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My wife and I have lived in Newnan, Ga and Gainesville, Ga since owning our trooper. We have a 1999 Silver Trooper. The windows on our trooper were tinted a few months after we purchased the vehicle. Generally, I believe the lighter color troopers do much better than the darker color troopers (general rule for all vehicles)in regard to perceptive AC performance. Our trooper will definitely get hot if you have it parked in the sunlight all day. However, it only takes 2~3 minutes to get it cooled down inside.
Chad
Another problem with undercoating: If you need to work on anything under there (like to get the skid plate off to change the oil filter) you will first have to cut away the undercoating and create more pockets to hold salt etc...
If they undercoat the transmission and engine oil pan or transfer case or differentials the undercoating may act as insulation and make your oil run hotter.
Just my 2 cents
They'll probably never bring it here. It'd be a nice retro truck.
How different is the new Montero Sport?
But it works great. I think it's a lot better than Liquid Wrench or WD 40. I've sprayed it on bolts that I was sure were completely fused together and it's done wonders.
I was able to only get a socket on the nut. I used an offset box-end wrench to access the other end of the bolt. I spun the box-end wrench into the frame and then used a short cheater bar on the socket wrench to remove the nut.
-mike
I would think twice about cutting that bolt out of there, except as a last resort, if I was you. Then again maybe it is just me but I can never seem to easily find replacement hardware. I suspect that bolt could be tough to find at a hardware store, especially the correct hardness and length. Also, the thread thread profile (i.e. isn't it smooth where the shock head fits over it?) could be a very tough match. It could even be something your dealer might not stock or is out of, at least that would be my luck.
Good luck.
- What were the changes between 98 and 02?
- Are any years in that range better or worse in terms of reliability?
- Is TOD really a good thing? I'm a bit concerned about increased maintenance or reliability issues. Generally such "automatic" systems aren't highly regarded in the 4WD community either. I also don't like the fact that they replaced the oil pressure and battery gauges with the TOD display on the dash. Basically, I'm a little leary of this system. I'd appreciate any other opinions or insights.
- With the TOD system, is there a "normal" 4high range where the TOD unit is locked with a 50/50 split?
- On the new 02 Troopers, my dealer is currently offering $6k off MSRP (carsdirect.com is only offering like $4k off). Is that a good deal? I'm not in a huge hurry, so I don't mind waiting for a better deal if I'm going to buy new. I'm guessing that since the is the last year for the Trooper, the discounts may get better later in the year, but the selection may become slim also.
Thanks in advance for any comments or info!
Reliability is excellent over 98-02 actually 92-02 are very reliable.
I wouldn't wait long. Most dealers didn't order many '02 Troopers and thus supply is very limited.
The best part of TOD is that you can use it for the 99% of the time that you are on-road, yet it retains the full power of a PT Transfer case for off-road use.
-mike
If you scroll back a couple hundred posts, you'll see lots of feedback on your general question (differences between 98-02), as someone else asked the same question not long ago.
I'm in a lazy mood and don't feel like retyping much of it.
$6k off MSRP is pretty decent. You can do better on price with a used one, but consider you'd lose the 10yr/120k powertrain warranty (it's still 5/60 though).
TOD Troopers still give you the low range, yada yada yada, so the TOD system really gives the best of both the on- and off-road worlds.
-mike
-mike
-mike
-mike
Have to agree I don't see it being a long-term vehicle with VW rep.
-mike
-mike
-mike
I can't believe they are going to ask that much for the VW SUV - they have always been too proud of their cars at VW, the Jetta, Golf, GTI, and Passat are over-priced. Audi and VW will end up canabalizing each other's sales and weaken the company to the point that GM will buy them too.
-mike
Suprise, the bolt for the Trooper is 9/16". Hole in the shock bushing is 1/2". Get on phone to 4wheelpart.com. Finally get transferred to someone in their 'techinal' area. He recommends just knocking out the steel bushing and putting the bolt through the rubber gromet (sp?). That is what I did, but I'm having second thoughts and will call Rancho for advice today. I have gone ahead and reclaimed the larger steel bushings from the stock shocks and with sufficient lub should be able to insert them in the rubber gromet. Not real happy about this sequence. I need to get the instructions out, but if I remember correctly, they are vague about what parts you might need to reuse or replace. I would have like a warning from Rancho in their application guide or from 4wheelparts.com that the shocks will work 'with modification'. I'm sure an installation shop will have equipment to replace the bushings or whatever needs to be done. It was difficult for me with a hammer, vise and punch to remove the rubber gromet, etc.
Left rear top was a b***h to get to. Finally used the 16" breaker bar with about an 8" extension over the axle to finally get a little turn on the bolt head to break it loose. Next time I think I will put it up on the jackstands a few inches to get a little more working room.
Good news is that I did the fronts last night. Not nearly the effort needed. One of them was difficult to remove top nut, but with vise grips to keep the whole top from turning I was able to get it out.
Drove it to work today and payed particular attention to a couple of memorable bumps. I think these are a definite improvement over the original shocks. I just have all 4 on setting 3 for now. I can still feel the road and bumps, but have a feeling of better control, quicker recovery and less jolt on the larger bumps... of course, even the stock shocks and the Trooper coil spring suspension rode much smoother than my 95.5 Rodeo, not to put it down, but the Trooper has a much more 'refined' ride...the Rodeo was a jolter.
If I get any good advice from Rancho about the different size bolt sleeves, I will post it later today.
-mike
ZUTROOPER or BREAKOR, did either of you have the 1/2" sleeve & 9/16" mounting bolt problem on your Troopers? If so, how did you handle that? Just curious?
-mike
See if this will fit:
http://www.omega.com/Pressure/pdf/DP41.pdf
If it will fit, there are a lot of things out there that go in the standard 1/8 DIN size.
My current Jeep Cherokee has 4 modes of operation: 2WD high, part-time 4WD low, part-time 4WD high, and 4WD full-time high. This is truly the best of all worlds.
I would guess that TOD provides better traction than the Jeeps full-time mode, since it can lock the center diff at 50/50, but not as good as the part-time high mode where it is locked continuously.
I personally don't need 4WD on the street, so TOD has little benefit for me in that regard. If there is a compromise in high range performance when compared to the simpler shift-on-the-fly (SOTF, non-TOD) system, I may try to look for a Trooper without TOD. I would appreciate any input on the subject of TOD performance vs SOTF. Thanks!
What situation do you think you'll need the 50/50 HI-locked in at? Let us know your situation and we'll give you feedback on how the TOD reacts in a similar situation.
-mike
I was able to get to that bolt with a long breaker bar with about 6"-8" extension going over the axle to the bolt head. Finally got enough leverage to break it loose then could use the normal ratchet to finish removal...had to hold the nut with channel locks. E-mailed Rancho, no answer yet. I may call after I get home so if I need to redo with the sleeves in, I can do it this weekend. (That is what I am leaning toward doing anyway.) Good luck on the last one.
-mike
If I were to do it again, I would put it up on the jack-stands to give more working room. Several times I got where I could get the socket on the bolt, but was so tight I could not put any pressure on to try and break the nut/bolt loose.. That was more on the rear. Front not as bad IF you can get the nut to move, you can at least get to them, unlike the rear.
The TOD has true front/rear diffys with the center clutch pack. However, it is a heavy-duty unit, allowing 50% of torque to the front wheels. Also, everything under the Trooper is massive, including drive-train, demonstrating the Trooper's true off-road ability and survivability.
So far, the only situation I found where the Jeep Selec-Trac (put 120,000miles on the Jeep) had any slightly better performance vs. TOD was in full snow (Jeep in full-time hi) or slowly crawling over rocks (with the Jeep in part-time hi). The snow situation is likely more tire related (stock p**py Bridgestones vs. 30x9.50 Yokohama mudders on the Jeep) and not TOD. The rock situation is ameliorated easily by putting the Trooper in 4wLow, if necessary, and likely would be eliminated with better tires than the stock. Going for the Pirelli AT's or Yokohama Geolander AT+2 very soon! I like the new Goodyear MT/R's, but I think a little noisy for my needs on street. Crawling over rocks or going up steep dirt hills off-road there is a little slip, but I think both axles are slipping due to stock tires, not due to lack of part-time locked.
Isuzu's TOD does preload the front axle, according to what I can find with up to 15% traction, so it is not really a reactive system like AWD's. I do think that most here have proved the performance characteristics of the TOD and virtually all of the magazines that have reviewed the TOD equipped Isuzus have also gave it high marks off-road as well as on. I'm completely satisfied with the whole package and am looking forward to using my current Trooper till it just falls apart, or Isuzu smarts up and brings back the real Trooper in a few years.
With part-time 4WD (SOTF), power is applied to the front continuously. When you accelerate, the back end is less likely to slip since the torque is continuously ditributed to a greater traction area. This may help maintain better vehicle control/stability than the TOD situation.
If I've made any wrong assumptions here, please let me know. I'm just basing this on my understanding of how TOD works. Maybe TOD is smart enough to engage the front as soon as you press the accelerator? I haven't read that anywhere though. If the system does actually "predict", like the marketing info says, then maybe it works about as good as part-time. If it just reacts to slippage, then it can't be as good, because you've already started to loose traction. Maintaining continuous traction is the key. Once a wheel starts to slip, it is easy for it to keep slipping.
I think the scenario you are describing is one of excess speed. Going at a high rate of speed on a dirt road is not the most common scenario. The TOD should sense early slip and react because of differences between throttle position and driveshaft speeds and within milliseconds increase torque to the front wheels. And remember, the fronts are already pre-loaded I'd be more concerned with overcoming overall tire traction in this scenario. I can think of one instance on a dirt road where I was flying in my Jeep with the Yoko mudders and was 4wheeel drifting even in part time high (50/50). Wheeee!
Also, a significant number of the desert runner/score off-road vehicles are only 2wd with a locked rear differential. They get plenty of traction in your dirt/gravel situation, again, some of it comes just from proper, agressive tire selection.
I did use the same model number shocks you did. I got mine from hotrodoff-road.com. They are great Isuzu guys. Maybe they pre-removed some inserts knowing I wouldn't need them? Or maybe Rancho now puts such inserts in place for other vehicles? Just some possibilities.
My guess is that whether the inside of the urethane bushing rests on a metal sleeve or a smooth metal bolt makes no difference in the long run. The key is that it is not a loose fit.
I also only used metric wrenches. I suggest other future installers do likewise lest you strip something and/or bust your knuckles. This is especially true when using breaker bars. Just a thought.
-mike
Also there are weight sensors, so when decending a steep hill on the trail it will shift power to 50/50 even though there is no slippage yet, due to the weight being over the front axle. It also used ABS and drive-shaft sensors as well.
Axiom v. Trooper. Drivetrain is the same, suspension and frame is the rodeo. The biggest difference is that the Axiom will handle on-road more car-like than the Trooper due to it's lower body, street-oriented tires, active suspension, and car-like seating. The trooper has the advantage for "open" tour-bus like airyness, upright seating in all 5 seats, reclining rear seats, Captain's chairs, and beefier off-road ability than the axiom.
Hope this helps and post up any and all questions, we Isuzu owners are glad to help in anyway we can get more people into the fold. Check out all the problems in the Trailblazer/Envoy forum and you'll know why we picked the Trooper. The Axiom is made in Indiana at the Subaru/Isuzu plant, but quality is excellent as my family has had 4 cars built at that plant ('97 Legacy, 97 Outback, 97 Rodeo, 00 Outback)
-mike