of the hood , trimmed up some 1/2" neoprene to fill the void and hold some tension on the screws, attached the screws with fender washers and reinstalled the hood insulation.

The open area of both add up to 12.5 square inches (.25"x5"x5x2 ) The design of the louvers creates a low pressure zone behind each opening. At speed that should draw heat out. At low speeds at least it has some where to go.

Finished after dark. I guess I get to see what I have done on the morning.
I checked them after I parked. If nothing else they make great handwarmers

Next in line, two more bike rack mounts, second battery tray, and auxiliary fuel tank.

 

[chilliwak]

Nice work you did on the hood Henry. Looks like you took your time and did it right!:victory:

 

[HenryJ]

Warmed up more than I thought it would today.

A small victory on the quest for the second fuel tank:

Deciding on a location for a fill and having it ready is a load off my mind. They will be close, but should work. This will be better. The fill attendants always looked at me a little silly when I asked to fill both tanks on the old truck and they only saw one. This will make things much simpler.

 

[HenryJ]

Up bright and early. Sawzall in hand the first step to the tank install:

I had to cut the fill tube and add a few inches of height. I did not have enough filler hose at the shop, so I grabbed a piece when I returned home for dinner.

Crossmembers made:

Tank has been in and out more times than can be counted now.

Lots of drilling , painting and welding...

The tank is bolted in place. It hangs just below the frame rails. Tomorrow I finish the fill tube and look into hanging the spare back underneath. No going back now.

 

[HenryJ]

I finished up most of it today. I now have two filler caps under the door-

All plumbed to the tank-

Pump line tee'd into the main tank fill vent line and the tank vent tied into the main tank vent line-

Another shot of the tank in place that gives a bit better perspective on how far up it hides. Well out of harm's way-

It is up far enough that I decided to go ahead and hang the spare back underneath. It is a bit lower than before, but not terrible.

A little lower than the hitch. It is above the bottom of the axle. 11" at the lowest point and 12" across the tire. While it may be too low for rougher trails, it is high enough for moderate trails and road duty. I can always drop it and toss it on top in the rough stuff , if I need to.

My battery tray arrived yesterday. Long story, but it was gathered from another dealer as the one I ordered never showed. Bob really did me a favor getting it in time for the Xmas break.

I'll probably wire in the isolator and install the other two bike mounts on the rack tomorrow.

Once the fuel gauge for the auxiliary tank arrives I'll finish wiring it up and be done with that project.

Progress is good.

 

[jasonL_031]

looks good stupid question what tank did you use for your aux fuel tank?

 

[HenryJ]

...stupid question what tank did you use for your aux fuel tank?

I originally planned on a Blazer tank, but that didn't fit quite right after lots of trying. The fill just never fit where I wanted.
This tank is a 1990-1997 Ford F150 tank. Readily available as new reproductions for about $100 (bare). This one was $40 used with the pump and brackets. The width was correct to fit between the frame rails nicely and the height short enough to tuck up high.
18.1 gallons should add 234 miles to my range for a total just over 600 comfortably.

 

[KMV77]

Did you wire in a switch to change power from one tank to the other for the fuel pumps? If so do you have any pics? Looks great so far!
Kevin

 

[HenryJ]

Did you wire in a switch to change power from one tank to the other for the fuel pumps? If so do you have any pics? Looks great so far!
Kevin

Thanks.
This is a transfer tank so the pump from the auxiliary tank pumps to the main tank. I watch the fuel gauge in the auxiliary tank lower and the main rise.
I am waiting on the gauge to arrive before I wire in the switch. That way I can run the wires together. I will likely mount a simple momentary switch. It does not take long to transfer fuel and that way there is no chance of forgetting and an accidental overfill.

The tank install in my last truck can be used as an example, and what I am following for this install. Auxilary Fuel Tank
Scott's install, in the Expeditions West Tacoma was the inspiration for part deux of my install on that one.

In a pinch I suppose that I could rig fuel lines to use the second in tank pump to run the engine, in the event that the main pump died. It is nice to have that option, but I don't really see that as something that I weill really need to do in all but an extreme emergency.