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Isuzu Modifications/Aftermarket/Accessories
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Comments
I'm checking on which JVC unit I have. It is very smooth and works well, no skipping except on realharsh stuff.
Edit: JVC KDSX-990 http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-9Rt04POIPX1/ProdView.asp?s=0- &c=3&g=62700&I=257KDSX990&o=m&a=1&cc=01
The reason I liked this unit was that it had a lot of black in the face rather than silver so it would blend with the dash better than a lot of the new funky ones out there. Price was also very good, and now even better than when I got mine. I'm gonna likely get this unit for the Trooper as soon as the weather breaks, and throw my stock head unit and 6-disk player up on e-bay.
-mike
-mike
I don't know about the cable, They didn't mention, and crutchfield didn't have one listed for this model? I am hoping it is plug and play, but figure worse case is I have to hit radio shack or bestbuy.
link:
http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?stk_code=jvckdsx990&SVBNa- me=279
I think I'm gonna mount mine on the bottom and the VDO guages on the top. Still debating though.
-mike
If you are adding round pressure or related gauges I might try mounting them in the plastic center console near where the buttons are?
Probably the top, I like the space for holding sunglass cases and such.
-mike
http://isuzu-suvs.com/trooper/arbinstall/index.htm
-mike
The ATF sensor is actually inside the tranny so that is an "absolute" emergency guage, if that comes on you know you are in trouble.
-mike
In fact I don't know many '98+ vehicles with those guages except american trucks.
-mike
-mike
I may just ante up another $16 and order the easy cookie cutter piece from crutchfield. I am going to do a little more web research, but I think I will have to order.
I am still saving somewhere between $20-$30 when all is said and done...I hope.
So I should have that one in this weekend along with cranking my T-bars.
-mike
Also going to be mounting my CB in-dash in the 2nd DIN slot below the JVC head unit and running a speaker under the passenger side dash. My VDO guages will get put into the center-console panel below the cig-lighter area.
-mike
If you go to 305's, you may need to look at reducing your gear ratios. I know with my 285's there has been a slight reduction in performance.
The only other issue I have had with larger tires is the added weight on my rear door. It closes with a lot of force. On rough terrain, the weight causes the door to rattle. Maybe Indy4x could design a swing away tire carrier like Jeeps use to relieve the stress added to the door frame.
Neither issue is major... just food for thought.
Lee
Thanks for the input.
-mike
So basically I'm looking at 33"x9.5s
Not too shabby.
-mike
How do you like the sway-aways? I have been thinking about upgrading my front torsion bars. Sometime down the line I might add a winch so I want to get the additional support first.
With that size tires, will you have to get new rims? If so, 15" or 16".
I got an email from Buddy King last week regarding lockers...he suggests doing the front in the trooper too, either LSD or Locker.
Circuit city has the converter cable for $16 local to me
Sway aways are great. They were easy to install and give a much more controlled ride.
For rims, I'm gonna try to get em on the 16" rims, I don't think 15" ones fit over our brakes. I think they migh need a wider rim but I'm gonna get em mounted on the stockers.
-mike
-mike
..
The lower performance in acceleration and stopping with heavier tires is because of the rotational kinetic energy stored in the tires. This amount of energy must be provided to accelerate and removed to slow down. The larger tires are not only heavier but the weight is farther out from center wich stores even more energy. This would be less a problem with a hybrid that stores slow down energy and puts it back to accelerate.
..
Last time I got tires (December 2002) I was intending to go for 275/70R16 or 265/75R16 until I asked the shipping weight of the tires. Going from stock 245/70 to 265/75 just about doubles the tire weight and that is a lot of extra wear and tear on the drive train and brakes and a lot of expensive gasoline. If I had a second car with high MPG for commuting I would probably have gone for the big tires anyway.
..
Just my 2 cents, ask the shipping weight and use it in your size and model selection.
-mike
The sleeve and square pastic facia around the front didn't fit, but the radio mounted right to stock brackets and fit right into the slot. The sound seems to be very good...nice pick paisan. I cranked it way up and the sound seems significantly cleaner than over stock. Now I need to read the manual on how to use all the features.
Great upgrade for under $200.
Loving it Having like 200 songs in there makes it great for trips too.
-mike
http://isuzu-suvs.com/events/2003/if-03-03/
-mike
http://isuzu-suvs.com/trooper/index.html
-mike
..
How heavy is the ARB bumper? Have you had any bad handling effects from the weight? Are the stiffer torsion bars required?
I have the upgraded sways and don't notice any ill effects on handling. I mean if you drive it like a truck then you should be fine. Drive it like a sports car and you'll have trouble
-mike
I noticed more nose dive with the new bumper, until I added the OME N65's up front. The ride w/bumper and new shocks is better than stock.
I didn't "have" to crank the torsion bars, it only dropped the front end 1/2-3/4", and didn't for about 6 months. I finally did have the front end lifted slightly, I think it looks better, but didn't really change the ride that much.
If I add a winch, which I believe adds another 75-100 lbs. I will probably upgrade the torsion bars first.
How about the fronts? What size will fit without much effort? Do I need to replace the dome tweeters too? or do people feel those are OK?
In general the front sounds fairly decent, and the rear sounds just OK, so I will be starting rear to front, but may just go hog wild and purchase 4 new at once!
Thoughts, opinions? Thanks.
I know there is a how-to on my page but haven't read it in a while.
-mike
..
I bought a set of four on special, but ended up trading back the rear two with their carefully protected packing material toward a pair that would fit back there. I ended up with Alpine 5.25" (stock rear speakers were a little over 4") with new mounting screw holes drilled. The big hole is big enough. I looked at the back side of a lot of speakers on that trade in day, the size of their baksides varies greatly between models.
..
Sounds way better.
Some brands that I fine very nice:
Boston Accoustic (tend to be a bit "high" or sound tinny to some)
a/d/s (all around the BEST speaker, IMHO)
Polk (also nice)
I am not sure about replacing the tweeters and sub-woofer at the same time? From what I have read, replacing a component system is harder, that is why I am looking at doing the rears first.
For the front, for no real reason, other than they are on sale as a package and have good specifications too, I am thinking about getting the Polk 365's, 6 1/2" speaker. The only issue could be the depth? Crutchfield says I can fit just under 2", these say 1 15/16". I didn't measure, but removed the stock unit tonight to check it out. There are bars across the rear of the speaker well which will limit how deep I can go? I figure that I could probably pad the front with a foam circle/cutout to get that extra 1/16 of an inch?
Has anyone had success installing front speakers? What depth were you able to get into the front stock cutouts?
That is at least my current plan.
I am not sure if replacing the dome tweeters in the door is absolutely necessary. A component system ups the complexity and cost.
Thanks for the feedback.
..
When it is just me in the Trooper I use the fader to put extra power to the rear speakers and that makes the whole sound in the Trooper fuller.
..
In my 1984 Trooper I made aluminum plates to cover the rear speaker openings above the rear doors. My 1984 did not come with rear speakers above the doors, but the wires were there. So I added a pair of surface mounted high range speakers pointed forward and in the sides of the rear panels I mounted a pair of low range larger speakers 6x9 IIRC. Then the fronts were replaced with the largest thing that would fit in the doors 6.5" IIRC. The radio I used was a high end Clarion that already had 30000 miles on it from my previous Corvair Eight Door Greenbriar Deluxe Van and while I was away in the military the Clarion was used by my brother in his car, but he denies it. Anyway, when I sold my 200K+ miles 1984 Trooper the kid that bought it mostly just wanted the stereo parts and the CB.
The Polk 6 1/2" will fit the front door panels with no problem. Using the Polk's combined with the factory tweeters worked better for me than by-passing the tweeter and wiring directly to the new 6 1/2" Polks. I guess a cheap tweeter is better than no tweeter.
My next improvement will be in the base department.
I really like the under the seat sub-woofer over on Mike's site. I am considering the Infinity brand set up with the built in amp.
However, with the headlights off, the radio illumination blinks when I activate the turn signals. When the headlights are on, it doesn't. So I imagine I am getting a signal up the + side of the parking lights which is making the radio think the headlights/illumination is being activated?
I am going to try to override this with one of the radio features to disable illunination? I could also cut the orange illumination wire ground it and/or splice it with the hot for the radio?