Isuzu Trooper

sdc2

If there is a trick I don't know it. I just wait until I rotate the tires (including the spare) to change the rear wiper.

sbcooke

You can just do the rubber blade itself, that shouldn't require removal. I cannot remember, but I replaced mine a few years ago, and I didn't have to take the spare off. The end should be a J hook, so you should just have to pinch the plastic on the open end and pull towards the base of the wiper arm, then around the J and off, similar to the fronts.

cwp2

The rubber blade replacement may be the way to go. The other way, the arm can't swing out far enough to let the wiper clear the j-hook.

paisan

I think I had to take at least the cover off when I did my rear wiper.

-mike

boxtrooper

I replaced the blade assembly down to the J hook without taking anything about the spare tire off. I have a 1995 Trooper-S. I don't know if the hard cover of later yaers gets in the way.

boxtrooper

I am considering getting a new spare tire to match the size of the other four. The tire store will buy back the old unused spare for $56. So I say sold. My spare is on a matching aluminum wheel. I am due for tire rotation this week or next on my new Revo tires I bought in December.
..
Has anyone used a tire rotation scheme that included the spare? Thank You BoxTrooper

sbcooke

I have not. I got 5 new dueler A/T's last year...265/70 so the cover won't fit. I have about 10,000 miles on them, and was wondering about putting the new spare into rotation, so I wouldn't have a brand new tire with factory colors and plastic nubs sticking out all over.

I was thinking about doing a one time switch, rather than a 5 tire rotation. What tire do you think I should switch? I was thinking one of the rears?

paisan

Remember with TOD you can't have more than 1/4" difference in circumference, my guess is that you've worn down 1/4" circumference already. Putting it on could cause a problem with the TOD unit. If you have PT system you could put it on the front since that has an open diffy in the front.

-mike

leedavidyoung

I have decided to do a 5 tire rotation with my new 285/75's. I think I'll use the cross rotation pattern on right side of the diagram linked below:

  http://fostertire.com/tcm_rttn.htm

Lee

bluedevils

Thanks for the info. No drain plug?! That seems pretty goofy. It will be warming up here tomorrow (high of 30F) so maybe I'll take that opportunity to look again at the SOTF unit.

bluedevils

I know this topic was discussed a bit recently, but I don't think I asked any of the other 1998-2002 Trooper owners if anybody has had the valve clearance checked and/or adjusted.

Several of you are well past 60k miles, which is the recommended check/adjust interval (at least on the '98). Do you folks think this is necessary? Do you have any plans to check/adjust valve clearance EVER, or is this something you will address only if problems (noisy engine etc.) surface?

sdc2

I have done this since I got my Scorpions at 20K miles. I do:

Spare to Right Rear
Right Rear to Right Front
Right Front to Left Rear
Left Rear to Left Front
Left Front to Spare

One nice thing about a 5-tire rotation is you only have to jack up one corner at a time...

cwmoser

I noted at the local Sams Club store that they had 255/70/16 Michelin LTX tires for $105.00

Is this reason? Anyone like the BF Goodrich or Goodyear tires?

bluedevils

That sounds like a pretty good price on the Mich LTX 255/70/16. I believe that Costco Wholesale (very similar store to Sam's, not quite as widespread in the U.S.) has a $60 rebate on Michelin tires or BF Goodrich tires through this weekend-- might be a good way to get new Michelins really cheap.

We went with the Michelin LTX M/S in the stock 245/70/16 size. Got Discount Tire to match the Sam's Club price, since my preference was to have installation and servicing handled by Discount instead of Sam's. We've logged about 25,000 miles on them. Still about 9/32" tread on all 4. So far so good.

sbcooke

SOLD....that sounds like a great price on those tires.

BFG Radial All terrain KO's are awesome A/T tires...but may not give you the best highway ride. If you want off road, get the BFG's...if you want good SUV tires...I would get the michelins.

gchua

Anybody have experience with these shocks? A customer rep at an online store said they are pretty much the same shocks and I probably wouldn't notice a difference. Reflex shocks are about 30% more expensive - is it worth it? Anybody have experience with both shocks? My main priority is comfort (lots of potholes in Boston - so want a shock that will absorb impact harshness well). Thanks!!!

jglasmann

Recently I had the oil changed by the dealer and during the routine inspection the dealer recommended replacement of the serpentine belt. This is the original belt on a 99 Trooper having 38K miles.

Has anyone replaced one of these? I've replaced the serpentine belt on my 91 Ranger 1 or 2 times and it was not difficult once you found the tension pulley. I did not see a tension pulley on my Trooper.

bluedevils

Didn't do this one myself, but did pay Isuzu dealer to change it on our 98 Trooper a couple weeks ago. At 4 years and 75k miles, this was probably overdue on our Trooper. Cost was about $75. I'm sure an independent shop would do this for 50 bucks or so. $50-75 isn't much money. For that amount, I would just pay a shop/dealer to do it unless I really knew what I was doing (which I don't).

boxtrooper

Michelin makes special tires for dicount stores. They are "cost reduced" tires and may not have the traction or quietness of the real thing from the professional tire store. Shop carefully and note the exact name on the tire and look that name up online to see what it is.

breakor

I believe it is the one to the passenger side of the fan pulley. In other words it is between the crankshaft and alternator pullies in the belt routing.

paisan

He is right, a lot of shops even get one-offs without even knowing. If the price is too good, sometimes it means that they aren't genuine.

-mike

dmuzyka

GChau, I replaced the shocks on my 2001 2WD with the Reflex, as well as the sway bar bushings with poly ones from JC Whitney (you should have the 1" size...) - the ride has greatly settled and turning trauma is way down!! I found the shocks for $40-45 each at O'Reilly's....

bluedevils

I was aware that certain stores get models of a tire that are unique to that store-- e.g. Sears has Goodyear WeatherHandler and nobody else does. I've noticed some Goodyear and Michelin models at Costco and Sam's Club that I don't think other tire shops carry.

However, not all of the stuff at the discount stores' tire shops is subpar or knockoff models. They DO carry many of the popular models, such as Michelin LTX M/S, and they are usually, but not always, priced better than the big tire chain stores. It's wise to keep a sharp eye at any store since tires are a fairly big purchase, but the discount stores do carry some of the good stuff.

paisan

I think the point that some of us were making is that Michelin LTX M/S that you get at costco for a significant discount may or may not be the same tires as the Michelin LTX M/S that you get elsewhere. Even though it's the same make/model/brand/etc it may not be the same tire.

-mike

bluedevils

I don't think that would/could be the case. Maybe I'm naieve, but I don't think Michelin, or Costco/Sam's, would do that. If the make and model are the same, and the specs (treadwear, traction, and temp) are the same, I doubt there are any differences.

From what I've seen, the price difference between Sam's/Costco is not that huge vs. tire stores. It's not like they are undercutting the competition by so much that they must be using a subpar tire that they are getting more cheaply than the manufacturer.

sbcooke

Someone asked a while back to see pictures of the larger size tires on the trooper. Here are a couple of very quick shots of the bridgestone deuler a/t 265/70's on my truck

http://community.webshots.com/album/62015461tiuuyV

paisan

They can be using OEM tires and selling them at Costco. For instance if you notice OEM tires even if they are the same make and model as ones available at tire stores never seems to last as long. This is due to the fact that the tire manufacturers sell OEM versions of the same tire to the auto manufacturers.

-mike

bluedevils

Mike, I've heard about what you are describing but never experienced it first-hand. Still, I am skeptical that Costco/Sam's are doing this. If it ever came out in the news or something like that, it could be a tremendous amount of bad press for them.

stever

This thread comes up now and then in Tires, tires, tires and I think y'all have hit the high points.

I got Costco Michelins in 2000. They were the X Radial Plus, a clone of the X One. Same treadwear numbers on the side, but I never pinned down whether they had Durablack in them.

Later on, it seemed that some of the X Radial Plus's at Costco had a different treadware rating so there's been more "customizing" going on besides changing the name on the side.

If anyone wants to dig deeper, try asking Bretfraz over in Tires. He's pretty current on this stuff.

Steve, Host

cracovian

When our Toyota needed tires a year ago I really took my time to shop around. The best deal I could find at reputable places was at Sears (that weatherhandler stuff) that they were "willing" to install for me for ~$450. I like Firestone but they were expensive too. Some Michelin (clones, OEM, or whatever) tires at Costco were put on the car for ~$260. Maybe our timing was good and the $60 rebate did help. The tires drive AWESOME (never had any premium tires before, so maybe that's why), they still look like new and they come with the 80K warranty, lifetime free balance and rotation. I will never consider any other shop than Costco - what a deal...

wlbrown9

If you go to the Michelin site and look under Truck/Suv tires you find the following:

Michelin Select LT (Only sold at Walmart)
X Radial LT (Sam's, Costo & BJ's)
XC LT4 Mich radial (Only at Sears)
LTX M/S (Not source listed)

Similar tread design, but not exactly the same. Just checked on samsclub.com and they list both the X Radial LT and the LTX M/S in 255/70/16.

I also noticed that the LTX M/S is rated at
500 A B where the others are rated at 440 A B. Of course, there is a note on the specs page of the LTX M/S that notes "As of Mid 2002". So, the rating on the LTX may be better than the others, unless the rating on them changed, but they did not update the brocure on the page.

FWIW, I bought 4 245/70/16 Select LT Michelin's at Wal-Mart, about $530 or so installed, road hazard, etc. Base price for the tires was about $110/each. Sam's was about $123 each with similar mounting, road hazard, etc. (August 2002)
Only drawback is these are not a stock item...had one with vibration issues replaced free, but it took them a couple of weeks to get the replacment.

tkevinblanc

I believe the tire variation between Sears/Costco/Sam's Club etc. exists so that you can't comparison shop side by side to try to wrangle a better deal. It makes it easier for Sears to say "but that's not the same model" instead of matching the price...

gberry

Any suggestions for a specific brand child car seat for the Trooper (forward facing; child is approx. 22 lbs)? I had a car seat that was too loose a fit in the Trooper and I didn't feel it was safe, so I am car-seat shopping at present. Please email responses to galia@topshot.com

Thanks in advance
GB

stever

Check out the Child Seats That Fit discussion too.

Steve, Host

boxtrooper

I like the Cosco one that has an seat back because it is sturdy and sits well without damaging the Trooper seat. The seat back height adjustment on many car seats requires taking the seat out and fully removing the straps etc.. This Cosco seat is for birth to 40lb. and can face forward or back. My kids are mostly done with car seats now, but when I want it for my smallest one I just grab the bar on the back and make the seatback lower and later make it higher for my older one. The Cosco seat does all this while being relatively light weight and less bulky than a lot of other models. I bought the Cosco after deciding that the previous seat was not as safe as it could be.

bluedevils

I'd expect/accept that a tire with a different name could have slightly different characteristics. Stores work agreements with manufacturers to offer exclusive models. I'm sure it's partly to differentiate for marketing purposes and partly to avoid price-matching other competitors. This is done on plenty of products, not just tires.

I guess what I was really getting at is that any particular make and model of tire will probably be the same exact tire from store to store.

paisan

Unfortunately that is wrong, they do vary from store to store. Another big thing is how "fresh" the tires are and how the warehouse stores them. For instance Tirerack stores them in climate/humidity controlled areas that have no UV rays and their stock is constantly being turned over. These tires will be better than say ones that are stored in a warehouse that uses sky-lights to provide lighting and maybe have been sitting around for a 8months to 16 months before they are put on your car.

-mike

bluedevils

paisan, you said "Unfortunately that is wrong, they do vary from store to store." How do you know for sure? I thought we were still discussing this and trying to get to the bottom of whether one store's Mich LTX was the same as another's. steve_HOST's post seemed to suggest that it was. I did not bother to visit the Tires board that steve gave a link for.

I'm not just defending the warehouse clubs because I bought tires there. I didn't end up buying my Mich LTX from a warehouse club-- ended up getting Discount Tire to match the price. I'm sure the Discount Tire local stores don't have climate-controlled storage, but that doesn't really bother me. How long would a tire likely sit on a shelf? Even if UV rays are hitting it etc., isn't it getting less 'wear' and abuse on the shelf than it would on a vehicle? I don't see how that could make much of an adverse impact on the tire's useful life or its performance.

paisan

I know several managers at tire shops as well as a few online retailers and car dealers. Last time I was buying tires they warned me to watch out for "extremely" good pricing.

As for UV and sitting on a shelf. The rubber has a finite life and by sitting on a shelf soaking up UV it breaks down the rubber, decreasing it's useful life. Old tires are sometimes worse than worn tires. Not only does the tread keep you on the road, but the actual tire compound will keep you stuck to the road.

For instance a lot of people say "oh we never get snow so I run my summer tires year round" even though they live in climates where the temps dip into freezing territory often. Summer tires have a different rubber compound that allows them to grip the road in warm temps, in cold temps they are rock-hard and you slip easier. Opposite that are snow tires that are meant for cold weather and in warm weather burn up quickly.

Same deal with UV, the UV breaks down the bonds of the rubber compound, so if your tires sat in an un-climate controlled warehouse, exposed to UV rays, they have already been "worn" so to speak because the compound breakdown clock has started to tick.

-mike

stever

I've seen reports that the "shelf life" of a tire is around seven years. No link, but iirc, that applied whether the tire was in use or in storage. Which means a lot of us have marginal spares on our cars.

Steve, Host

bluedevils

Marginal spares is a concern. As for the non-spares-- if the 7-year thing is a safe bet, then most folks need not worry about UV ray exposure while the tire sits on the shelf. I'd say most folks rarely keep tires on a vehicle more than 5 years, so even if a tire sat on the shelf for a year it shouldn't be degrading significantly while on the shelf or on the vehicle.

paisan, I know what you're saying about pricing that seems too good to be true. And I've heard similar rumblings about gray-market tires and things like that. But I don't think the Costco or Sam's Club tires fall into either of those categories. To me, it seems quite reasonable for a $110 Michelin to be 10 bucks less at Sam's Club than at a tire shop. That's a decent difference, but not a ton. And not enough to make me suspicious that the tire isn't the same as at the tire shop. These warehouse clubs sell most of their products, not just tires, cheaper than the competition. I am keeping my eyes and ears open to the possibility of different tires at the warehouse clubs more now than I have before, but I'm still not convinced.

paisan

Isn't significant enough IMHO that it's a different tire. >$10 difference would start to peak my interest though.

The way I usually buy tires now is I buy them from tirerack and then pay costco to put them on. Costco charges me $10/tire to mount and balance them.

-mike

bluedevils

paisan, do you have Costco rotate the tires, or do you do that yourself?

bluedevils

Tirerack is definitely a great way to go for new tires.

I feel bad for the person who spent $530 installed on 4 Mich LTX M/S 245/70/16s at Wal-Mart. That's an okay price for those tires, but I did about $100 better at Discount Tire by having them match Costco or Sam's price. One of the 2 warehouse clubs was cheaper than the other. The local Discount Tire didn't require any proof of the competitor price - I simply told them verbally what Costco was charging and asked if they'd match it. They did, no questions asked.

paisan

Costco won't rotate your tires for free unless you bought them there. But the wait for a slot @ costco tire is like 3+hrs. So the amount of time it would take me to drive there and back, I can rotate them myself @ home. With the side steps I can jackup the whole side of the truck in one shot so it works out well.

-mike

boxtrooper

Has anyone installed one of these welder/alternantors on an Isuzu?
http://www.zena.net/htdocs/Map.shtml#Top
If I could find a nice old Isuzu Diesel pickup it would be a great vehicle to become a welder/backup generator.

bluedevils

I installed the Isuzu brand side steps on my 98 Trooper. It's probably too risky to try, but what do you think of jacking up one side of my Troop by placing the jack on the underside of the side step? Possible problems might be damage side step at the jacking point, overall bending of the side step, instability of the vehicle when using side step as a jacking point.

The side steps seem pretty sturdy, and they are bolted directly to the frame.

Just trying to get an idea of how wimpy the factory side step is vs. your heavy-duty ones.

paisan

Most likey your factory tubes will just bend, and then the whole thing become unstable. The factory ones are not meant to withstand the weight of 1/2 the vehicle on them. Mine are 1/4" 2x2 and 2x4 box-steel (basically the same thickness as the frame itself. It was then welded directly to the frame. Now it's essentially an extension of the frame itself. Depending on how many bolts hold on the stock ones you might even sheer them off.

-mike

boxtrooper

What do you use to prevent rust? The steep tubes should be in the perfect spot for road debris off the tires to take away most kinds of paint.

paisan

They came painted with heavy duty paint. I need to touch them up a bit cause they got scrapped up a bit while sitting in my garage waiting to be installed.

I'm not too worried about rust with such a thick piece of metal

-mike