Expedition TrailBlazer Project
- Thread starter JamesDowning
- Start date
JamesDowning
Explorer
Bringing this back from the way-back. I honestly haven't touched anything on the truck much lately. It's running well and doing what it's designed for.
The tent has held up to some pretty impressive storms (granted the wind makes it hard to sleep). The truck now has about 126k miles and seems to be doing quite well.
Small items: the MV-50 compressor has failed on me twice now. The limiting item seems to be the piston yolk. I'll need to tear into it again and maybe weld it this time. Maybe I'll make a post about it when the time comes.
One nice but small addition are digital fit floor mats from weather-tech (USA made!).
No big plans for a trip this year (last year was the BIG one: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-couple-s-2-week-travels-through-CO-UT-and-AZ ). This year, hoping to get out and enjoy the truck more than work on it.
The tent has held up to some pretty impressive storms (granted the wind makes it hard to sleep). The truck now has about 126k miles and seems to be doing quite well.
Small items: the MV-50 compressor has failed on me twice now. The limiting item seems to be the piston yolk. I'll need to tear into it again and maybe weld it this time. Maybe I'll make a post about it when the time comes.
One nice but small addition are digital fit floor mats from weather-tech (USA made!).
No big plans for a trip this year (last year was the BIG one: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-couple-s-2-week-travels-through-CO-UT-and-AZ ). This year, hoping to get out and enjoy the truck more than work on it.
Spencinator
Adventurer
Awesome build. I really like how you utilize the space available to you. You given me a lot of ideas of good equipment to pack for whatever happens. Like some others have said, I would've never thought a trailblazer for a expo rig but that's what makes it unique. I may have missed it but did you post where you sourced a pump for your on board water? I want to build a similar system but havent sourced components yet. Keep up the good work!!!:smiley_drive:
JamesDowning
Explorer
Thanks Spenc.
I found it on grainger.com, but eventually ordered it through Amazon if I recall.
I found it on grainger.com, but eventually ordered it through Amazon if I recall.
HARDTRAILZ
Certified
Nice choice on the liners. I bought the Nifty ones, but they are not great quality so I picked up Nick's Husky ones.
ramsport59
Observer
where abouts you from james? I'm just south of baltimore.
Rick
Rick
JamesDowning
Explorer
Just north of Baltimore.
Al_Santos
New member
I finally got around to installing some Hella 550s in the roof rack. Driving lights in the center, fog lights on the ends.
Redid the wiring too:
I was wondering how you routed the wires to your battery from the roof rack lights? Did you drill a hole on your roof and route the wires that way, or did you route them on the outside of the vehicle in some way? Great build.
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JamesDowning
Explorer
Hey Al,
I ran the wires directly in through the rear door seal, down the B pillar. I never experienced any issues with it. Just make your wires as flat as possible, and they will contour pretty well to the jamb.
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As for updates, I did have to tear into the transmission the other weekend.
I was getting a fluttering torque converter clutch. So I did some reading, and the bore on the PWM valve can open up after a lot of use, which allows pressure flow across the valve, which induces slip, which the computer notices, so it increases pressure to the clutch, which causes the flutter. Feels like a misfire, but only when the TCC is demanded on.
Anyways I decided to tear into the transmission valve body and install a transgo SK 4L60E kit.
Pan dropped:
Filter removed:
Wiring, TCC solenoid, TCC TWM solenoid, and TFP Valve Pos. Switch removed:
Valve body removed:
Separator plate and 1-2 accumulator removed (visible at top right is the 3-4 accumulator):
Swapping springs on the 1-2 accumulator:
The Isolator/Converter valve that was causing all my troubles, and it's one-piece replacement (lower):
Adding internal spring to the actuator feed limiting valve, inside the same bore as the pressure control solenoid:
Wear in the check-ball holes in the separator plate (replaced the plate):
The hardest part of this kit was getting the retaining ring (221 below) back into the hole in the transmission (still on the vehicle) after changing out the pressure regulator spring. You can see the hole at the bottom left of the pictures of the transmission.
Change out the the low overrun valve spring in the forward accumulator, also visible is the new separator plate (plated and heat treated):
Valve body back in, wiring back in place (be aware, if you do this, there are very specific places these bolts go, and how/where you install them is critical):
Drain plug installed on the clean pan:
Note: trailblazer transmissions have a special filter with a beveled edge on the front left... I'll know for next time!
My transmission now allows 0 rpms of slip when the TCC is demanded on. It used to allow ~100 by design. Also no more TCC flutter, and I'm a happy camper. Shifts are a tad sharper, but not much.
Also included in the kit are a few other things that I didn't show or I didn't change out (because overall I feel my transmission shifts pretty well).
I ran the wires directly in through the rear door seal, down the B pillar. I never experienced any issues with it. Just make your wires as flat as possible, and they will contour pretty well to the jamb.
--------------------
As for updates, I did have to tear into the transmission the other weekend.
I was getting a fluttering torque converter clutch. So I did some reading, and the bore on the PWM valve can open up after a lot of use, which allows pressure flow across the valve, which induces slip, which the computer notices, so it increases pressure to the clutch, which causes the flutter. Feels like a misfire, but only when the TCC is demanded on.
Anyways I decided to tear into the transmission valve body and install a transgo SK 4L60E kit.
Pan dropped:
Filter removed:
Wiring, TCC solenoid, TCC TWM solenoid, and TFP Valve Pos. Switch removed:
Valve body removed:
Separator plate and 1-2 accumulator removed (visible at top right is the 3-4 accumulator):
Swapping springs on the 1-2 accumulator:
The Isolator/Converter valve that was causing all my troubles, and it's one-piece replacement (lower):
Adding internal spring to the actuator feed limiting valve, inside the same bore as the pressure control solenoid:
Wear in the check-ball holes in the separator plate (replaced the plate):
The hardest part of this kit was getting the retaining ring (221 below) back into the hole in the transmission (still on the vehicle) after changing out the pressure regulator spring. You can see the hole at the bottom left of the pictures of the transmission.
Change out the the low overrun valve spring in the forward accumulator, also visible is the new separator plate (plated and heat treated):
Valve body back in, wiring back in place (be aware, if you do this, there are very specific places these bolts go, and how/where you install them is critical):
Drain plug installed on the clean pan:
Note: trailblazer transmissions have a special filter with a beveled edge on the front left... I'll know for next time!
My transmission now allows 0 rpms of slip when the TCC is demanded on. It used to allow ~100 by design. Also no more TCC flutter, and I'm a happy camper. Shifts are a tad sharper, but not much.
Also included in the kit are a few other things that I didn't show or I didn't change out (because overall I feel my transmission shifts pretty well).
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HARDTRAILZ
Certified
Nicely done sir!
JamesDowning
Explorer
Haven't updated much in a while.
Truck is doing quite well. I still need to replace my MV-50 air compressor sooner or later.
Mainly though, I wanted to share a video I produced while some friends from another website (many are members here too) on our last outing.
The video isn't perfect, but it showcases the trucks well. Enjoy:
Truck is doing quite well. I still need to replace my MV-50 air compressor sooner or later.
Mainly though, I wanted to share a video I produced while some friends from another website (many are members here too) on our last outing.
The video isn't perfect, but it showcases the trucks well. Enjoy:
Awesome!! diggn the colorado's pre-runner fenders n boxsides, straight axled goodness, and even the stock TB doin its thing! Im trying to have a fab guy thats doin jeep and explorer bumpers mimmick what you had done on the ends of the bumper, and how they line up with, and follow the bodylines. Thanks for sharin!! Now its time to save some cash for some bumpers....4x4 conversion, rtt...al in that order...err maybe