Hello All,
The lock up converter in my Blazer works fine. My question is, is there adjustment in it somewhereor is there an easy way to have an overide switch, either manual or a micro switch somewhere on the throttle linkage that would disable the lockup to get up steep hills instead of it dropping all the way into 3rd.

Thanks much,
Art

There is a kit you can buy, google it and you will get lots of results. I had a thread going a little while ago about manual lockup and somebody said they made there own but nobody could give really clear details on how to do it. I believe the model number is needed off the side of the tranny because there are alot of different models.

Just put a switch in series with the TCC Lockup switch on the brake pedal - one switch for the brake lites, other for the TCC - do a search here for more details, maybe even in FAQ's

My question is, is there adjustment in it somewhereor is there an easy way to have an overide switch, either manual or a micro switch somewhere on the throttle linkage that would disable the lockup to get up steep hills instead of it dropping all the way into 3rd.


It doesn't work that way. If you disable the lockup, you loose power due to slippage, generate a lot of heat and still keep slowing down until you need to shift down. If you try to keep the speed, you get more slippage and more heat and shortly after that, the transmission will shift down. In most cases, you will have to make the transmission shift down anyway either to get up the hill or to prevent it from overheating.

I have manual lockup only. If I can, I try to build up some speed when going downhill to get up the next hill more easily. I slow down going uphill because I don't want the transmission to shift down with the TCC locked and because I don't want the TCC to slip. Once slowed down, I have to unlock the TCC so that it doesn't start slipping, and from there, I might make it up the hill without shifting down. If the hill is long/steep, I rather make it shift down to 3rd and go up in 3rd gear. Most of the time, I'm going 45--55 mph when reaching the top of the hill.

When it's hilly, I put the lever into 3rd and keep driving in 3rd gear (I can lock the TCC in 3rd).

So I don't think it's worthwhile. It will only keep you busy with toggling the switch and being very careful about how much pedal you give it. If it's working fine, don't mess with it and just let it shift down to 3rd on the hills --- or put the lever into 3rd if it shifts too often.

What you could eventually use would be a manual lockup for 3rd gear if doesn't lock in 3rd automatically.


We need manual transmissions ...

Kick it down a gear into 3rd, don't worry about it. That's how it's supposed to work, don't be afraid to step on it. It should be dropping into 3rd on steep hills, don't expect to pull them in overdrive.

BTW, how well do they do with a manual? Do you have to shift down or do you just push the pedal closer to the floor?

Thanks for the input. I guess ya'll have talked me out of it. I'll just lay on the throttle up the hills!

Thanks again,
Art

BTW, how well do they do with a manual? Do you have to shift down or do you just push the pedal closer to the floor?

Depends on the hill. I don't downshift mine very much when I'm at speed, but we don't have a lot of steep hills here either. On a truly steep hill I will drop it down into 4th to hold speed if I'm going less than 60 or so, above that I usually don't bother to take it out of 5th (OD). I have, on occasion, gone down to 3rd for hard acceleration when passing, but third isn't much good over 45 mph.

Hard to describe really, one of these days I should get a video to demonstrate.

On a truly steep hill I will drop it down into 4th to hold speed if I'm going less than 60 or so, above that I usually don't bother to take it out of 5th (OD).


Yeah, I can imagine --- that's what I mean when I'm saying that I could get up the hill if I had a manual transmission. Just give it more fuel and it will go up --- impossible with an automatic.

It doesn't take a steep hill to slow me down. It's inclines I usually wouldn't even think about.

Gah, I want a manual ...

It comes down to mileage or power. Standard for pulling power and OD for mileage. These motors are OK for power but don't make 400 hp. I just live with people passing me on hard stretches and laugh as I drive past em at the pumps. I'm working on a good manual lock set up, to hold lock up under throttle.

Gah, I want a manual ...


It sure is nice... :D

Still, I have considered (more than once) going back to an automatic. My left leg and right arm get tired sometimes as I have been doing a fair bit of city driving lately. I've honestly been considering building myself another 700R4 and putting it in... Don't know that I'll ever do that though. Plus I would be more inclined to find a stronger trans and match it up.

Yeah, in stop and go and eventually in city traffic, the autos make it a lot easier and more convenient. If had to choose between auto and manual when buying a vehicle, that would be an important factor for me. If I was sitting in traffic a lot every day, I might even opt for the auto. But then, maybe still not even then if I were to buy a truck ...


It comes down to mileage or power. Standard for pulling power and OD for mileage.


Use a manual with OD for both power and mileage. Besides mileage, I wouldn't want to rev the engine so high as to go highway speeds all the time, so an overdrive is a must.


I just live with people passing me on hard stretches and laugh as I drive past em at the pumps.


I'm not worried about being passed. I can go 86mph and even faster --- but I don't want to because it only scares me. The truck was built to go no more than 55 ...

On a perfect stretch of highway, I may take it to 75, but that's because I'm in a better RPM range at that speed. It's a driveability issue, like slowing down on hills, having to keep it in 3rd gear on roads that have a speed limit of 55 or don't allow to go at least 60, like not being able to accelerate sufficiently fast when merging onto the highway, having to keep the transmission from shifting with the TCC locked, having to operate the TCC manually. If I had lower gearing or smaller tires, I'd be happy keeping it at 65.


I'm working on a good manual lock set up, to hold lock up under throttle.

The TCC will hold only so much, depending on oil pressure, and there's no way to prevent the transmission from shifting down. Do you know a way around these problems?

0lee, what was your truck that it was only made to go 55? It has the 700R4, that's not a 55 mph feature... It probably barely gets into OD by 55.

These things will go fast without issue if they're in good shape. Cruising at 70 mph all day should be no issue with a well cared for truck, overdrive, and reasonable gearing. I know mine is easily capable of 100 mph (not that I've ever tried it), and cruising at 70-75 is nothing scary or out of the ordinary, and feels quite comfortable. I get in mine regularly and head out on the freeway and easily keep up with traffic. Heck, I was out on I-696 near Detroit not too long ago... Anybody who has been there knows what I mean, it is six lanes, full of cars, doing ~85 mph at the slowest. No problem keeping up, merging, passing if required, etc.

Still thinking about an automatic. Might build myself one and put it in. I sort of miss it... I drove a PT Cruiser with an automatic the other day, it was the first time in months, and I have to say it makes me miss my auto. Maybe I'll build one. Then again, I'm probably going to quit driving my truck and ride my motorcycle for the summer months so maybe not.

0lee, what was your truck that it was only made to go 55? It has the 700R4, that's not a 55 mph feature... It probably barely gets into OD by 55.


It's only what I'm thinking --- didn't they have a speed limit of 55 in the 80s? It was built with a TH400, that's more a 55mph feature than a 70mph feature ...


and cruising at 70-75 is nothing scary or out of the ordinary, and feels quite comfortable.


The setup I have is way better for offroad driving than it is for highway driving. The lift elevates the center of gravity, the heavier front springs make it a somewhat hard ride if you don't have some weight on them, the taller tires make the breaks work harder. The very simple design of the front axle/steering assembly keep you busy with steering on uneven pavement. The truck is heavy and has a relatively long stopping distance. If there's water on the road, I can have aquagliding at 45mph. It's not possible to accelerate quickly which can make it difficult to merge with traffic.

Driving this truck requires a lot more attention than anything I've been driving before. Maybe I'm overly careful, but it's better to be careful than to get into an accident. I feel comfortable at 65, but not really at 70.


To give an example, just yesterday I've had the following situation: I was merging onto the highway which was quite busy at that time. Cars in front of me were going very slow at/before the start of the ramp, and the highway and ramp were going up a hill. I have some camping gear loaded because we are about to go on vacation next week. There seemed to have been an accident on the frontage road further up, and an old Blazer or so was parked on the shoulder of the highway about 900 feet from the end of the ramp. A pickup towing a trailer was coming up behind me on the highway, the highway was too full for him to change lane, and either he didn't want to slow down or he didn't expect me to be so slow. I tried to accelerate but found I won't get fast enough. Since it's a very bad idea to stop on the ramp, I had to slow down and to keep driving on the shoulder to let the pickup pass, but besides that the shoulder isn't very wide, there was that Blazer parked parked on the shoulder behind the ramp.

It wasn't very dangerous, but things like that can lead to accidents. However, if it hadn't been possible to get on the highway behind the pickup, I would have been forced to stop behind the Blazer. If I had had to stop, I would have driven across the field off the highway back to the frontage road. It would have been way too dangerous trying to get onto the highway. Maybe the police that was there would have given me a ticket for that, but what else could you do?

If the truck was faster, it won't have been an issue at all to get onto the highway.

On a side note, in that case I would have demanded that they give the guy with the Blazer a ticket as well since you are required to drive off the paved part of the highway if you have to stop and if it's possible ...

I prefer driving 65 myself, but around here if youre going that slow on the freeways, you might get run over. People are really flying around here. I was on my bike recently doing about 90 and some soccer mom in her suv with 3 kids with her flew past me doing at least 110. Guess gas prices dont bother her.