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-mike
Anyways, please tell me how you guys feel about GM taking over Isuzu.
Thanks to you all.
The Axiom is a great vehicle, the last of the true Isuzus. I doubt they'll be out of business, just may be marketing more maintstream vehicles is all.
-mike
I don't think Isuzu will go out of business, though I agree with Mike that their specialty may change.
The cruise control isn't too hard to figure out.
Sulfur smell from the exhaust could be from the fuel you are putting in. Some grades of gas have a higher sulfur content than others so it is common to have a rotten egg smell. The only problem can be that too much sulfur can poison the catalysts in the catalytic converter (platinum and rhodium) reducing the efficiency of the converter.
Definitely have the dealer look at your brakes, you may have a warped rotor.
-mike
-Ryan
a) be an isuzu proprietary vehicle
b) Corporate also said there would be an Isuzu based Trooper in 2003, but that didn't happen.
So take each and every "corporate said" with a grain of salt (a big one at that)
-mike
In all my 1,200 miles on this trip last week, I saw ZERO, yes, ZERO, Axioms on the road. I was surprised I didn't see even one! I felt unique. People really stared....
I have seen 6 Axioms around town so far.
Thanks.
Of course, these are Rodeo side steps, made by Isuzu America, so technically speaking, the brackets line up quite fine underneath the vehicle - there are holes in the right places and all the right hardware came with the steps to install them, but the catch is this: The ground effect portion of the Axiom body side sticks out about 3 inches more horizontally on the Axiom than the Rodeo, so the horizontal arm of each of the 4 side step brackets is not long enough for the side step to look properly installed. It is about 3" too short.
So, I could put the steps on the vehicle, but they would look funny, like slightly recessed side steps, if you know what I mean.
Have no fear, though, as I am still determined to pursue this. I will get some custom brackets fabricated and use them instead. If it works well, I'll take some picks for Paisan's Web site.
And later, I may sell custom Axiom side step brackets on Ebay if anyone is interested in benefiting from my experience. The side steps will look pretty awesome, once I get them installed. I'll keep you posted on the progress.
Isopropyl alcohol costs 70 cents for a quart in the grocery store.
-mike
Now that the vibration problem has been fixed, I am noticing the jitterness in the ride that I do not expect from an SUV with a $30,000 sticker price. I don't think the ISC is responding to the road irregularities and small gaps you usually encounter in everyday driving.
Has anyone here tried to address this ride quality with adjustments to the ISC suspension system or by replacing the ISC suspension with conventional shocks that fit the Axiom?
I know that the Axiom is a truck, but I think Isuzu did have intentions so that the Axiom would have "ride of a European Sedan". The tire they chose to use was obviously meant give a car like ride. They should live up to their words.
I am trying to have my dealer contact Isuzu
if the ISC can be adjusted by some firmware or software alterations in the system.
I will post what I hear from the dealer.
Hope all works out well for you, good luck with your Axiom and welcome to the group.
The funny thing about tire pressure is while Isuzu specifies 26psi, the mechanic at the dealer, the technician at a tire shop both said that the tires should be kept at about 32psi like you say. I have mine around 32psi just as a natural reaction knowing the firestone wilderness incident.
So, if 32psi needs to be lowered to 26psi as stated by Isuzu just to compensate for the ride quality, I think there is an issue with Isuzu's suspension system itself in that the system is more susceptible to road vibration than other vehicles.
There is magazine article on an after market shock by Tokico called "Trek Master" that is really tempting and convoncing.
http://www.truckworld.com/How-To-Tech/trek-master-01/trekmaster.html
As soon as I find out whether these ISC's on my Axiom can be replaced with Tokico Trek Masters designed for the '00 Rodeo, I might just go for it.
It is a truck, and no matter what you do to it it will ride like a truck, sans getting an Indy rear which would make it a not truck.
-mike
can help improve the ride quality, I am up to trying it.
I just believe that the Axiom can be improved a bit.
-mike
I've been thru Bilstein and I was not happy with it.
Generally speaking, Bilsteins are stiffer compared to Ranchos or Monroes, aren't they?
I want to try the Tokicos just because they are the OEM shock suppliers to Isuzus, although the ISC is produced by Kayaba.
Do you know the details as to which model Bilsteins were used for the Axiom? I am pretty sure that they aren't listed as designated '02Axiom shocks.
Perhaps Rodeo shocks? If so, would you be able to tell me what year Rodeos shocks are compatible with the Axiom ? (non-ISC shocks that is...)
I would appreciate the information.
-mike
-mike
As an example, I just took mine out to Point Reyes National Seashore and the road there is horrible. I had 5 adults in the Axiom and getting there was fine on the smooth freeways, but once the road turned rough, it was a very unpleasant ride. In comfort mode the Axiom's shocks just couldn't dampen correctly causing a lot of side to side and front to back rocking. In sport mode, the body control was better, but on some of the real rough parts the ride was quite jarring.
It seems that Isuzu just needs to work on the firmware and offer settings between the sport and comfort modes. On roads that I drive often, I switch between sport and comfort on various parts since I have learned which mode works best on those parts.
Again, the majority of the time the ISC works fine, but if someone was able to get a ride that was a compromise between the two settings with aftermarket shocks, I would be interested as well.
Yonku, keep us updated with what you learn from Isuzu.
On a side note, I was in San Francisco Saturday and saw two more Axioms. That makes 5 sightings in the last month. I guess the word is out.
I wanted a truck and that is what I got. I got the Axiom for towing a 19ft boat and for its TOD. Last time I checked Lincoln doesn't offer TOD. Is it wrong to want a better ride? Have you driven an Axiom on a rough road to know what I am talking about. Is there nothing on your Trooper that you wish could be better? Or is the Trooper absolutely perfect and does not require any aftermarket modifications to better suit your needs? If so, congratulations, you are the perfect consumer who bought the perfect vehicle. Should I just accept the Axiom as is and associate any shortcomings to be simply "because it is a truck?"
Lets face it, Isuzu put the ISC in the Axiom to make it more car like while trying not to sacrifice ruggedness. Most of the time it works well, but this setup is obviously a compromise. In some instances on real rough roads, the Axiom rides worse than a truck, believe me I know. I also have a 1970 3/4 ton chevy pickup so I know what a real truck feels like.
As I said many times I am very happy with my Axiom, I think it is one of the best vehicles of its type out there but if it can be improved, by all means I am willing to do it. It is very possible that aftermarket shocks will give a better compromise to on road handling while maintaing the Axiom's ruggedness than what the ISC does.
My OME shocks improved the rutted road ride on my trooper. I am not sure what caliber shocks the Axiom has, but usually stock shocks get over-heated and lose some of their "shocking" ability until the air bubbles work their way out of the oil in them. I believe that is why nitro-charged (nitrogen gas) shocks retain performance in harsh conditions...the gas is less likely to upset the oil inside. (That is only a rough description of one problem with stock shocks, I believe roughly accurate, though probably not technically)
-mike
Compare the ride to a Jeep, is it harsher or softer? My guess/experience is that it's actually softer. If you compare it to say an Expedition or ML or a Yukon even, you are talking about non-offroad oriented vehicles. If you want to compare it to say a RR, TLC or G-wagon, then you are talking way different price ranges.
-mike
But, when traveling on poorly maintained or rough roads, conditions in which trucks should shine, the ISC just doesn't cut it. Even in sport mode on rough roads I have felt the rear suspension bottom out. The vehicle dynamics just don't feel right on those roads.
I will say it again, a happy medium for me at least would be a shock setting in between the comfort and sport mode. I think it would greatly improve the stability and vehicled dynamics of the Axiom on the rougher roads. If that can be accomplished by aftermarket shocks, I am interested. It could be that the ISC just isn't tuned properly for the Axiom, that is why I would also be interested in a firmware or software update.
-mike
The problem, as I see it, is when there are several road irregulaties close together. (the following is probably a simplistic view about how the ISC works) Before encountering it, the aperatures in the shock are set to an "equilibrium" value depending on the mode. The ISC reacts on the first bump and changes the aperature size (probably making it smaller) to dampen the vehicle's movement. But before the ISC gets back to it's equilibrium stiffness, the vehicle encounters another bump (and all of the shocks are probably at different settings). So now the shocks are at a stiffer and/or different settings than what the software would normally want to be in before hitting another bump. This then causes the vehicle to respond in an unexpected way which doesn't inspire too much confidence.
Essentially, it seems like the system isn't responsive enough to provide a controlled ride. Or, maybe there is something defective with my system.
ahh decisions decisions decisions. overall though it's one wicked looking vehicle. i liked it.
About the seats, you can buy recaro seats complete with height and thigh extension controls for less than 700 bucks. Assuming that those options are available at the factory, I suppose it will cost much more at much inferior quality.
-mike
Isuzu offers two extreme settings, one which can be too soft and the other which can be too hard. You Trooper owners just don't understand since you don't own and drive one everyday. Again, the ISC works well for 90% of the time, if we had another intermediate setting for that other 10% or more, I would like to have it.
And keepontroopin, you need to relax a little. You have a great vehicle with your Trooper so you don't need to be so insecure. Have you replaced your shocks or tires to make it a better off road vehicle? If so, why is it OK for you to upgrade your vehicle to improve a deficiency but when we Axiom owners want to improve ours, we are called whiners? If not, you should be telling all of the Trooper owners who upgraded their vehicles whiners because their stock Troopers didn't meet their needs. Again, as I said in a previous post, such comments really don't add to the content of this board and help us owners.
Our Axioms are great vehicles and I am sure all of us Axiom owners would buy the Axiom again if we were to do it again. Obviously we aren't so insecure as a certain Trooper owner as we admit the Axiom has one minor problem that we would like to improve.
And so I say this to the Trooper owners, you guys have given us Axiom owners a lot of good help on this board about Isuzu, especially Paisan and Sbcooke. If you have suggestions about types of shocks or whatever, we are interested, but if the extent of your comments is to simply call us Axiom owners whiners, your comments will be useless for everyone reading.
I've got some nice bling bling 22" rims you guys might be interested in for your Axioms hee hee.
-mike