New Trooper?

[MarlinVX]

Just messing with'ya... If I could get over the fact that the front of the VX looks like a vampire, I might own one. Looks like you've had some fun with yours, too.

I get the snake comment a lot too. The guys in the office call the mars rover, or the moon rover. It gets made fun of a lot....of course, I like the first gen pontiac Azteks too. My parents had a yellow one. Too bad they didn't make a real 4wd version. Center console was an ice chest, integrated seats in the tailgate, as well as rear facing speakers that auto switched when tailgate was down. Rear stereo controls, custom airbed and tent for the vehicle. Neat car, ugly as sin, but me likey.

Bag to the trooper thread, I wish Isuzu would come back, but I doubt it will ever happen. Folks are into nice riding crossovers. Look at the new Grand Cherokee, rear IFS?! Offroad disaster, now they have 4 CVs to worry about breaking.

There was a proposed release of a 4dr Vehicross for the 2010 model year, but that was prior to Zu pullin out of the US market...

 

[chasespeed]

Yeah, the Trooper/VX have an awesome rear set up, 3 link w/ panhard bar. My troop would twist up so much, it dropped a coil once(no rear sway bar)... in came limiting straps.

BUT, travel, is straight UP AND DOWN/vertical movement. Twisting is different.

I have had a more than my share of SUVs and trucks... and I will say, I have been on the hunt for another 2nd gen troop, preferably w/ a 5 speed... Wareagle's old troop would be perfect.

Chase

 

[MarlinVX]

Yeah, the Trooper/VX have an awesome rear set up, 3 link w/ panhard bar. My troop would twist up so much, it dropped a coil once(no rear sway bar)... in came limiting straps.

BUT, travel, is straight UP AND DOWN/vertical movement. Twisting is different.

Chase

Thanks, didn't realize that is what is meant by travel, I just thought it was the total distance the wheel could contract/extend.

I went to the OME 919 HD trooper springs in both Zus. I went ahead and used zipties at each end just in case. I haven't lost a spring yet...

Wareagle's trooper is pretty sweet. I wish my VX didn't have the fancy leather interior, I really like my wife's family friendly setup much better. There are ZERO drink holders in the VX. Kind of weird for an SUV.

 

[Hatfield]

What are the "rally mods" that were made to the VX? I've always heard that they are on the same frame as the RS and have the same drivetrain as Troopers. They are AWD, correct? What else...

 

[chasespeed]

What are the "rally mods" that were made to the VX? I've always heard that they are on the same frame as the RS and have the same drivetrain as Troopers. They are AWD, correct? What else...

Bilsein 5150 shocks, a little higher stance(IIRC), 4.30 gears...

 

[Hatfield]

Bilsein 5150 shocks, a little higher stance(IIRC), 4.30 gears...

Hmm I didn't know they came with Bilstein 5150s. I wouldn't consider 4.30s beneficial to the VX, especially if it was designed for rally. It'd be better to have 4.56s for faster acceleration.

 

[MarlinVX]

The shocks are not bilsteins, they are KYB shocks, but they have separate cooling reservoirs. AFIK, the only production vehicle to ever have that, other than the Ford Raptor maybe. Other 'rally' mods included the Borg Warner TOD system that later Zu models picked up, the Recaro seats, the fiberglass hood insert to minimize glare. The suspension was designed teeth jarring stiff. That is why a lot of us switch to the RS9000xl shocks. I keep em at 9 on the street and 3-5 on the trails. I get the best of both worlds! Probably one of the best upgrades for both of our Zus.
I would say that is about it for the rally mods. It really does share a lot with the Trooper RS, as far as suspension goes. The VX went to the wide stance front end. For some reason, the CV joints on the VX are odd ball size as well. The SLX and trooper cvs will fit, but the balls in the inner joint are a little smaller, so if in 4low, sometimes you get some binding and popping which will mess up the tulip fitting.
With OEM size tires, that little thing will get up and move, especially considering its curb weight is 4000lbs. With the 34s...not so much a race car anymore

 

[chasespeed]

Hmmm, I remember something about the Bilsteins.... Okay...

 

[MarlinVX]

Hmmm, I remember something about the Bilsteins.... Okay...

Here is a pic of the OEM shocks, they are notorious for premature failure, and crazy expensive to replace...

 

[AmericaOverland]

Anyway...

A coworker mentioned that they might be from México...

 

[MarlinVX]

Anyway...

A coworker mentioned that they might be from México...

???? :costumed-smiley-007 I don't get it.

 

[AmericaOverland]

???? :costumed-smiley-007 I don't get it.

Meaning, back on topic. He mentioned that the trooper I saw might have been from México, but I didn't think to look at the plates.

 

[MarlinVX]

Meaning, back on topic. He mentioned that the trooper I saw might have been from México, but I didn't think to look at the plates.

Ahaaa. Did they even continue to make the trooper after the US market closed. I went to the Zu website, they only list the commercial trucks and some pickups now?

Ooops, if you go to the international tab, it shows a minivan, the pickup and what appears to be a trooper, but they are listed under Thailand and Indonesia:

http://www.isuzu.co.jp/world/product/suv/mu-7.html

 

[AmericaOverland]

Ahaaa. Did they even continue to make the trooper after the US market closed. I went to the Zu website, they only list the commercial trucks and some pickups now?

Yes, I noticed that, too. It seems to be I accessed their main website and not just a US web site. Where did that trooper come from, though?

It reminds of this bird whose carcass I found when I was a kid. I have no idea of what it is, as I have never seen a bird like it, living or dead. It was laying in a ditch/culvert with a man-size drain pipe running under the highway in south Texas. The wingspan was at least 7 feet, a body near three feet long, the skull the size of a pre-teen with a beak, a straight-cone shape with striations that ran straight from point to beak base that was about 2.5 inches long and about 1.75 inches in diameter at the base where it attaches to the front of the skull. Feathers were already gone, and the skeleton appeared intact, never disturbed, which bothered me, because animals would have eaten it long before it got to that state. Unfortunately, I never did report this find to anyone...

No idea what make it was, and I'll probably never see it again. Oh well. I wouldn't be looking for a trooper of such recent vintage, anyway. I loved the ones from the 90s. I was on a camping trip to the Ouachita Mountains in far east OK-west AR, helping out on a trailing-building volunteer weekend. I couldn't believe what I saw. I wanted one of those!

 

[4Rescue]

...
Edit to add. Yes there were some oddballs. 2 door RS models were made in both 1st and 2nd gen. 1st gen RS is highly collectible and came with lower gears and 31x10.50 tires 2.6 4cyl "89 model year only. This was offered overseas with a soft top and diesel engines. ...

My uncle HAS a 2DR 1st Gen (early round headlight version) DIESEL Trooper with a 5spd in it.... I love this truck and if he ever sells it I'm going to buy it and make the 4Runner into a more vicious trail vehicle... just sayiing, we got the diesel's here too, they were just rare as hen's teeth

Oh and BTW I grew up with a 91 4dr with the GM V6 and GM should have been put out business just for making that motor...worst motor on the planet EVER. God how I LOVED that Trooper (it was a 5spd man.) but I hated the engine.

Cheers

Dave