KE7WOX's build - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer

[KE7WOX]

2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LT
I6 4.2L 4WD NO G80, 3.73 axles

Suspension Modifications:
BDS 2" lift
BDS 5500 rear shocks
Z71 rear springs
Bilstein HD shocks
LT265/70/17 E Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor
17x7 Aluminium Wheels, Sport, OEM.

Exterior Modifications:
33% tint front windows, 25% rear (plus privacy glass)
VHF antennas

Engine Modifications:
K&N oiled filter

Interior Modifications:
None

Recovery Equipment:
Receiver w/ D-shackle
tow strap

Electrical Modifications:
Icom IC-2200H VHF
Preparation for additional VHF radio or scanner in the trunk
Garmin nüvi 760
Garmin eTrex Legend w/RAM mount (mount is broken right now)
Sirius Starmate 4

Antennas
Laird QWB144 for the trunk radio
Laird B132S for the IC-2200H (Magmount)

----- PLANNED------
Lower air dam removal
2005+ leather/aluminium shifter knob
2005+ leather("leather"?) console arm rest
222MHz or 70cm mobile
Re-arrangement of the antennas and new mounts

[KE7WOX]

This is her less than 48 hours after I drove her home from the dealership on 09/11/09
<PHOTO GOT DELETED>

At some point in early 2010.

Drake-Perkinsville-Drake run by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

Last weekend
Suspension Modifications:
None
P245/65R17 Michelin LTX M/S
17x7 Aluminium Wheels, Sport, OEM.

<PHOTO GOT DELETED>

As I said before, I'm planning to re-organize the antennas and re-mount some of them in a different way (working on a custom bracket for the roof-rack rails, it works, it's being perfected, but you can kind of see it in the picture). I might aswell replace the QWB144 with another B132S (a heavy duty antenna with a spring, very similar to the ones used by the USFS)

[KE7WOX]

Radio install, pt 1
The power is obtained from the feed for the rear fuse block, ground from one of the seat mounting bolts. The fuse holder is for ATC fuses, as ATM holders are only for up to 10A, not 20A as required for the IC-2200H (I believe max drain is 16A, the AGC fuses included with the radio are 20A, but it works with the 15A from the cig lighter plugs)


The Pelican 1010 contains all my fuse spares, ATC and ATM, plus a fuse tester and a couple of fuse pullers.


Eventually there will be a RigRunner to get power for all the planned radios, aswell as the Sirius Sat radio (that should free up one of the cig plugs.


Original post edit. I have the 3.73 axles.

[KE7WOX]

Upgrades between May and June of 2010

• BDS Lift 2", front and back
• Bilstein HD front shocks
• BDS 5500 rear shocks
• Z71 rear springs
• Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor LT265/70/17E

[KE7WOX]

As of today.

Communications.

The main radio is an Icom IC-2200H (Amateur VHF / 2m), mounted to the center console. The power comes from the rear fuse block via a RigRunner (will document separately) and it's terminated near the radio using Anderson Powerpoles, and there is a small T-connector to powerpole adapter in between. If I ever change the radio to one that uses a different power plug, I have minor work to do.

3X5E0271 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

As far as mounting the radio goes, I had issues because of the curvature of the console, and I also wanted to make the full radio removable, so I came up with an idea. There are 2 M4 bolts installed from inside the console (had to remove it) and they are fastened to the console with nuts, creating kind of a mounting stud for the radio, so if I ever want to take the whole unit out, I can do so and leave the "studs" there. You can see the 2 sets of nuts, and how the screws aren't 90 degrees to the radio bracket.

3X5E0274 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

As a plus, the radio receives air band, and regular 2m band all the way up to 174MHz.
3X5E0275 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

I have provisions to mount a 2nd radio on the dashboard, including an antenna and temporary power from the cig plug, but the radio is currently out.

There are 2 antennas, one on the roof (mag mount) for the Icom, and 1 on the fender for the 2nd radio.

Won't photograph the roof one until the weather improves.

The hood antenna is a Laird QWB 144MHz mounted on a generic fender bracket NMO mount. The wire runs with all the wiring along the top/rear of the engine bay and uses the factory grommet on the drivers side.

3X5E0290 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

3X5E0289 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

[KE7WOX]

Other interior mods:

3X5E0280 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

SiriusXM Satellite radio (from back when we had a choice between Sirius AND XM). Next to it is a homebrew GPS mount.
3X5E0276 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

ScanGauge II diagnostics unit, mounted using the stock velcro, but I'm considering the idea of replacing it with the same 3M fastener used on the EZ-Pass tags.
3X5E0279 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

GoPro mount. The mount is a Panavise 809 that I bought from Amazon many years ago, it has a standard 1/4-20 thread and I'm using the GoPro tripod mount kit, the camera gets mounted upside down. I'm hoping to eventually upgrade to a caged unit (a cinema-style cage). This mount is sturdy enough for a Canon Digital Rebel with the 28-135mm lens.

3X5E0278 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

[KE7WOX]

No suspension setup pics, it's too snowy and salty outside.

I upgraded the tires to Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac in LT265/70R17C, mounted on spare-style steel wheels (bought from Tire Rack, they look identical to the spares, I'm not sure if the company who made the OEMs still makes them, or if they are just new old stock).

In general I heard good reviews about the tires (except from Barton), so I gave them a shot, they work pretty good, and I think that they handle way better than my old Wrangler Silent Armor.

3X5E0286 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

3X5E0283 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr

3X5E0281 by FelipeGR90, on Flickr