Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys

FNG from Kansas

New members: please introduce yourself here.

by BlackTrails » Wed Mar 18, 2015 1:58 am

Long time lurker here, Active duty Army currenlty stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. I have been around the other GMT forums for a while under different names but new to offroadtb. Ive had my 03 Envoy xl for a while now but we just retired her from daily driver duties. Now shes all mine (well after May when in in-laws visit, stupid handy 3rd row :lol: ), to make her an off road machine :flex dirty: . It will be a long process, something about still needing to pay bills or something like that :roll: . But here are my plans:

Lift:
MarkMC's 3in front
New front coils with Bilsteins
Skyjacker C25R rear coils with BDS 5500 shocks
Flipped UCA's

Tires:
Undecided brand but will be 33's on stock 17 in rims
MarkMC's spacers

Exterior:
Camo green full truck plastidip with black emblems
Custom made full legth roof rack
Steel front and rear bumpers (undecided which manufacturer or custom fab local)

Interior:
Custom built storage drawers for recovery equipment, gear and rifles
Ceiling mounted fishing rod holder
UHF/VHF two way radio
CB radio

So there you have it, she wont be doing too much serious rock climbing like some of yall, but mostly for fishing, camping, and hunting. Ive done alot of research but please give me your input on my inteded setup.
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by Jrgunn5150 » Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:09 am

Welcome, your plan looks solid to me! The only thing I might suggest, as I have decided myself, is go with some adapters instead of spacers.

Personally, for 200 bucks, I can get a set of 17" steel Fullsize spare wheels, "for now", but having the adapters instead of spacers will really open things up for me when I decide to go bigger later.

Just a thought though, if you just want a solid hunting/camping rig, what you have there should do it, and if you're never going to go bigger, then the stock wheels will be fine.
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by Cable810 » Wed Mar 18, 2015 9:28 am

Welcome!! Sounds like your on the right track!!
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by maricard » Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:37 am

if I go with 33's for tires and have 3.42 ratio you should change the gearing.
If you are looking for a steel bumper ask to Mike (MDBfabrication) he is the best for a lower price.
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by Eredin » Wed Mar 18, 2015 1:02 pm

All of the above is good info.

I'll suggest above all else, get an external trans cooler, especially if you have 3.42s.
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by Trail X » Wed Mar 18, 2015 3:59 pm

33s and 3.42s are really asking for overheating issues.
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by TBYODA » Wed Mar 18, 2015 4:06 pm

Trail X wrote:33s and 3.42s are really asking for overheating issues.

Naw just use some liquid nitrogen to cool it. :lol:
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by baker03 » Wed Mar 18, 2015 5:39 pm

As a new guy here my self, welcome.

I'd also like to take the time to say THANK YOU for your time and services to out land. Please be safe Brother.
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by BlackTrails » Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:01 pm

Thanks for all the input so far. As for the wheels, I have no plans to go bigger but if I do ill look into the adapters.


maricard wrote:if I go with 33's for tires and have 3.42 ratio you should change the gearing.
If you are looking for a steel bumper ask to Mike (MDBfabrication) he is the best for a lower price.
Welcome


I completely forgot to mention that I am lucky enough to have the GT4 3.73 ratio so I should be good, but I may add a trans cooler later just to be safe. Mike make a great bumper but I was under the impression that he no longer produced them, and that he doesnt offer a rear bumper for the envoy.
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by Eredin » Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:05 pm

Mike no longer produces a finished bumper, but if you can weld, you can still get a kit from him. I'm picking mine up from him on Sunday. :excited:
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by ORTMAN » Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:52 pm

Welcome FNG!!
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