Isuzu Modifications/Aftermarket/Accessories

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  • amigo_johnamigo_john Member Posts: 107
    Anyone have the little passenger seats in their Rodeo or Trooper? I'm thinking about getting one and wondered if anyone had pics of one in a Rodeo.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Several people have them in their troopers, not sure if anyone has em in a rodeo.

    -mike
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    I have been researching my suspension purchase, and I am considering adding new torsion bars with the OME springs? Paisan, I know you are picking up a set. Any thoughts? What does "memory" mean when they are referring to steel vs. aluminum bars?
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I'm assuming they mean that they will not spring back or that they will spring back. Basically similar to sag in coils or leaf springs. A buddy of mine is picking up the Sway Aways for me @ moab. So sometime over the summer I'll tackle installing them, not sure how hard/easy it is to do it.

    -mike
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    But I think I will go with Springs, Tires and Sway aways...from what I have read, it is like upgrading the "springs" in the front. With the winch bar, and eventually winch, I will need the support.

    This is where the line gets crossed from resale at carmax...or driving it forever. I guess after all of these upgrades, I could find a teenager interested in it someday. :-)
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The T-bars are your front springs. Basically it's a twisted rod of metal that flexes as you go over bumps etc. Just like leaf and coils.

    -mike
  • eric2003eric2003 Member Posts: 6
    I am looking for a running board that doesn't reduce ground clearance and requires no drill for installation. Anyone have any suggestion? thanks

    eric
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Not planning on doing any off-roading? The best ones out there I've found are from matt at http://independent4x.com They are 2x4" steel tubes that are weld-on type. They don't reduce ground clearance and attach to the frame, the vehicle can also be lifted by these bars as well and it will protect you from debris and boulders if you off-road.


    -mike

  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    While looking up sway-a-away bars.


    http://www.geocities.com/planetisuzoo/bobland.html

  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I have no idea if their quality is on par with the best aftermarket offerings, but if you should decide on the Isuzu brand running boards they're really not that expensive. Low 300s, from what I recall in pricing them from St. Charles Isuzu (800.727.8066; www.stcharlesauto.com). They offer 15% off mfr. list if you mention their web site.

    We had the Isuzu running boards on our previous Troop, a '96. They looked and worked fine.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    I called the place I know around here that can align a Trooper. If they put the tires on it, they want to buy them. Their prices are much more than I have found on the internet. So, do I just get the tires slapped on at a different shop, then drive and have the balance and alignment done there? I am trying to plan the work flow...Springs, torsion bars at my old dealer (ex-Isuzu), then I need alignment, so I would prefer to do the tires at the same time. Do I need to do alignment going from 245/70 to 265/70's? Or only after the suspension work?

    This guy was recommending the BF Goodrich T/A's.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Only need to do the alignment after you do the lift. If you are doing the T-bars, I'd be willing to host an installfest since I'll have to do my T-bars as well. I also purchased the Helm manual on CD so we should be able to do the T-bars/springs w/o too much effort.

    In fact if you come up to do that on a saturday we can run over your tires and rims to Costco and have them mounted and balanced @ $10/tire while we work on one of the other cars. I'd definitely do the tires elsewhere cause Tirerack is significantly cheaper than local shops for tires.

    -mike
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    It would be nice to give the new-tire business to the shop that knows how to align your truck-- keeps things simple for you with only one shop to deal with.

    That said, the shop needs to make it worth your while to buy the tires from them. Try telling them you'd prefer to give them the business, but you can't justify a large price discrepancy. Give them the quote(s) you have from elsewhere, and see if they'll match.

    The tire business has many competitors, and I'm guessing that most shops negotiate on price.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    Installfest sounds possible. I am getting close to pulling the trigger. It depends on the quote I get for install work. Under $250 for springs and T-Bars, and I think I will have a shop do it...Time is money and I don't get much weekend time. However, the whole point of the upgrades is for fun, so maybe doing them myself is best? Hmmm...Not sure, but a plan seems to be hatching.

    I didn't haggle with the tire guy. I think we could probably strike up a deal. The guy on the phone didn't really understand the tire sizing (265 vs 275, etc.) which was odd? But he was somewhat helpful. I am just getting the research done on the details first.
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    Guys, coil springs and torsion bars are easy to install on a Trooper. Coils should be less than a hour, unless you have trouble unhooking the shocks due to a rusty bolt.

    For the torsion bar install, don't forget about my writeup on Mike's website (isuzu-suvs.com). You shouldn't have to pay anybody to do it, unless you just don't want to get your hands dirty...
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    It is difficult to talk to anyone who knows anything about tires. I call..."Well sir, 245/70 is all that will fit on your vehicle." I ask them "what if" and about sizes and such. Everyone only can sell me what they have in stock. I cannot get a real recommendation. The information here and on Tire-Rack is much better than I am getting from "professional" tire shops. Ugh!.

    It isn't a matter of getting my hands dirty, it is a matter of not having all of the right equipment and time to do the job right. A good jack and stands will run me $120 alone, not to mention sockets, a torque wrench, etc. At a shop, they resolve problems like not being able to get a bolt off, they have air tools, etc. I may do it myself, but it is a cost comparison. Learning and fun are part of the equation, but spending all day Saturday and Sunday, and spending $250 on "stuff" may be more "expensive" to me, than paying someone.

    I did my Bull Bar...It took 2 weekends and about 25 trips to sears for different bolts sockets and such.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    That is one reason I like having installfests. Cause everyone has some tools and some knowledge. Collectively we have done a lot of stuff at the 2 we had at my house. I think we did:

    1- Turbo-downpipe
    6- WRX coil-spring/shock conversions
    3- Sway Bars
    2- Tranny mounts
    1- Motormounts
    2- Turbo-Uppipes
    1- Nudge Bar
    1- XT6 shock conversion
    1- XT6 PS pump

    And all that was done over 2 days! :)

    -mike
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    I think I am going to go with 265/70's. I was reviewing everything I wanted to purchase with the finance department tonight. I was reminded that the SMV needs side steps too. So I am going to do the tires now, and then do the suspension later this summer. Higher isn't my objective, I don't tow yet, so I may do the torsion bars to support my bull bar first? Anyway, I got approval for about $500, so I think tires are my first choice. If the 265/70's rub under load, that may accelerate other purchases.

    The last tire shop I talked to was recommending cooper's or dueler AT 693 both at about $95 a pop.

    Thanks for reading while I made my decision. Even though you don't really have a choice...
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Do they include mounting/balancing? or just the tires? Just did a quick check on Tire-rack. Found:

    BFG All-terrain T/A KO @ $160 less $50 rebate which are excellent tires
    Bridgestone Dueller AT 693s @ $91
    Yokohama Geolander AT Plus II @ $90

    A good friend who wheels and does a lot of on-road swears by the Yokos, I like them a lot and saw them in action in NC this past october in the slick/muddy/wet clay terrain and they did very well.

    -mike
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    Just the tires, however they are local, so no shipping.

    All of those get good reviews, and I am considering them. Both the Yokohama, and the Bridgetstones get good reviews, but have poor winter traction. At lease according to what I have found. The OEM D684's supposedly have the same bad traction and those do OK in the snow. Anyway, I am not sure yet. I need to go to the shop and compare too. I don't want to get 265's whose tread wraps around the sidewall and are even narrower than my 245's.
  • ogo1ogo1 Member Posts: 7
    I was at costco today and they had optima red top batteries for $99.00. VERY good price
  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    I bought my tires Bridgestone Dueler H/L from TireRack. I had them shipped to the place that I pre-arranged to have mount ballance and install. The shipping was more than made up in the lower price from TireRack vs ordering them at the place that installed the tires.

    I picked the H/Ls because they expose softer rubber as they wear to keep more of the traction longer especially on wet roads.

    I have only once had a traction problem with the H/Ls, I was driving in red clay mud, did great off road. Then I drove part way down a wet blacktop paved driveway in a light rain and decided to back out, I had to shift into 4WD to make any progress up the driveway, I have a 1995.5 S model with an open rear differential. I left a terrible looking slick of red mud on that driveway.
  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    Make sure the tires are balanced on a machine that checks run out (there will be a part of the balancing done at low speed with applied force on a roller and ride height is measured, the data is used to match the out of round under load of the rim to that of the tire in such a way as to cancel out the out of round, the tire may need to be removed from the rim and put back on in a specific location) . Then the tire is high speed babalced to high accuracy. This can make a big difference in ride quality, it definatly did for me. This kind of balance is not offered at every shop. Newer shops have it, some shops have it as an option but well worth a few dollars more for the comfort and quiet ride and the tires should last longer too.


    Here's a web site with help to find a GSP9700 balance near you:

    http://www.gsp9700.com/

  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    I think a really good balance is even more important for bigger heavier tires since the potential vibrational forces involved are greater..
  • guillguill Member Posts: 94
    will fit just fine. I have a 2000 Trooper S and have Yokos in the 265/70 flavor. Trust me, they don't come even close to rubbing. Power loss is barely noticeable. I will go with 265/75 or 275/70 next time as I know they will fit just fine and the 265/70 doesn't quite fill up the wheel well as well as I'd like them to. Yokos are a fantastic tire. I tried and I mean I really tried to get my trooper stuck in snow last year when I lived in Wyoming. I drove through 3'+ snow drifts, stopped right in the middle and the Trooper would just pull right through them, I could not get stuck no matter how many times I attempted. Yokos have been great on dry, wet and snow and the price is great (Sears has great sales on them every so often). I will most definitely buy Yokos again. I've even read posts by guys who have mounted 285/75s with no rubbing except in extreme off-roading--however power loss is much more with this size tire.
    These are all reports on Troopers without any lift.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    Thinking about it, I think the suspension lift adds some room for bigger tires, but at the bump stops, or complete upwards suspension travel, the same tire will rub as on a stock setup. So any tire that fits with the suspension lift and doesn't rub, in theory should do the same as with a stock setup. Obviously, the rub effect is different over a boulder at 2 MPH than rubbing at street speeds.

    Good report on the Yokohama's
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    I notice that there are no chains, like Sears or Firestone on the list of places with the balancing equipment. The local shop who I found to properly align the trooper is on the list.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    You might be right sean. I'm too shot from the weekend to try to figure it out just yet, later today I'll check it out.

    -mike
  • dielectric7bbdielectric7bb Member Posts: 324
    I believe you are right. Just lifting the suspension with springs won't change the height of the vehicle when it bottoms out. It will change how hard it is to get the vehicle to bottom out though. The only thing that will really change whether rub will occur or not is fender trimming/body lifts.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I think the bigger tires + lift make it look more stock, lift w/o tires looks lifted, bigger tires w/o lift may visually look cramped. Of course that is just bling bling stuff. Trooper owners are not into bling bling :)

    -mike
  • pinoy99pinoy99 Member Posts: 79
    FYI - folks at 4x4wire.com are trying to do a 'group buy' on this image bumper. Price is $450 + shipping. 20% deposit is needed with a minimum of 15 orders( 12 confirmed orders to date). 6-8 weeks lead time after receipt of the 15th deposit. If interested, goto 4x4wire Isuzu section or contact Calmini directly.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I'm probably going to get DOR or Matt @ Indy to make one for me cause I already have a hitch and it would likely interfere with that bumper and I can't stand Calmini's customer service. :( Also have they worked out the 92-97 v. 98-02 body height difference? Or else the 98-02s are gonna have the bumper rubbing up against the body or the 92-97 are gonna have a gap.

    -mike
  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    How do you put the pin in to hold the hitch into that 2" reciever?
  • pinoy99pinoy99 Member Posts: 79
    AFAIK, the design takes into consideration models 92+. IMO, it would be expensive for a small vendor to produce similar bumper thus more $$$ for the buyer tho it would be great to have several aftermarket supplier. My personal experience with Calmini is favorable(bought 2 products).The hitch pin is under/inside the bumper;this allows for a 'flush' look;it is *supposedly* easy to access. HTH
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    If the bumpers are for 92-97, then they won't fit on the 98-02. The 98-02 have the body lower on the frame, which would mean these bumpers would be higher up and thus bang into the body/not be able to be bolted up properly, or they are made for the 98-02 and there will be a space on the 92-98s.

    -mike
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    I am going to wait until I beef up the rear suspension until I add a steel rear bumper. It is on the long list however. Maybe even an ARB freezer/fridge sometime after.
  • cwmosercwmoser Member Posts: 227
    A few years ago I was looking for a used Trooper and saw a 1995 Trooper on the local Mitsubitsu dealers used car lot. The salesman asked me to back it out and meet him at the office where he would get a tag and we would take it for a test drive. I did not note a light pole with a concrete base in the middle of the parking lot and backed that Trooper into it bending the bumper in just below the license plate. I did not hit the pole hard at all and no other sheet metal was bent. But, the Trooper bumper caved in like a cheap whore - not much support at all behind the plastic cover. I understand that the expense to repair was $800.00 which the dealership covered. This is not just a Trooper phenomon where the bumpers offer no protection, but similar for all SUV's. The moral to this story is just don't hit anything with the bumper.
  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    "I backed a Trooper into a light pole" That was a wonderful opportunity to get an aftermarket steel or alloy bumper for much less expense than replacing the plastic decoration bumper. Same for the front bumper, if it gets damaged then replace with ECB winch bumper for less money than a plastic one.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Nope :( I've spoken to them but they don't make any rear bumpers and to my knowledge there are no major companies that do :( I tweaked my rear bumper slightly so I may get Matt from Indy4x to make one for me, although not sure how much it will cost.

    -mike
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    OK, I think I am down to 2 different tires. I have ruled out the BFGoodrich's because of the "Q" speed and "B" on road traction rating. I do mostly on-road travel so I want a tire that will handle a little better. The Yokohama aren't out, but the "B" on road traction rating again is a negative.

    I think it is down to the Michelin Cross Terrains, and the Bridgestone Dueler A/T. I have the Cross Terrain's on my SMV and really like them so far. The few off-road reviews I have found for them are positive. However some of the reviews say they "plow" in cornering. The Dueler's get good ratings from CR, but poor snow traction. Lastly, The michelins are 1 1/2 time the bridgstone in price.
  • keepontroopinkeepontroopin Member Posts: 297
    Which BFGs are you taking off your list?
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    All-Terrain T/A KO. I know they are good, I am concerned about the "Q" speed rating, since most of my driving is on-road.
  • guillguill Member Posts: 94
    Since I can't seem to get the search function to work on this board can any Trooper owners share their experiences with aftermarket shocks? Particularly interested in Monroe shocks.

    BTW, how do I use the "SEARCH" function? I went to the "help" area and it stated to use the "SEARCH" button at the top of each screen, however that button doesn't seem to be there. Help.
  • radman6radman6 Member Posts: 81
    Camping season is coming up and I'm thinking of buying a storage box (i.e. Yakima / Thule) for my 2000S trooper. I have a Yakima Rack with clamp on Q-towers and was thinking of something in the 11 - 16 cubic foot range. Today I looked at the Yakima Rocket Box and Space Booster, and the Thule Frontier, Mountaineer, and Evolution. Wanted to look at the new Yakima loadranger series but nobody had them in stock.

    Anyone have any experience with the above boxes? How hard are they to put on / take off. How much wind noise? Do they hold up well?

    REI has a 20% off special on Yakima gear, and mailed a 20% off any one item coupon in their last mailer that I could use on a Thule box.

    These things aren't cheap - $359.00 for a Yak Rocket Box. Smaller boxes are a little cheaper. Thule gear always seems to be a little cheaper than comparable Yakima gear. Is it just me or does that seem like a lot of money for a big plastic box? Any advice / comments appreciated.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    I have the Thule summit. It is awesome for vacations. Mine is the older style, the newer ones look more space ship like, the summit is just black with very little styling. Let's see...100% waterproof, a pain in the keyster to mount, fairly easy to load an unload, very durable. Noise is hard to judge, there are usually 2 bikes along with the box. On my trips to Nantucket, I usually just leave it up there empty the whole time. I do some pretty hard bouncing over sand dunes without any issue. I usually try to only put clothing bags up there to minimize the overall roof weight. I think there are some pictures of my truck with the box on it at paisan's site, if you are concerned about look.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    You need to be at the top folder level to use the search feature. However, I'll be the first to admit it is not an effective search function. Hopefully, a few Trooper owners will be along soon to comment about Monroe shocks.

    KarenS
    Host
    Owners Clubs
  • keepontroopinkeepontroopin Member Posts: 297
    I have a Yak rocket box and I too love it. Mine is not that bad to put on or off. Takes maybe 5 minutes tops. It is waterproof and you would not believe how much crap you can stuff inside it. Skip the Thule and go with the Yak box. Thule SUX.
  • savvas_esavvas_e Member Posts: 347
    I have the BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A's (not KO's) in 245/70R16. I had them installed at time of delivery, so I never experienced the standard GYear Wrangler AP's.

    They have 43,000kms (about 25,000 miles) on them now and are probably at 40-30% tread left. They were quite good on road until around the 30-35,000km mark. After that they started to feel sloppy and harsh riding. Off road however, they have never and still don't let me down. I'm guessing that I will keep them for another 10-15,000 kms.

    Great choice if my car was always on dirt, but it isn't. So my next tire will be a bit softer and that's where the choices become limited down here. I would like the Michelin LTX/AT, however it is not imported to Australia in any size that I would want. (I know they make them ... the US gets the 70 series 16", but we don't). Pirelli Scorpion ATs look like it for me!
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    Thanks for the info. My stock tires are the Dueler 684's. I have been going back and forth. My truck is in the shop this week getting some work done, when I get it back, I am going to order. Part of the reason I am waiting is because one problem is with the steering, I don't want to get any crap about non-standard tires causing the problem, etc.

    So I have been reading a lot about tires lately. The Deuler A/T's sound good, however, I cannot really find any off-road information on them, they may only be a highway tire with a different look? The BFG's KO's are sounding better and better. My concerns are the Q speed rating and the road handling. I know you can't have everything, but I drive mostly on road, with an off-road trip every month or so. It may come down to a coin flip in the end.

    It is hard to get a feel for a tire on the internet. Some sites rate tires good in the snow, and another rates it poor. Any personal recommendations are welcome.
  • keepontroopinkeepontroopin Member Posts: 297
    What is the Q rating?
This discussion has been closed.

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