Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys

TrailBlazer Questions

Trailblazer and Envoy related, but not off-road related...

by 08TBTexas » Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:44 pm

I was wondering what other vechicles share the same platform as the Trailblazer besides Buick or Saab?
I was told that canyon and colorado share some stuff and as well as the Hummer H3.
Also has anyone ever ditch the front end for a solid axle swap like a dana 44?
I am a machinist by trade and know i may have to build many of the parts i need but if the other platforms
out there are the same i know skyjacker and others have stuff for them i am looking for 6 inches of lift .... :flex dirty:
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by fishsticks » Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:02 pm

You'd be better served reading some of the threads in Lift/Suspensions.

As it currently sits, I know Kyle (hardtrailz) and myself are sitting somewhere in the 4-5" front lift range on the stock IFS... but that's about as far as it's going to go.

Roadie has some coilovers, but broke one and hasn't heard back about fixing them. I think OregTrailBlazin has a similar set.

Hardtrailz is on the path to a solid axle swap, but he's still in the planning/parts getting phase.

I probably have forgotten someone/something.
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by Philberto » Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:03 pm

Currently the only way to achieve 6 inches of lift is by swapping for solid front axles. Components on the Trailblazer are shared by the GMC Envoy, Isuzu Ascender, Buick Rainier, and Saab 9-7x. Everything else related is still different enough to not really be swappable, i.e. the front differential on the H3, Colorado, and Canyon.


So, to answer your question, no there isn't anything out there that will magically make our vehicles capable of 6+ inches of lift. If there were, rest assured we would have jumped on it like starving hyenas on a hippopotamus corpse. :viking:
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by Trail X » Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:13 pm

I believe we share some components with the SSR actually. I think one item is the rear axle... not sure about what else.
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by Philberto » Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:31 pm

We also share wheel patterns, probably because of the relationship to the rear axle. We may even share similar front suspension components, but I didn't bother to take too much of a look when we had one here at the dealer.
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by 08TBTexas » Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:03 pm

yeah i read alot of the different threads regarding lift and theres really not a definite answer but a lot of good ideas i found a 07 tb 4x4 lt that is wrecked i may buy it and use it as a test vehicle and not trying to get to far off subject is there a difference in civilian and police trailblazer 4x4s? i am doing a lot of research and like i said may buy the 07 for some ideas :work:
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by glfredrick » Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:10 pm

We, as a group of Trailblazer enthusiasts, are collectively at the place where we need brave souls to start the process of hot-rodding the platform so that we can figure out what works, what doesn't, and how to make it all work out.

If you have the means, get the wreck and start playing. Save the pictures and numbers. The rest of us will appreciate it tons!
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by 08TBTexas » Wed Aug 25, 2010 1:14 am

yeah the means arent a problem ill be discussing the price for the wrecked one it has less milage than my 08 tb its only got 29000 where mines at 35000 ill look into a good camera for pics and what not i have my eyes on a good axle from my brother hes in the jeep crowd ill keep an update on what happens .
the 07 has front end damage to the right front hit by a motorcycle bad enough it crushed the fender and moved the 4.2l 3 inches to the left perfect to make into a serious tb off road hummer retrieval or jeep rig lol
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by irishboy02 » Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:51 am

08TBTexas wrote:yeah the means arent a problem ill be discussing the price for the wrecked one it has less milage than my 08 tb its only got 29000 where mines at 35000 ill look into a good camera for pics and what not i have my eyes on a good axle from my brother hes in the jeep crowd ill keep an update on what happens .
the 07 has front end damage to the right front hit by a motorcycle bad enough it crushed the fender and moved the 4.2l 3 inches to the left perfect to make into a serious tb off road hummer retrieval or jeep rig lol


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A police package TB? :scratch: Never heard of it but it sounds interesting, we certainly have the power and space capabilities for that design layout though. Let us know what you find!
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by fishsticks » Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:01 am

irishboy02 wrote:A police package TB? :scratch: Never heard of it but it sounds interesting, we certainly have the power and space capabilities for that design layout though. Let us know what you find!



A buddy of mine who's a detective has an unmarked 'Sploder that's outfitted. No reason a TB couldn't be as well.
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by irishboy02 » Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:10 am

Oh no absolutely its very possible and would work very well i just have never seen it done.

Our platform never saw it (to my knowledge) and understandably so. If a department had a chrysler fleet, they received chargers and durangos. Ford has crown vics and explorers. Chevy always had the impala as interceptors, the caprise (with the LT1 350, yumm) and have your options of a Tahoe (voted the #1 law enforcement vehicle) and the spacious suburban so our lovely 360 was quickly overlooked, when in reality it would have been a great setup.
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by fishsticks » Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:22 am

Found this on Wikipedia:

Image
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by Zero » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:14 am

There are quite a few police TB's here in Canada.
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by djthumper » Wed Aug 25, 2010 11:06 am

On the police TBs all they did was add the normal stuff to it such as the lights, radios, laptop desk. I don't think they did much to the suspension. I know there is one here in Vegas for sure that is used for undercover work and have been told there is a second but it hasn't been confirmed.
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by cbbryan » Wed Aug 25, 2010 6:25 pm

I was looking into some police type equipment for my TB and they make quite a bit too; new console, laptop/ desk mounts, radio and light consoles,
overhead gun racks, cages, and assorted other items.
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by 08TBTexas » Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:44 pm

I apologize to everyone on how i wrote some of the stuff here.
I get off work after 18 hour days and tired and not thinking , I will getting the wrecked Trail Blazer .
I'll keep everyone posted.
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by Saxis » Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:03 am

Haven't seen a Police TB yet, but the fire chief in Gillette, WY drives an Envoy...
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by 08TBTexas » Thu Aug 26, 2010 1:02 am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_veh ... and_Canada
Here is a page from Wikipedia that shows all police vehicles and there are active chevy trail blazers,
even in Puerto Rico and theres a photograph of a police trailblazer thats not the same posted in this thread.
i am going out tomorrow to measure the width and all of a k-5 blazer i might have an idea ill keep posted.
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by KE7WOX » Thu Aug 26, 2010 1:08 am

There's an undercover white one here, an LS. I know CBP uses them in the Virgin Islands, and the Yuma MCAS Police has at least one. I've seen them with the USPS Police and Veterans Affairs Police aswell.
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by Trail X » Thu Aug 26, 2010 7:44 am

The USVI has a ton of Police Envoys.

Image

Image
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