Gowan's Build---2006 Trailblazer 2WD

[Gowan]

2006 Trailblazer LS
4.2L, 3.42 w/G80

Suspension Mods:
In the near future:

FRONT:
Mark 3" Lift (On Hand)
Mark's 1.5" spacers (On hand)
87 Front springs (On hand)
Bilstein HD shocks (On hand)

REAR:
Z71 Springs (On hand)
Skyjaker N8030 (On Hand)

Tires: either 265/65/17

Looking to upgrade to 265/70/17 or 275/70/17

Second step in lift:
Mark 3" body lift
Axle swap for 4:10 Gears


Exterior Mods:
1) Just a dent left in my right fender by a snowbird in a Walmart parking lot.

Engine Mods:
1) Removed the intake resonator.
2) Transmission cooler will need to be installed.

Interior Mods:
1) Kenwood CD with Bluetooth

Recovery Mods: none
Electrical Mods: None



List of Headaches:

1) About a year ago I was on the freeway to Los Angels and when I exited my steering was a bit hard. So had to replace the rack and pinion. Well for what is was worth, on the drive back to AZ about 50 miles from home the new rack and pinon failed. So what could I do, I had to replace the rack again, but in going through the system the mechanic stated that the power steering pump was the cause of the problem. So that to got replaced.
2) I don't know which one of the Pep-Boys did the work. But somehow I ended up with a cracked fan blade. This became apparent as I fell victim of the fan clutch issue. So...woot woot new fan blades and fan clutch!!!!
3) I replaced the battery and now my A/C only blows out the window defrost. I have attempted to reset the actuator a few times to no avail. So that looks to be a new protect. Seeing summer is coming I am not going to go through an AZ summer with a cold windshield.
4) Then a month later the sunroof went kaput!!! It look as if all things fall apart at once.

At the same time I install the lift I will upgrade to larger front breaks.

Soon...very soon the lift will be on. This is a long time waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gowan]

Well I finally got everything together to get this lift going. It was a bit of a challenge, I listed some setbacks that kept coming up. Well I guess we have to roll with what god gave us. So as soon as I get this thing worked on I will post up some pictures.

[Gowan]

Well...another headache has struck my TB..bad front bearing. Seeing that I was in the process of doing a break job two weeks ago when I discovered this

I returned everything and decided to do the ext upgrade while fixing this.

Everything finally came in and will do this tomorrow. I need to find a rabbit foot and gorilla glue it to my hood!!!

Well the hub/bearing went in with out a hitch. So I was on to the caliper bracket...and well the rabbit did not help!!!

One of the brackets was wrong. One of the guide pins would not go in either of the holes. So I have to wait to have another bracket come in.

Well I will get one in in about 2 to 3 days...

Here is a picture of the hub installed This was rather easy and straight froward.

[Gowan]

Another wonderful discovery... a cracked dust shield... This will be replaced when I get under the TB again...

I need a drink

[Gowan]

The EXT/SS break upgrade is done.

This did not go without some hiccups...

I started on the drives side and realized I only ordered one caliper pin kit...
Once that was resolved. On the passenger side, the pin that takes the bushing would not go into the caliper bracket with the bushing. I attempted to scrape down the bushing with an exact-o and I sliced it. Bought another kit and the first bushing was the same....second bushing was better but still super tight. I sanded off some material and wet and dried the bushing area to smooth it out and done. The TB stops like a mofo now. I do not understand why GM did not do this to start with.

I am getting ready to do the lift. The only thing that freaks me out is compressing that spring. I bought a spring compressor and we shall see how it goes next weekend baring time and work.