A couple of mods for my ‘17 Limited

[bauer4567]

I traded in my 15 Sierra All Terrain Crew Cab for my 17 EL Limited a few months ago... mainly because I needed the extra room for my growing family. I think I have the typical complaints about the vehicle... dated interior, no heated steering wheel, cheap feeling door panels and small center console...
other than that, I’ve been very happy with the expy... the engine is far superior to my previous 15 GMC Sierra all terrain, 14 f150 fx4 5.0 and 12 gmc Denali... with the Denali being the next best 6.2L was nice... but I have been so impressed with the 3.5 eco. Overall I’m very happy with the vehicle...

Anyway, I thought I’d share the couple of things I’ve done so far... nothing crazy.

I installed a roush boost/Vac gauge in the middle vent. And I also have the warning lights in my tails and grill area for getting on and off the highway into construction sites for work.





** I will edit this post from my computer later with a couple quick videos **
I also have amber warning lights in the grill as well as hideaways in the tail lights for getting on and off the highway in construction zones for work.
It won’t let me embed a YouTube video, so here’s a couple pictures.





The only things I want to do yet... debadge, dechrome, remove luggage rack, possibly figure out the headlight retrofit with led projectors. Anyway. Thanks for a lot of valuable information found on this forum!


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[Muddy Bean]

Nice truck and nice touches. I couldn’t live without that vent for a/c blowing on me but you did a clean install of your boost gauge. I debaged a couple of weeks ago and love it.


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[07xln]

Interesting place for the boost gauge. I like it but then again how non functional has the vent become? Im at the opposite end of the country from you in TX so I need all the air blowing on me possible. I do like it though

You don't need to do a retrofit as you already have projectors. Just switch your bulbs out to LEDs or do an HID conversion.

 

[bauer4567]

I haven’t had any issues with getting enough AC out of the vent. You can’t direct it, but I always use the “auto” feature, and keep them out of my face anyway...

It was my understanding that the halogen projector was only high beam? I haven’t actually looked at it myself. Is the projector both high and low? If so, what’s the other large traditional looking headlight on the inside of the projectors?


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[gixer2000]

I haven’t had any issues with getting enough AC out of the vent. You can’t direct it, but I always use the “auto” feature, and keep them out of my face anyway...

It was my understanding that the halogen projector was only high beam? I haven’t actually looked at it myself. Is the projector both high and low? If so, what’s the other large traditional looking headlight on the inside of the projectors?


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The projector is the low beam and reflector is high beam

 

[07xln]

you’ve never looked at your head lights?

The projector is your low beam and the old school reflector is your high beam.

 

[JExpedition07]

I like what you did with the boost gauge, good thinking! Already a spot there and it doesn’t look out of place. Yesterday it was 90 and I had all the vents pointed at my face though.

 

[gixer2000]

Looks like hes got some space around the gauge so I'm sure he's still getting air from it

 

[bauer4567]

you’ve never looked at your head lights?

The projector is your low beam and the old school reflector is your high beam.

Ha. Of course I’ve looked at the headlights. I just never got out when the headlights were on and saw which one was high and low!


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[bauer4567]

Looks like hes got some space around the gauge so I'm sure he's still getting air from it

Yes. There is a good bit of air coming out around the gauge. I feel it a bit on my shoulder, but can’t direct it towards my face.


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[Black]

Mind sharing a little more detail on the boost gauge install?
How it is actually mounted in the vent, how much trimming for it to fit, how stable is it in there?
Also how was the wiring??
Looks really good in there. I think for my needs I would use the left vent instead of the middle but the setup would be pretty similar.

 

[bauer4567]

Mind sharing a little more detail on the boost gauge install?
How it is actually mounted in the vent, how much trimming for it to fit, how stable is it in there?
Also how was the wiring??
Looks really good in there. I think for my needs I would use the left vent instead of the middle but the setup would be pretty similar.

Sure. First, the mounting was done by using one of these f150 vent pods from Roush. The f150 and expys vents look pretty similar, right!? They arent...
so essentially, I removed the outer ring on that f150 vent gauge pod and then slowly filed the edges of the 6 points (once you cut the outer ring off. That is almost the exact dimension of the inner circle of the expy vent setup.
On the expy vent, first remove it from the vehicle. There are 3 tabs on the outside of it, the one picture here shows the side to see those tabs, they are a bear, but they do come out! Then remove the chrome trim piece. Save the chrome piece, but you will be cutting away the cross pieces of plastic inside the vent to allow for the gauge to sit far enough back.
Your left with the outer ring of the expy vent, the inner ring of the expy vent with the fins removed and the cross piece that holds the fins in place removed, and the 6 pointed gauge pod.
I fit the gauge pod into their pretty exactly and then drilled very small holes and secured each of the 6 points with small panhead screws.
It is absolutely secure. No movement at all. Before placing it all back into the dash, you have to drill a small hole for the air line and power wires in the side of the air vent ducting. I took the wiring over to the passenger side glove box area and found an ignition switched wire and tapped into it.
The air line I ran through the firewall grommet around the main wiring harness.









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[Black]

Thanks much for the reply.
I really like the look of a true gauge and that seems to be perfect in the vent.
I also like the versatility of some of the ODBII connected apps.
Not sure which route I will go.

 

[Cookieman00x]

Not sure I could live without the vent being fully functional. I would mount on in the left side of the tray in the center of the dash with some sort of pod.

It does look like a very clean install though. Good job. Ill Keep an eye out for you on the highways, I'm from Montco about 40min south of you and work in Allentown regularly.

 

[bauer4567]

Not sure I could live without the vent being fully functional. I would mount on in the left side of the tray in the center of the dash with some sort of pod.

It does look like a very clean install though. Good job. Ill Keep an eye out for you on the highways, I'm from Montco about 40min south of you and work in Allentown regularly.

We have a lot of work on route 422 this season down that way. Armand Hammer Blvd up to the New Stowe interchange.


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[limitedex]

Boost gauge in the vent pod is nice!

However, during the winter in the Shelby when you force hot air through the vents the gauge doesn't like it. It dims the display, but I have a Aeroforce Interceptor digital gauge. I bet that analog would do just fine.

 

[hilin]

nice boost gauge!

 

[Axle Folly]

...hideaways in the tail lights...

Seeing how well your amber flasher shows in the clear lens is a boost to my spirits for the amber turn signal mod I've been contemplating. Thanks for posting!

 

[jeff kushner]

Whether you like the gauge there or not....That's a nice piece of work that you didn't slap out in an hour........very nicely done! What do I hear them say in DC?? Recognize!

lol

jeff

 

[Hvunderground845]

Sure. First, the mounting was done by using one of these f150 vent pods from Roush. The f150 and expys vents look pretty similar, right!? They arent...
so essentially, I removed the outer ring on that f150 vent gauge pod and then slowly filed the edges of the 6 points (once you cut the outer ring off. That is almost the exact dimension of the inner circle of the expy vent setup.
On the expy vent, first remove it from the vehicle. There are 3 tabs on the outside of it, the one picture here shows the side to see those tabs, they are a bear, but they do come out! Then remove the chrome trim piece. Save the chrome piece, but you will be cutting away the cross pieces of plastic inside the vent to allow for the gauge to sit far enough back.
Your left with the outer ring of the expy vent, the inner ring of the expy vent with the fins removed and the cross piece that holds the fins in place removed, and the 6 pointed gauge pod.
I fit the gauge pod into their pretty exactly and then drilled very small holes and secured each of the 6 points with small panhead screws.
It is absolutely secure. No movement at all. Before placing it all back into the dash, you have to drill a small hole for the air line and power wires in the side of the air vent ducting. I took the wiring over to the passenger side glove box area and found an ignition switched wire and tapped into it.
The air line I ran through the firewall grommet around the main wiring harness.

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Where did you tie in the air line under hood for the boost gauge? I'm doing a snow water meth system and need to figure out where to tie in for accurate boost pressure