We are going to spend a couple days in and around Sedona, mosey on up to the North Rim for a couple more, and then we are heading into New Mexico to find some ruins, canyons, mountains, etc... for a few more days before returning to Austin, TX.
2002 Trooper Project
- Thread starter CJones
- Start date
We are going to spend a couple days in and around Sedona, mosey on up to the North Rim for a couple more, and then we are heading into New Mexico to find some ruins, canyons, mountains, etc... for a few more days before returning to Austin, TX.
Well... UPS delivered the parts Tuesday night, I got the springs and rear shocks in that night and did the front shocks and torsion bars on Wednesday morning; in time to leave on our trip Wednesday afternoon. Real eleventh hour stuff 
. I don't have many pictures of the process because I was in a bit of a hurry to finish. But the parts are in, and what a difference. fully loaded down the ride was a little firmer than stock/unloaded and I never hit the bump-stops. Not even on one of the really rough trails. Unloaded is very truck like, but I don't mind because I don't feel like I am going to rollover on all of the corners anymore.
Stock Front Shocks
OME Front Shocks
Stock (Before)
Lifted 1.5 inches (after)
I also built a quick/simple platform that we were able to strap our gear down on and inflate the air mattress on for sleeping. It worked but was not what I had in mind long term. I will work on a drawer platform for future adventures. But it worked fine for this trip.
. I don't have many pictures of the process because I was in a bit of a hurry to finish. But the parts are in, and what a difference. fully loaded down the ride was a little firmer than stock/unloaded and I never hit the bump-stops. Not even on one of the really rough trails. Unloaded is very truck like, but I don't mind because I don't feel like I am going to rollover on all of the corners anymore.Stock Front Shocks
OME Front Shocks
Stock (Before)
Lifted 1.5 inches (after)
I also built a quick/simple platform that we were able to strap our gear down on and inflate the air mattress on for sleeping. It worked but was not what I had in mind long term. I will work on a drawer platform for future adventures. But it worked fine for this trip.
Thanks. After talking to a friend in the business, I decided not to go with new torsion bars. He said that extra money was better spent stabilizing/beefing up the steering (which I haven't done yet). If I were going to be doing a bunch of rock crawling, or if I had increased the travel but a lot, then I would have done the torsion bars. Honestly, just changing the shocks up front made all the difference in ride quality. I am happy with kit I got.
I did a little more work. This time it was on my communications system, or the lack thereof. Remidied that with a basic CB. My goal was to make it as factory looking as possible. I can't stand clutter and having the CB on top of the dash or below the steering felt too claustrophobic for me.
It took a bit of pulling panelling and routing cable but it looks clean and that was my goal. I started with the antenna mount. Unfortunately, since there are two rear doors that open out, I couldn't mount the antenna about either tail light. So I mounted it to the small door as it doesn't get opened as often and was easier to route the coax through existing hole for the license plate light. There was also some conduit from the door to the body already there so I ran the coax through that as well. Then up the passenger side, under the passenger seat, up the center console to the radio. There was a separate CD changer in the dash that I removed as my music is on my phone and I don't listen to CDs anymore.
The end result inside the cab:
The end result at the antenna mount:
It took a bit of pulling panelling and routing cable but it looks clean and that was my goal. I started with the antenna mount. Unfortunately, since there are two rear doors that open out, I couldn't mount the antenna about either tail light. So I mounted it to the small door as it doesn't get opened as often and was easier to route the coax through existing hole for the license plate light. There was also some conduit from the door to the body already there so I ran the coax through that as well. Then up the passenger side, under the passenger seat, up the center console to the radio. There was a separate CD changer in the dash that I removed as my music is on my phone and I don't listen to CDs anymore.
The end result inside the cab:
The end result at the antenna mount:
Grinder313
Observer
Nice install. I would add a braided ground strap from the body to the door if you haven't already.
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