Isuzu Modifications/Aftermarket/Accessories

sbcooke

is for speed. Rates tires at 100 MPH. S is 112 MPH. According to some, it can also be used to roughly determine handling characteristics. For example, a higher speed rated tire will also have "better" cornering ability...according to some. There is also the UTQG. There is information about tires and grading on the NHTSA.ORG site. They list a lot of information regarding federal tire ratings.

paisan

Basically the speed rating is related to heat resistance. So a Q rating is 100mph SUSTAINED and S is 112mph SUSTAINED. Unless you live in the west, I'd think Q is more than adequet for around here.

-mike

leedavidyoung

Paisan, Thanks for your input concerning 2" lift for my '99 trooper on the main message board today. I have decided to go with the OME springs, Rancho 9000's, and the sway away torsion bars.

I have joined the list of 15 waiting for the rear bumpers from calmini. I am so disappointed with their customer service that this will be my first and last purchase from them. All improvements listed above will be ordered from indy4x when they return on the 27th.

Will I need to provide any special adjustment numbers to the tire shop for the re alignment?

paisan

Ah ha! So matt will be back on the 27th with my sway aways! Guess I won't be doing the install of them til then.

Good luck with the Calmini order, I got rubbed the wrong way by them when I bought my truck and ordered some stuff especially their customer service or lack thereof. I only buy from them if what I want is absolutely not available anywhere else or I can't get Matt @ indy4x to build it.

At this point I'm gonna hold off on the alignment til after I do the sway aways cause it would need it after that.

-mike

boxtrooper

Now add the ECB winch front bumper and expedition roof rack...

http://www.ecb-usa.com/images/Jackaroo%20Flyer1.pdf

sdc2

Those of you who go off road should consider tie rod protection. It is the weakest link in the front suspension.

Well, while in Moab I installed the prototype DOR Tie Rod Shieldz on my 99 Trooper. The concern was if they would fit and not rub on the shocks, as they tend to do on first gen Troopers.

I am happy to report they fit just fine, no rubbing whatsoever.

leedavidyoung

Thanks for the link boxtrooper. It is definitely a wish list item. I'll be installing the springs & sway away bars in June and will post any installation problems if they occur.

paisan

How much is DOR gonna be charging for em?

-mike

bgrate

Has anyone had any experiences(good/bad) with having sun/moon roofs added aftermarket?

sdc2

I think they are a little over $100.

Bruce Anderson's Trooper broke a tie rod on the Golden Steps on Sunday. It really is a good idea to strengthen this area.

sbcooke

I have had problems with factory installed sunroofs. I had a 95 nissan altima with airleaks that drove me nuts, hot days on the highway and you hear a whistle. I wouldn't do an aftermarket sunroof. I would even go so far as to not chose one when purchasing a new vehicle, part of the reason I liked the S model. Just my opinion.

paisan

The nice thing about the roof on the Trooper is that the glass is actually bigger than the opening, so when it seals shut, it makes a nice tight seal. No tilt feature but it's worth it to have a nice tight seal IMHO.

-mike

sbcooke

That is nice. Especially for a vehicle that you take off-roading, keeping the jarring to a minimum and ensuring no leaks.

sbcooke

Any thoughts on LT vs. P-metric tires? Someone posted before about not getting too much tire, and that makes sense. 265/70's are generally P-metric, while 265/75's are generally LT?

I am leaning towards getting the Dueler A/T 693's, P265/70R16. I am going to do the spare also. I think that the risk of being a long way away with a 1/2" smaller tire justifies the extra $100 cost. I have read a lot of good things about the BFG's, however I ride mostly on pavement, and they are LT tires, Q speed rating, and I have read that some people have easily hydroplaned at highway speeds.

paisan

LTs I believe have 6 layers v. 2 or 3 on P rated tires. This makes them stiffer and harsher ride, but better protection, especiall when aired down and rock crawling. The Duelers are a good choice, or so I've been told. My Scorpions did great going to philly on Tues night 80mph down and 80mph back

-mike

keepontroopin

I have BFG All-Terrains and love them. I have them in a 265/75-16 size and have never hydroplaned.

savvas_e

I have never hydroplaned on my BFG's. They are 24/70R16 All-Terrain T/As (not KOs). My only crticisim of them is that they do lose some of their on-road handling capabilities once they get down to about 40% tread left.

Otherwise, a great tire if you don't mind a firmer ride than you are used to.

sbcooke

I don't think the BFG's are dangerous tires. That was just one point in reviews that popped up more than once. Without a channel down the length of the tire, they are probably more capabable of hydroplaning if you encounter standing water at highway speeds.

That is not the reason why I am moving towards the Bridgestones. Actually, now that we have a SMV, I doubt the trooper will see too much action other than me using it on weekends (I ride my bicycle to work). Currently I drive mostly on pavement, offroading consists of a few weeks on the beach in the summer, and maybe 5 or 6 other trips s year. I think a P rated tire is a better choice, I am at odds with getting too much tire. I want something that is capable offroad, but also a good daily driver. That is why I am leaning towards the Bridgestones.

I am not sure of the Dueler's capabilities. They might not be any better than the stock 684's, but with a noisier tread. That is why I haven't made a final decision. My truck is back from the shop today or tomorrow, so I will be doing this in the next weeks time.

I appreciate the input on the BFG's. Were the BFG 265/75 on a lifted or non-lifted trooper? Did they fit well on the stock rims?

paisan

A lot of people have good luck with em.

-mike

keepontroopin

Were on a stock trooper. No lift whatsoever and there is still plenty of room remaining.

sbcooke

I am considering them. They get good ratings/reviews. Size is one of the reasons, they are in the 265/75 size, but not the 265/70's. The 265/75's bump the trooper almost a full inch in height over stock, a concern for road handling. I am down to splitting hairs I think at this point. The Pmetric Bridgestones will probably return the best ride and gas mileage. The scorpions would be close, but maybe a little worse on road, but better off. The BFG's seem like the off-road champs, but I might suffer ride comfort and gas mileage. The yokohama's A/T+II are also in the running at a distant 4th.

At times I can suffer from OCD. I appreciate the help, I think this is an important decision.

breakor

Sbcooke, I too had your concern about poorer handling with taller tires. Remember though the tire is also wider which will offset, to some extent, the tendency to rollover.

FWIW, I think my handling improved after adding 265/75 Michelins. Then again it could be the tire itself or it is just all in my mind.

sbcooke

265/75's stock or with lift?

Paisan, this may be information that goes into the FAQ part of you web site.

paisan

The scorpions also come in 275-70-16 which I've heard works fine with stock suspension. I run the 275-70s and they are nice. Not as high as the 265-75s that everyone else runs but a nice middle ground for me, while giving me a bigger footprint.

-mike

keepontroopin

My handling definately improved when I added the 265/75-16 BFG ATs

sbcooke

are wider than I think I want to go. I think the difference between the 275/70's and the 265/75's is small, only like a 1/4 of an inch. Obviously different tires will vary slightly. If 265/75's fit on a stock rig (and it sounds like no problem), I am definitely going to consider them as well. It isn't really about height though. I am not a monster truck person, I just want to improve the stock setup, without altering axle ratio, wheel articulation, and power delivery too much. I think the stock setup in these areas is actually quite good. One other thing that concerns me about 265/75's is that when loaded up for the family vacation, I don't want the tires to rub on the wheel wells.

sbcooke

To different shops to verify maximum size tires on a stock trooper has been less than helpful. Even Flemington Isuzu didn't have any information other than stock. It goes to show how helpful this forum is for auto information.

paisan

To dealers isn't going to help. Cause no matter what a dealer and Isuzu has to tell you only stock size because of liability reasons. Same goes for most shops. They'll look it up in the book and only quote you stock sized tires cause of the LAWYERS.

-mike

paisan

265-75-16
sidewall: 7.8
Radius: 15.8
Diameter: 31.6
circumference: 99.4
Revs/mi: 637
7.3% slower than stock

265-70-16
sidewall: 7.3
Radius: 15.3
Diameter: 30.6
circumference: 96.2
Revs/mi: 659
3.7% slower than stock

275-70-16
sidewall: 7.6
Radius: 15.6
Diameter: 31.2
circumference: 97.9
Revs/mi: 647
5.6% slower than stock

245-70-16
sidewall: 6.8
Radius: 14.8
Diameter: 29.5
circumference: 92.7
Revs/mi: 684

mkaye

I thought a long time about what size tire to go with. Part of it was based on availability. I chose the 265/70 Geolander ATII+. If the Pirelli was available in 265/70, I would have gone with them. I haven't heard any negative complaints about the Pirelli's.
I felt that the added size would help overall, but I wanted to avoid too much % of speedometer error and loss of power due to gearing change and the added weight of the larger tires (size isn't the only issue, weight makes it harder to move a tire off line too).
I had a 4banger Nissan that I went from stock 215/75-15 (27" tall) to 30/9.50, not too bad of power loss; but going to 31/10.50's (4" over stock and added weight) suddenly huge difference in power. Up grades in 3rd gear and 40mph. I even had 3-piece wheels that were far lighter than the stock steel wheels.
We'll see how it goes, they are going on this weekend or on Monday. I certainly won't miss the stock Bridgestone's. Not bad off road, but horrible on snow and wet roads.
Next go around will probably be 275/70's with a 1" or 2" lift.
Anyone have experience with the polyurethane coil spring spacers? I'd likely go with new torsion bars since the front end is so soft, but no problems with the back end. I think stock rear articulation is fine for my needs.

breakor

I put the 265/75's on a stock Trooper after reading numerous times that this would not be a problem. As a last minute check, at the shop we had them mount one front tire. It was then driven slowly over the biggest obstacle they could find with the wheel cranked to check for clearance issues.

Like I said I have not had any problems. I do not however tow a trailer or load up with tons of gear and passengers. Therefore maybe I am not your best trouble free reference source.

If you don't need a more aggressive tire and/or every millimeter of ground clearance, a P275/70 may be a good choice for you.

sbcooke

Thanks. Really helpful info, that is a good idea about the shop. I think I am with mkaye and the 265/70R16's, regarding power loss and additional tire weight. At least today. I am hoping to purchase by next weekend, so I have through the weekend to change my mind a few more times.

mkaye

Anyone want to drive this Trooper?

sbcooke

to check out the yokohama's in person. They didn't have any in stock. I have been looking at trucks around town to check tires. I have been able to see the BFG's, Bridgestone A/T and Pirelli's in person, haven't seen any geolandar's on any trucks. There are a lot of goodyear wrangler rt/a's however. Not that I am even considering the goodyear's, but there are a lot of those in service on SUV's.

Cool truck in the post above, I have seen and wondered about the JAOS skid plates before? Are they lighter than the stock? What is the advantage of them. The trooper comes with pretty good armor, stock. I like the ladder. I wonder what the weight rating is on it?

raylh

Wondering if anyone had opinion on Toyo open country AT.Havent seen any of you guys mention them.

cwmoser

So, what do you guys think of oversized tires on the Trooper?

BTW, I like the wheels on that JAOS Trooper picture.

savvas_e

I just noticed the kangaroos on the JAOS mudflaps. I have never heard of JAOS though.

Also, interesting mouldings on the bottom of the rear bumper to accomodate dual exhausts pipes.

On the subject of tyres - I reckon that is the one area of 4WD'ing that you can write an essay on and not be able to come to a conclusion that can convince the writer of the essay!

cwmoser

I love the way Ausie's and Brit's spell tyres (tires).

On the subject of tyres, Sawas_e I think you are right in that a conclusion would not convince the writer of the essay on tires.

But, can we quantify that the choices are 245/75/16 thru 275/70/16 and most of the preferences posted here are either the Bridgestones, Pirelli, BF Goodrich, and Michelin?

This is still a wide range of selections - have I left any brands out?

dielectric7bb

savvas_e:
'Also, interesting mouldings on the bottom of the rear bumper to accomodate dual exhausts pipes.'

I swear that I once saw a Trooper, or was it a slx, that had dual exhaust. This was back in 97/98 IIRC in southern california headed towards the desert. I never did figure out what was up with that. I can only speculate that perhaps the DOHC 3.2L or the new 3.5L might have gotten it around that time, but as I recall it had a soft tire cover (3.2 suggestion). Has anyone else ever seen a dual exhaust Trooper?

savvas_e

Never seen a dual exhaust, but I have seen a 3.5 with a 3" exhaust.

You can get some very interesting results just by improving the 3.5's breathing.

dielectric7bb

the JAOS doesn't have moldings for a dual exhaust. That second molding is for the tow hook. I'm not sure if the Trooper I saw with dual exhaust had a second molding or not. One of it's exhaust did output in the stock left position and the other exactly opposite on the right.

guill

I wouldn't limit the discussion to 245-275s. I've seen several troopers with 285/75-16s, some with no lift. There's two troopers I know of (each has posted on this forum) with 305/70-16 tires--they look real nice on the trooper and both of those vehicles were lifted, only 1 1/2" OME lift though. Go to 4x4 wire and there is a sweet '92 with 33s and a 3" lift. The larger tires will fit, though I've seen 285s on a Trooper without a lift, I'd recommend a lift with that size tire. The bigger issue is power loss, the consensus seems to be that beyond 265/75 or 275/70s the power loss is very noticeable.

troop2shos

In twin-cam 4V/cyl engines, some exhaust backpressure is necessary for torque. By opening up the exhaust too much, you could gain more top end at the expense of useable torque.....to get the rig moving. In other words, your ET's at the drag strip could be much slower but gains may be realized in the higher RPM range. A lot of dyno & track testing would be necessary to achieve the result you would be looking for - if increased performance is the goal. Timing / valve overlap & exhaust scavenging would also need to be addressed. I personally feel that 3" true duals wouldn't stay on the truck very long w/ the 3.5L engine without a restrictor plate.

My .02

savvas_e

The one I saw was a 3" single exhaust.

troop2shos

It's getting late - sorry I misread your post.
Where did the 3" pipe originate?
I would still be concerned about reducing the torque using a single 3" exhaust system with the DOHC 3.5L in the Trooper - needs all it can make to move that box lower in the rev range as opposed to developing peak horsepower up top.

cwmoser

When are tires worn to the point that they don't pass inspection? My Bridgestones have some wear bars even with the tread but other wear bars are still under the tread.

paisan

Jaos makes all their stuff out of Stainless Steel. Nice stuff, but want to talk expensive? A front bar + skid plate = $1500 + Shipping I know a guy who setup his 01 Montero like the one above, and it cost him oh about $5Kish.

-mike

drmp

I have OE Bridgestone Duelers on 16" wheels and I want to have a rough idea on when I'm going to replace them. Please give me figures ( ___K miles)

cknott

drmp,

Count on 45~50k out of the Bridgestones and that is with regular rotations. I changed mine at 48k.

In regard to power loss and fuel consumption: I replaced my Bridgestones with P265/70/16 Michelins and my mileage has dropped to ~15mpg(highway), 13.5mpg(city)-> very disappointing. These tires do consume a little more power than the stock tires. I am now experimenting with tire pressures.

bluedevils

The Bridgestone Dueler 684 tires on our 98 Trooper were replaced around 52,000 miles. We could have squeezed another 5,000 or so miles out of them, but I'd rather be on the safe side.

I rotated the 4 tires on average every 7,500-miles or so. The spare was kept out of the loop.

Overall I was happy with the Bridgestones, but we replaced them with Michelin LTX M/S in stock 245/70/16 size.