Just curious of the details of your Trooper - how many miles, what did you pay, any options or a standard S, where bought and from whom, any service history available from previous owner, etc.
Savvas - I appreciate the input. Although I thought that SOTF was disconnecting, when I jacked up the left wheel and turned it, the front driveshaft turned as well. Maybe my SOTF is not working properly.
If this is the design, then why disconnect the left wheel at all? This provides no benefit whatsoever in terms of reducing rotating mass by isolating part of the driveline. If this is the design, then why not remove the SOTF and just lock the left wheel permanently?
This just makes no sense from an engineering standpoint.
My main advice on your 'new' 1998 Trooper would be to assess which maintenance items have been done, and then decide which maintenance items you should do in the near future. Things like timing belt, brakes, driveline fluid changes, coolant fluid, P/S fluid, PCV valve, spark plugs, etc etc etc - you need to know when these were last done and if you don't know, you may want to have some of them done sooner rather than later.
Here is some info I posted on a different web site the other day. The intake manifold gasket is a common part failure on the 1998 and newer Troopers. It should be a warranty item, if your 98 still has any of the 5 year/60k mile powertrain warranty left. I hope it is helpful to you...
Do a search on this board, or on 4x4wire.com's Isuzu Tech board, or Edmund's Town Hall (edmunds.com, then click Car Discussions and go from there) Isuzu Trooper or Isuzu Maintenance & Repair boards, and search for other posts about the intake manifold gasket leak. I don't know how tricky the fix is, but I think the dealers charge $300-400 to do the job. Many people, including me, were lucky enough to have it fixed under warranty.
Our 1998 Trooper just passed 76,000 miles. We had the timing belt changed recently. It's specified for replacement every 75k miles on the 1998 Trooper, but I believe the '99 upped the interval to 105k miles. Most folks who change the timing belt report the original belt is in great shape. It makes sense to change the water pump, timing belt tensioner, and other stuff in there (idler pulley) at the same time.
Definitely change all the fluids if you don't have documentation on recent changes by the previous owner-- engine oil, transmission fluid, differentials, transfer case/TOD system, shift-on-the-fly, and coolant. Maybe worth flushing the power steering fluid and brake fluid, too. You can do some of these yourself, even without much knowledge or skill-- I'm proof of that!
Try to determine if your Trooper has the original brakes. Unless it was driven hard, it probably still does at 70k miles. Brakes on newer (1998+) Troopers are known to last quite a long time. We just had new pads installed and rotors resurfaced on our Trooper a couple weeks ago.
The one maintenance item that has been nagging at me is the valve clearance check and adjustment. Owners manual specifies this every 60k miles. I have not run across a single 1998-2002 Trooper owner who has done this procedure. Actually, I'm not sure if the 60k interval applies to all of those years or just the '98. This is a tricky job, probably best left to an ISUZU dealer. Thing is, it's quite a bit of labor just to check the clearance and if it's okay, you have pretty much spent $200-300 on a very expensive 'check'. The shop manual (someone faxed me the pages) indicates out-of-spec valve clearance will cause noisy engine performance, and since I'm not hearing any of that, I will probably not have the clearance checked anytime soon. I tried to have a Honda dealer do this, but after telling me they didn't think it was necessary, they finally admitted they couldn't do it (presumably, they lacked skills, experience, tools, etc.).
Anyone out there want a 1995 soft black tire cover? Email me directly and arrange to pick it up or ship it and it is yours. .. I have for the first time 5 same tires and a 5 way tire rotation schedule. .. My Trooper came with four GoodYear AP traction free tires on the ground and a Bridgestone 684 under the cover. Evidence of a dealer tire swap before I got it. After 136K miles I opened the tire cover to see if there was a matching aluminum wheel and there was. I sold the 684 unused spare back to the tire store for $56!
Thank you all for your responses to my post. I really hope the vehicle performs as well as research would indicate. In response to bluedevil about the pricing, miles etc. My Trooper is a 1998 S Model, 4x4 automatic transmission and has 55,000 miles. I bought it in Kansas from a small dealer for $10,000 plus a $500 truck as a trade. It was previously a lease vehicle and looks to have been well cared for, but without service records.
I think I got a real good deal. The tire never even saw dailight it was still as new. They were aware that it was an OEM tire and came with my Trooper in 1995. The 684 is still made and they are a Bridgestone-Firestone dealer so they could sell it.
Depending on how handy or free-spending you are, you may want to look at the fluids (differential, trans, 4WD system, coolant, etc.) to see if they look okay or if you don't mind spending a few bucks, replace these fluids either yourself or at a dealer. You may want to do the same for other items such as the serpentine belt. This will give a good baseline on these maintenance items. Otherwise, you really have no idea when they should be addressed in the future.
With only 55,000 miles, you may still have 5k miles of powertrain warranty coverage, depending on your Trooper's in-service date. If you don't already know this date, you should check with Isuzu corporate. You may want to consider taking it to an Isuzu dealer and discussing your concerns about the intake manifold gasket issue. Symptoms are uneven idle and Check Engine light. Supposedly, the replacement gasket is improved and not as prone to failure. If I were you, my goal would be to get the current intake manifold gasket replaced under warranty, rather than just hoping you don't have problems with it in the future.
When the SOTF disengages one wheel, it means the diff no longer has to perform any sort of differential action under load. There's only one wheel spinning it and the diff just freewheels in its housing. It's actually not a bad thing as it keeps everything lubricated and prevents any seizing of components. In 2WD, the front drive shaft is also disengaged at the transfer case, so there is no power going to the front.
Having the setup this way allows engagement of TOD at upto 60mph. The SOTF engages first before load is applied by the transfer case. We are talking milliseconds here.
You will find that with 4WD vehicles that have manual hub locks, one of the regular maintenance things you must do is engage the hub locks every month or so and drive around for a while in 2WD to ensure that everything gets turned over in the front axle and is kept lubricated.
The SOTF has to engage in TOD as it completes the drive train for 4WD. If it didn't, we'd only have 3WD.
Serrano, like I posted earlier just ensure that you have disengaged TOD/4WD before the motor is turned off otherwise the SOTF may remain engaged, as it needs vacuum to operate in either direction. Otherwise, I think it just stays in the same position it was before the motor is turned off. It may also be worthwhile disengaging while driving just to ensure that the sliding sleeve is retracted properly.
PS...Just be aware that some Isuzu SOTF's are electrically operated instead of vacuum operated. I'm not sure if these need engine running or not to operate.
Thanks, Savvas. One day I will take that sucker apart and root around a little bit to complete the picture. Your explanation was very clear. If it were me designing the thing, SOTF would disengage the front axle shafts from the diff. Upon engaging the TOD, the magnetic clutch would engage, spinning the front propeller shaft up to speed. Then the SOTF would couple the axle shafts to the diff, which would now be turning at the same speed as the axle shafts. That's my dream TOD system.
For me it would include a 4Hi with locked in 50/50 torque split.
I don't understand why Isuzu didn't set it up that way as the Borg Warner TOD control module has a 4Hi input. I'm just not brave enough to attempt applying power to it.
Have a look at this link. It shows how to defeat the SOTF and lock it in either postion. Not that you would want to do that, but it sort of illustrates how the SOTF works.
Don't know if anyone else saw the positive mention about the Trooper in the new Men's Health magazine (March 2003).
On page 66, under the subheading "Nice Ride, If You Can Get It", it states the following:
"Affordable Luxury - A recent glut of used cars has put some fine rides within tantalizing reach, says Joe Lorio, of Automobile Magazine. Here are the prices for top-condition 2000 models with 36,000 miles:"
After mentioning the BMW 740i and the Jaguar S-Type 4.0, it reads:
"Isuzu Trooper Limited 4x4. For: Off-road ready, room for all your toys, baby Range Rover demeanor. Against: Not nimble or quick. Price new: $35,000. Price now: $21,000."
The Men's Health website doesn't have this article, otherwise I'd post a link.
Personally, I was amused by the "baby Range Rover demeanor" statement. Given the choice between a Range Rover and my '01 Trooper, I'd opt for the Trooper in a heartbeat. What good is a status symbol if the dumb thing's in the shop half the time, and you're shelling out top dollar for parts?
Anyway, perhaps this article will bring just a few more converts over to the camp, before Isuzu replaces the Trooper with the (cough) GM-built Ascender.
I have had no response. Anyone want a free Isuzu tire cover? It is original equipment 1995 and fits the stock tire size 245/70/16. It is in perfect condition. I would hate to just throw it away, but I no longer use it and I do not want to store it.
Mike, if you really don't want/need it, I'd take it. The spare on our 98 Trooper has been bare ever since I ruined the hard shell cover while attempting to touch up the paint on it.
Go for it then. I just didn't want it to go to waste. I know so many Trooper owners that I figured I'd pony up for the shipping and keep it around the house til someone needed it.
I really don't need it either. Sometimes I get all weird when something free is about to go to waste. boxtrooper, it's a nice offer and Mike, I appreciate you deferring to me, but our spare doesn't really need a cover. I like the look of the no-cover spareon the back of our Troop anyway.
I have a 99'Trooper and after driving it for 1/2 hour or more and then turning it off when I go to restart it the idle will surge but if I give it some Gas it goes back to normal. Has anyone else experienced this problem?.
Isn't this one of the primary symptoms of an intake manifold gasket (IMG) problem? Have you had the IMG replaced on your 99 Trooper? You're probably still within the powertrain warranty, unless you have already driven more than 60,000 miles.
I have read that the Ford Explorer uses the same (or similar?) Borg Warner xfer case as the Trooper. I've been in a 98 Explorer, and it had a rotary switch on the dash which allowed you to select 4x2, 4x4 Auto (i.e. same as TOD), 4x4 Hi, and 4x4 Lo. There was no xfer case shift lever in that Explorer, everything was automatic. I don't know why Isuzu omitted the 4x4 Hi in the Trooper, but maybe it is simply because there is no good way to select it using the existing toggle switch and lever. If enabling 4x4 Hi in the Trooper is a simple as adding some wiring and a switch, I suspect that there would be a lot of interest in such a mod. Does anyone out there have enough expertiese in this area to investigate it?
Just curious if the factory Trooper windshield glass unusually "soft"? I've gotten 4 or 5 rock chips/cracks in my windshield in the last 6 months. I've never had this many on any previous vehicle. Is this just a case of bad luck, or is there something different about the Trooper glass?
The unit on the Fords is slightly different, with a fixed "auto" split of torque rather than the variable one that the Isuzu units have. The Sorento has the same TOD unit however and no 4-hi in that either.
I think it's a combo of the fact that it's very straight up combined with that it's a little soft. I think the softness helps it get more chips but less breakages, whereas a harder one would shatter easier.
In my experience, the idle surge due to IMG problem was worst at cold start, so this problem sounds different, although I'm sure IMG symptoms can vary. Where are you located? In many cases cold weather seems to trigger an IMG failure.
Do you have extended cranking time to start? If so, could be fuel pressure regulator instead.
Lessee, some other suspects in no particular order: oxygen sensor, throttle position sensor, clogged fuel filter...
Give us a little more detail on the circumstances and maybe we can narrow it down.
Just bought a 2001 S 2WD Trooper for my wife. (Like new, 22k, one owner, all maintenance records, $14,750 at a small town dealer. That's just about Edmunds TMV for Private Party Retail.) Thanks to this forum and ITOG, I had a wealth of info to use in my decision process.
An immediate opinion: If you still have factory shocks, UPGRADE IMMEDIATELY. Another opinion: the Monroe Reflexes are an excellent choice.
I'm a car enthusiast and gearhead. I love researching, buying, and trading cars. Looked like a used Trooper was the best mid-size SUV value available in the market today. After 2 weeks of ownership, my opinion hasn't changed. And I'll keep an eye on my oil usage!
My previous SUVs: 83 Blazer, 88 Trooper II 4-dr, 92 Land Cruiser S (Middle-East spec), 96 Land Cruiser VR (Middle-East spec), and a 2000 Expedition. Just returned to the U.S. after 7 years in Saudi Arabia. Got to do some great deep desert off-roading and camping.
The Trooper still had the original shocks, so, based on many previous postings (thanks!), I bought the Monroe Reflex shock absorbers (local NTB, $220 installed.) I've been buying aftermarket upgrade shocks for cars for 30 years. Almost went for Sens-a-trak based on good prior experience, but I just had to find out if the Reflexes did all that they claim (more control, reduced impact harshness, no degradation of ride comfort). My focus was on-road driving; albeit roads with very rough, potholed roads here in mid-town Houston.
Now I'm a believer. (Apologies to The Monkees). These Reflexes are the best blend of on-road shock performance I've found so far. (Have used KYB's, Bilstein, Sens-a-trac, and Tokico). Impact harshness on potholes and sharp bumps has been greatly reduced, so the Reflex technology seems to work. Dive, squat, and roll have been noticeably reduced, which has made the driving experience much more enjoyable. Bounding on dips and bumps has been greatly reduced. Turn-in is sharper. Overall ride comfort has been improved on all surfaces and at all speeds. Crosswind veer at highway speeds is also reduced. I haven't found any negatives at all, except for a 3/4" increase in ride height from the gas lift (makes it a little tougher for my wife to step in). My previous experience is that gas lift goes down after a few weeks/months. Reflexes are highly recommended.
Soon I'll be going after the following:
Hitch: Hidden hitch or comparable, plus a wiring kit. Probably go for JC Whitney at $99, since e-bay is not any cheaper. Plan to bolt it on myself.
Roof rack: Saw a great earlier post about "rolling your own" using Overlander bases on the factory boltholes, with Thule cross braces. That's my plan. Gives me the option of adding a safari rack or bike rack in the future.
CD player: Can't justify $300 for the factory CD changer (e-bay auction), so I plan to use the Crutchfield kit ($15) and a decent CD reciever ($120) to replace the factory cassette reciever. If my wife wants, I'll upgrade the factory speakers, also.
3rd row seat: Found two top-dollar custom installations in the $600-800 price range. My brother bought a generic seat from Sears for $300 about two years ago, but I can't get any current info on this.
Side-steps: Really like the look of the round tube steps instead of the flat running boards. Seen some for around $200, black, bolt-on.
Great to see another enlightened auto enthusiast conclude that the Trooper is the best midsize SUV buy on the market. Coming from a 2-time Landcruiser owner, that's high praise. Good luck with your Trooper.
Thanks for the details on the Monroe Reflex. I've been stalling on replacing the OEM shocks, but your post may have pushed me to action. Our 98 Trooper has 77+k miles and it just doesn't seem to ride very smoothly with the OEM shocks in the mix.
I've read 3 glowing accounts of Monroe Reflex shocks on this board in the last 8 months from newer Trooper owners. I'm sold. Monroe is a well-known name, which shouldn't matter much. What does is the wide availability and ease of getting a good price due to competition and frequent sales/promotions. How expensive are the KYBs?
I have been very happy with my OME set, great offroad performance. They handle a good pounding with little or no fade...not necessarily something required for onroad use, but for offroad I have been very impressed. My onroad ride is significantly better as well.
I am interested by the positive comments re: Monroe Reflex. I changed the OEM shocks on my '98 Trooper at 50K miles to KYB Gas Adjust's. They were better at control, handling, etc. but very harsh on impact. I switch at 90K miles to KYB MonoMax's all around - in my view these are incredible, especially the front's. They are much softer riding in terms of impact harshness, etc, but they really control brake dive, lean, etc. I can't imagine anything being much better - they transformed the vehicle completely and in no way compare to the KYB Gas Adjust's that are much stiffer and harsh.
Mbednorz, I have a hard time believeing that the gas pressure in the shocks could be sufficient to raise the vehicle 3/4". Are you sure you measured that correctly?
A good point was made about getting shocks that are "tuned" for your suspension. the N15/N65 combo from OME was designed to match the spring rates in the Isuzu suspension...or at least the web page and salesman said so.
In general I don't think you can lose by upgrading the OEM (I believe Tokiko) shocks. I think that was probably the best upgrade I have done so far.
Based on the link you provided, I'm wondering - how many different versions of a common replacement shock such as Monroe Reflex exist? I can't imagine there's a single model that fits every single different vehicle. How customized to the Isuzu Trooper, a pretty uncommon vehicle, can any replacement shock really be?
The OME shocks and progrssive coils are from Australia and are sold as Jackaroo Trooper specific. I have a set and I am very happy with them. OME is a huge improvement over stock from 1995 Trooper-S. .. I suspect that over the years Isuzu USA has tried different degrees of suspension stiffness. Particularily I suspect that they saw the sales numbers for the mushy soft suspensioned Ford Explorer and tried to make a mushy soft luxery Trooper, softer suspension is a bad idea for Troopers in my mind, just like Joe Isuzu trying to say Isuzu SUVs are "So Sexy!". Troopers need a stiffer suspension for handling and tighter control which are safety issues. So, your improvement from new shocks and springs and higher performance tires will vary. .. Good tires are just as important as shocks and springs for a good handling suspension and a comfortable ride. Poor quality tires introduce jiggly motion the kind that gives motion sickness.
It would be nice to see Isuzu resurrect the Trooper name. Hopefully, the Thailand-built vehicle will be worthy of the Trooper name.
Sure, gas prices have shot up and I'd much rather pay $1.00 a gallon than $1.75, but I don't know that I'd call it a fuel 'crisis.' We Americans still have it pretty good compared to the rest of the world.
How much worse could Isuzu be hurt by a fuel crisis? They're already doing pretty horribly (speaking in terms of SALES, not vehicle quality or owner satisfaction) in the USA as it is!
Comments
If this is the design, then why disconnect the left wheel at all? This provides no benefit whatsoever in terms of reducing rotating mass by isolating part of the driveline. If this is the design, then why not remove the SOTF and just lock the left wheel permanently?
This just makes no sense from an engineering standpoint.
Tom
Here is some info I posted on a different web site the other day. The intake manifold gasket is a common part failure on the 1998 and newer Troopers. It should be a warranty item, if your 98 still has any of the 5 year/60k mile powertrain warranty left. I hope it is helpful to you...
Do a search on this board, or on 4x4wire.com's Isuzu Tech board, or Edmund's Town Hall (edmunds.com, then click Car Discussions and go from there) Isuzu Trooper or Isuzu Maintenance & Repair boards, and search for other posts about the intake manifold gasket leak. I don't know how tricky the fix is, but I think the dealers charge $300-400 to do the job. Many people, including me, were lucky enough to have it fixed under warranty.
Our 1998 Trooper just passed 76,000 miles. We had the timing belt changed recently. It's specified for replacement every 75k miles on the 1998 Trooper, but I believe the '99 upped the interval to 105k miles. Most folks who change the timing belt report the original belt is in great shape. It makes sense to change the water pump, timing belt tensioner, and other stuff in there (idler pulley) at the same time.
Definitely change all the fluids if you don't have documentation on recent changes by the previous owner-- engine oil, transmission fluid, differentials, transfer case/TOD system, shift-on-the-fly, and coolant. Maybe worth flushing the power steering fluid and brake fluid, too. You can do some of these yourself, even without much knowledge or skill-- I'm proof of that!
Try to determine if your Trooper has the original brakes. Unless it was driven hard, it probably still does at 70k miles. Brakes on newer (1998+) Troopers are known to last quite a long time. We just had new pads installed and rotors resurfaced on our Trooper a couple weeks ago.
The one maintenance item that has been nagging at me is the valve clearance check and adjustment. Owners manual specifies this every 60k miles. I have not run across a single 1998-2002 Trooper owner who has done this procedure. Actually, I'm not sure if the 60k interval applies to all of those years or just the '98. This is a tricky job, probably best left to an ISUZU dealer. Thing is, it's quite a bit of labor just to check the clearance and if it's okay, you have pretty much spent $200-300 on a very expensive 'check'. The shop manual (someone faxed me the pages) indicates out-of-spec valve clearance will cause noisy engine performance, and since I'm not hearing any of that, I will probably not have the clearance checked anytime soon. I tried to have a Honda dealer do this, but after telling me they didn't think it was necessary, they finally admitted they couldn't do it (presumably, they lacked skills, experience, tools, etc.).
-mike
..
I have for the first time 5 same tires and a 5 way tire rotation schedule.
..
My Trooper came with four GoodYear AP traction free tires on the ground and a Bridgestone 684 under the cover. Evidence of a dealer tire swap before I got it. After 136K miles I opened the tire cover to see if there was a matching aluminum wheel and there was. I sold the 684 unused spare back to the tire store for $56!
Jeff
With only 55,000 miles, you may still have 5k miles of powertrain warranty coverage, depending on your Trooper's in-service date. If you don't already know this date, you should check with Isuzu corporate. You may want to consider taking it to an Isuzu dealer and discussing your concerns about the intake manifold gasket issue. Symptoms are uneven idle and Check Engine light. Supposedly, the replacement gasket is improved and not as prone to failure. If I were you, my goal would be to get the current intake manifold gasket replaced under warranty, rather than just hoping you don't have problems with it in the future.
Having the setup this way allows engagement of TOD at upto 60mph. The SOTF engages first before load is applied by the transfer case. We are talking milliseconds here.
You will find that with 4WD vehicles that have manual hub locks, one of the regular maintenance things you must do is engage the hub locks every month or so and drive around for a while in 2WD to ensure that everything gets turned over in the front axle and is kept lubricated.
The SOTF has to engage in TOD as it completes the drive train for 4WD. If it didn't, we'd only have 3WD.
Serrano, like I posted earlier just ensure that you have disengaged TOD/4WD before the motor is turned off otherwise the SOTF may remain engaged, as it needs vacuum to operate in either direction. Otherwise, I think it just stays in the same position it was before the motor is turned off. It may also be worthwhile disengaging while driving just to ensure that the sliding sleeve is retracted properly.
PS...Just be aware that some Isuzu SOTF's are electrically operated instead of vacuum operated. I'm not sure if these need engine running or not to operate.
Tom
I don't understand why Isuzu didn't set it up that way as the Borg Warner TOD control module has a 4Hi input. I'm just not brave enough to attempt applying power to it.
Have a look at this link. It shows how to defeat the SOTF and lock it in either postion. Not that you would want to do that, but it sort of illustrates how the SOTF works.
http://www.4x4wire.com/isuzu/tech/fwd_lockout/?
On page 66, under the subheading "Nice Ride, If You Can Get It", it states the following:
"Affordable Luxury - A recent glut of used cars has put some fine rides within tantalizing reach, says Joe Lorio, of Automobile Magazine. Here are the prices for top-condition 2000 models with 36,000 miles:"
After mentioning the BMW 740i and the Jaguar S-Type 4.0, it reads:
"Isuzu Trooper Limited 4x4. For: Off-road ready, room for all your toys, baby Range Rover demeanor. Against: Not nimble or quick. Price new: $35,000. Price now: $21,000."
The Men's Health website doesn't have this article, otherwise I'd post a link.
Personally, I was amused by the "baby Range Rover demeanor" statement. Given the choice between a Range Rover and my '01 Trooper, I'd opt for the Trooper in a heartbeat. What good is a status symbol if the dumb thing's in the shop half the time, and you're shelling out top dollar for parts?
Anyway, perhaps this article will bring just a few more converts over to the camp, before Isuzu replaces the Trooper with the (cough) GM-built Ascender.
JB
Drop me an e-mail on how much you want to ship it. I'll probably give it away as a door prize at Uwharrie!
-mike
-mike
hour or more and then turning it off when I go
to restart it the idle will surge but if I give it some Gas it goes back to normal.
Has anyone else experienced this problem?.
-mike
-mike
Do you have extended cranking time to start? If so, could be fuel pressure regulator instead.
Lessee, some other suspects in no particular order: oxygen sensor, throttle position sensor, clogged fuel filter...
Give us a little more detail on the circumstances and maybe we can narrow it down.
An immediate opinion: If you still have factory shocks, UPGRADE IMMEDIATELY. Another opinion: the Monroe Reflexes are an excellent choice.
I'm a car enthusiast and gearhead. I love researching, buying, and trading cars. Looked like a used Trooper was the best mid-size SUV value available in the market today. After 2 weeks of ownership, my opinion hasn't changed. And I'll keep an eye on my oil usage!
My previous SUVs: 83 Blazer, 88 Trooper II 4-dr, 92 Land Cruiser S (Middle-East spec), 96 Land Cruiser VR (Middle-East spec), and a 2000 Expedition. Just returned to the U.S. after 7 years in Saudi Arabia. Got to do some great deep desert off-roading and camping.
The Trooper still had the original shocks, so, based on many previous postings (thanks!), I bought the Monroe Reflex shock absorbers (local NTB, $220 installed.) I've been buying aftermarket upgrade shocks for cars for 30 years. Almost went for Sens-a-trak based on good prior experience, but I just had to find out if the Reflexes did all that they claim (more control, reduced impact harshness, no degradation of ride comfort). My focus was on-road driving; albeit roads with very rough, potholed roads here in mid-town Houston.
Now I'm a believer. (Apologies to The Monkees). These Reflexes are the best blend of on-road shock performance I've found so far. (Have used KYB's, Bilstein, Sens-a-trac, and Tokico). Impact harshness on potholes and sharp bumps has been greatly reduced, so the Reflex technology seems to work. Dive, squat, and roll have been noticeably reduced, which has made the driving experience much more enjoyable. Bounding on dips and bumps has been greatly reduced. Turn-in is sharper. Overall ride comfort has been improved on all surfaces and at all speeds. Crosswind veer at highway speeds is also reduced. I haven't found any negatives at all, except for a 3/4" increase in ride height from the gas lift (makes it a little tougher for my wife to step in). My previous experience is that gas lift goes down after a few weeks/months. Reflexes are highly recommended.
Soon I'll be going after the following:
Hitch: Hidden hitch or comparable, plus a wiring kit. Probably go for JC Whitney at $99, since e-bay is not any cheaper. Plan to bolt it on myself.
Roof rack: Saw a great earlier post about "rolling your own" using Overlander bases on the factory boltholes, with Thule cross braces. That's my plan. Gives me the option of adding a safari rack or bike rack in the future.
CD player: Can't justify $300 for the factory CD changer (e-bay auction), so I plan to use the Crutchfield kit ($15) and a decent CD reciever ($120) to replace the factory cassette reciever. If my wife wants, I'll upgrade the factory speakers, also.
3rd row seat: Found two top-dollar custom installations in the $600-800 price range. My brother bought a generic seat from Sears for $300 about two years ago, but I can't get any current info on this.
Side-steps: Really like the look of the round tube steps instead of the flat running boards. Seen some for around $200, black, bolt-on.
Looking forward to hanging out with you guys!
Be sure to check out http://isuzu-suvs.com and we look forward to any and all Trooper disucssions!
-mike
Thanks for the details on the Monroe Reflex. I've been stalling on replacing the OEM shocks, but your post may have pushed me to action. Our 98 Trooper has 77+k miles and it just doesn't seem to ride very smoothly with the OEM shocks in the mix.
idahodoug "Toyota Land Cruiser" Feb 10, 2003 8:24pm
Steve, Host
I have a hard time believeing that the gas pressure in the shocks could be sufficient to raise the vehicle 3/4". Are you sure you measured that correctly?
In general I don't think you can lose by upgrading the OEM (I believe Tokiko) shocks. I think that was probably the best upgrade I have done so far.
Discuss among yourselves :-)
Steve, Host
..
I suspect that over the years Isuzu USA has tried different degrees of suspension stiffness. Particularily I suspect that they saw the sales numbers for the mushy soft suspensioned Ford Explorer and tried to make a mushy soft luxery Trooper, softer suspension is a bad idea for Troopers in my mind, just like Joe Isuzu trying to say Isuzu SUVs are "So Sexy!". Troopers need a stiffer suspension for handling and tighter control which are safety issues. So, your improvement from new shocks and springs and higher performance tires will vary.
..
Good tires are just as important as shocks and springs for a good handling suspension and a comfortable ride. Poor quality tires introduce jiggly motion the kind that gives motion sickness.
Jim
That would totally ROCK! And NOT GM BUILT!!!!
LONG LIVE THE TROOPA!!!!!
-mike
The only catch is a fuel crisis would hurt Isuzu badly.
-juice
-mike
Sure, gas prices have shot up and I'd much rather pay $1.00 a gallon than $1.75, but I don't know that I'd call it a fuel 'crisis.' We Americans still have it pretty good compared to the rest of the world.
How much worse could Isuzu be hurt by a fuel crisis? They're already doing pretty horribly (speaking in terms of SALES, not vehicle quality or owner satisfaction) in the USA as it is!
Steve, Host