ENGINE TECHNOLOGY
The Switchblade Turbo System is a self-contained,
electronically controlled turbo capable of adjusting
operational parameters to reduce turbo lag under
low flow conditions without compromising top end
performance.
A SWITCH FOR
TURBOCHARGERS
Blaylock’s Switchblade Turbo System uses single moveable blade to
increase turbine speed
Engineering Expertise and unrivalled proprietary Polyurethane and Rubber Compounds
• Working from Concept to
Prototype and into Production
• Customization and Mass
Production capabilities
• More than 45 years
of experience in
Heavy Equipment
Components
• Certified to
ISO 9001:2008
1818 Penn. Ave. West, Warren, PA 16365
1.800.289.1456
www.strxtremewheels.com
BY KYLE KOPPLIN
Blaylock Turbochargers, Baxter Springs, Kan., is a company that has carved out a niche
as a remanufacturer of turbochargers
and turbo components. Established
in 1980 with a single employee, the
company has grown to 13 employees
housed in a 17,500 sq.ft. facility.
“We remanufacture turbocharger
turbine wheels, bearing housings,
compressor housings, turbocharger
compressor wheels and turbocharger
turbine housings,” said Jim Blaylock,
president and owner. “We can reman-
ufacture just about any turbocharger
made to date, but our specialty is
heavy equipment turbochargers. One
segment that is growing particularly
fast is vehicles with variable geom-
etry turbochargers (VGT), due to the
issues associated with the number of
moving components.”
While working with the VGTs,
Blaylock noticed what he called a
high failure rate in the components.
So he began researching alterna-
tive methods of increasing turbine
speed at low engine speeds without
impacting turbo performance on the
high end. While cleaning a VGT with
a compressed air hose, he discov-
ered that he could speed up or slow
down the turbine wheel by directing
the airflow over the turbine tips. This
became the founding concept behind
the company’s first foray into new
turbochargers, the new Switchblade
Turbo System.
The Switchblade Turbo System
was developed for a range of applications, though Blaylock said it could
be used for new turbo installations
as well. It is a self-contained, electronically controlled turbo designed
