Jeep Trailblazer SS

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by gottattooz

The plan is to relocate the windshield wiper motor to the roof. I want to extend the roof rack to the top edge of the windshield to hold the wiper motor. Then mount a led light bar to hide the wiper motor.

-Josh

Why mount the wiper motor on the roof? Did I miss it in an earlier post? Making great progress BTW - pretty cool build!

[Madkidd007]

Originally Posted by Scott2

Why mount the wiper motor on the roof? Did I miss it in an earlier post? Making great progress BTW - pretty cool build!

Josh let me help you out. Post 60 shows the issue with the distance to the windshield.

[gottattooz]

The dashboard on the trailblazer was 16 inches deep. The jeep dashboard was 6 inches deep. The wipers would have to extend another 10 inches just to reach the bottom of the windshield. Not to mention the geometry of their sweep would be crazy with 10 inch longer arms.

If i flip the wiper motor and mount it above the roof, the arms will park at the top of the windshield and sweep down. I just have to figure out mount angles, wiper blade length, and how to extend the existing roof rack or make a new one. I've got 2 roof racks, but they're both different styles. I was hoping to cut and extend the rack using the spare for parts. I'll post pics with a write up when i make it that far along.

-Josh

[gottattooz]

Well the new fuse block came in today. Installed it and the right front turn signal is still on. Oh well.

I finished swapping the door weather stripping to the blue Jeep and then dad and I tried installing the windshield. It cracked before we could get the bottom part into the gasket. So i guess I'll be buying a new windshield.

-Josh

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by gottattooz

Well the new fuse block came in today. Installed it and the right front turn signal is still on. Oh well.

I finished swapping the door weather stripping to the blue Jeep and then dad and I tried installing the windshield. It cracked before we could get the bottom part into the gasket. So i guess I'll be buying a new windshield.

-Josh

Both of those sucks! Hopefully next week will bring good news....

[mongocanfly]

Mmm..broke windshield...I watched the pro break 5 trying to put one in my truck...good luck with it..

[gottattooz]

I did manage to adjust the spare tire bracket so i can access the square drive with the accessory tool kit. Mounted "correctly", the square drive pointed up toward the floor board. I was able to rotate the drive downward so it is accessible from underneath the rear bumper, yet still be secured with a factory bolt and bracket.

-Josh

[Android04]

Looks killer

[Ol Blue K20]

Another step forward. Always a good thing

[gottattooz]

Not much of an update, but i got my new windshield installed today. It feels weird you drive it without all of the wind in my face. The guys at the glass shop thought it was a pretty cool build.

-Josh

[Palf70Step]

Looking good!

[gottattooz]

So I'm still annoyed by the right turn signal being on all the time. I started pulling up the carpet to chase the tail light wiring harness, which lead to removing the seats and center console. The blue plug in the last picture connects the front turn signals to the rear turn signals. With it unplugged, the turn signals don't work, but the headlights, parking lights, reverse, brake and tail lights still work. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing or looking for. I was hoping to find a pinched section of harness with bare wires, but I'm afraid it's going to be under the dashboard. I've disconnected the turn signal switch, turn signal relay, headlight switch and replaced the fuse panel under the hood (it was corroded, so i don't feel like that was a wasted effort). I'm almost considering cutting the turn signal wires out of the harness with the blue plug and then plugging the harness back together. I have to leave a battery tender on the battery when it's parked because the lights are always on. I'll dig into it again later, but for now, I'm exhaust and tired of crawling in and out of the jeep.

-Josh

[gottattooz]

Well I'm pretty sure i found my wiring issue. When i was welding the passenger side lower windshield flange that holds the gasket in place, some of the welding slag lit the insulation on fire at the passenger kick panel. Apparently it melted the sheath on some of the wires that feed into the passenger front door. The wiring for the passenger door includes power window, power mirror and turn signal in the mirror housing. The turn signal wire and the big orange power wire were fused together.

On a lighter note, i figured out a way to omit a small piece of chrome trim on the cowl between the door and hood to install a chrome led housing with 9 amber LEDs. Funny enough, i was frustrated with my wiring dilemma and i turned to the LED option as a distraction and ended up finding the burnt wiring when i was trying to see how to route the wiring from the cowl through the kick panel.

-Josh

[Palf70Step]

Glad you found the issue. I have done "distraction" work lots of times that have led me to the solving other issues.

[Ol Blue K20]

Glad you found it .the LEDs will look good

[gottattooz]

I finished mounting and wiring up the side turn signals, installed the carpet and interior. Cleaned the seats, dash and door panels, then took dad out for lunch in the Jeep. I noticed a little tire scrub on the front fender when turning and hitting a bump, so i trimmed an inch and a half of the bottom of the leading edge of the front fenders.

Then i went over to MadKidd's house to show him all the progress and give him some ideas for his Lincoln build.

It drives like a dream. I've still got a lot to do, but i definitely don't regret the nifty 2 swap idea. I did fix the right turn signal being on all the time, but apparently there's a separate issue with the left turn signal and the parking lights. I'll have to chase wires again, because when the left turn signal is on, the parking lights and left signal blink. When the parking lights are on, the left turn signal is on solid.

-Josh

[gottattooz]

I pulled the 3 roof bows out of the parts Jeep, sanded and painted them. I plan to use the extra bows to mount the over head consoles while adding strength to the roof, of course.

While i was painting the bows, the mail carrier came up the driveway and delivered the sound deadening material i ordered. I figured out the area and configured the best way to Tetris the pieces for the most complete coverage.

-Josh

[Ol Blue K20]

That looks good. I don't think you'll hear anything through the roof.

[gottattooz]

Today i dismantled the trailblazer doors and removed the wiring harnesses and the speakers. It turns out the front speakers are 6 inch subwoofers.

The rear trailblazer speakers are the same size as the Jeep front speakers. So I got to reuse the front brackets on the rear doors. Other than the passenger rear speaker not working, everything came out great. I put in a CD and dad and i were rocking out in the Jeep in the garage.

-Josh

[Madkidd007]

Originally Posted by gottattooz

Today i dismantled the trailblazer doors and removed the wiring harnesses and the speakers. It turns out the front speakers are 6 inch subwoofers.

The rear trailblazer speakers are the same size as the Jeep front speakers. So I got to reuse the front brackets on the rear doors. Other than the passenger rear speaker not working, everything came out great. I put in a CD and dad and i were rocking out in the Jeep in the garage.

-Josh

So technically the Front doors and dash speakers are run together when going to the amp Which is why they are mid drivers, makes aftermarket speakers interesting when getting the right ohms and the tears are indeed regular speakers. I was just thinking about the lights on the way home. Is your hazard switch on the dash or column?

[gottattooz]

Originally Posted by Madkidd007

So technically the Front doors and dash speakers are run together when going to the amp Which is why they are mid drivers, makes aftermarket speakers interesting when getting the right ohms and the tears are indeed regular speakers. I was just thinking about the lights on the way home. Is your hazard switch on the dash or column?

Hazards are on the column.

-Josh

[Madkidd007]

Originally Posted by gottattooz

Hazards are on the column.

-Josh

That makes me wonder. Play with the hazard switch. I know I’ve had them hang up before and engage partially makes the lights do some weird stuff.

[gottattooz]

So i swapped to a spare hood. There were a few pinholes poking through, so i disassembled the support braces and latch, sanded the underside with a flap wheel, filled the holes and craters with all metal and epoxy painted everything on the bottom.

I also started body work on the fuel cap opening and the roof. I've picked out my color that I'm going to paint the Jeep. While at summit racing, i noticed they have premixed gallons of paint. I went online when i got home and decided on Sonic blue pearl in single stage. I'm still undecided about the color to put inside the side trim, but I'm still looking.

-Josh

[Southcity]

Originally Posted by gottattooz

I'm still undecided about the color to put inside the side trim, but I'm still looking.

-Josh

Are you referring to the exterior side trim?

[gottattooz]

Originally Posted by Southcity

Are you referring to the exterior side trim?

Correct. The side trim that frames the tail light all the way forward to the front fender. I need to pick a color for that section. On the white donor Jeep,v it was a wood grain decal.

-Josh