Trooper lift and tires, first impressions

rumblefish

New member
My '96 Trooper mods

047.JPGIMAG0146.jpgIMAG0319.jpgIMAG0315.jpgIMAG0317.jpg Here's my '96 Isuzu Trooper. 3.2 litre 4X4 automatic. Mods are, 235/85-16 Yokohama Geolanders. Approximately 32" in diameter, but kept them narrow. Installed wheel spacers to improve track width. Ball joint flip & snubbers. OME shocks front & back though the rear shocks are longer than the prior Billstein spec shocks. Had to make temporary spring mounts so the OME 929 springs I installed (without the spacers) wouldn't fall out under full extension. I got the shocks from Independent 4x4. In another thread, someone mentioned that since they are longer than the Billstiens were, that I might have been supplied with Nissan Patrol shocks instead. Truck sat pretty high in the rear for about 6 months before springs settled just right. At least 2" lift front & back. Maybe a bit more but I was trying for just 2". Cranked up torsion bars. Home made aluminum rear brake hose mount extension, Aisin manual hub conversion, Indy 4x4 H.D. tie rods, HI-lift jack mounted to class III rear hitch. That will change when I get rid of hitch & rear bumper for something with better departure angle. Front aftermarket bumper for a Jeep with home made mounts. They are my prototypes that work, but need refining. Don't know when I can get to that due to a bad arm injury in May 2013. Yakima roof racks for my bikes & surfboard though I have since injured myself too bad to ride or surf for a loooong time, if ever. Almost lost the arm at one point. Left hand is now about 25% useful anymore so hinders any mechanical work. Hope I listed everything & you guys like the pictures. I also hope this isn't a repeated post as I know I posted before somewhere. May have been on a Trooper forum. Some photos may be with Superwinch hubs that I broke when I smacked a rock & the ones on the rocks are before the OME springs & shocks. The Yokohamas climb everything that I have attempted. Steep loose rocks of various sizes, steep loose on top of hardpack, loose whooped out hill climbs & descents. The tread pattern is not too aggressive since I do use this as my daily driver too. The front looks a bit low in the last photo but the truck actually sits almost even with the back end. OME shocks have a quicker rebound valving than the Billstiens for washboard fire roads, etc...so I did lose some stability on the highway, but just had to adapt.
Oh yeah, replaced the transmission selector switch underneath as the grease dries out at the contacts & trans will start to upshift & especially downshift rough as you come to a stop. Not an uncommon problem. Replacing the switch fixed that issue.
 
Wow, sounds like you went for the build that I've been eyeing personally. How are those 235/85s? Any chance you could get a level side-view picture? I've been considering that on my '96 Trooper as well, and have been able to find very few rigs with that set-up.
 
Just installed the Moogcc784 springs. Provided about 2 1/2" of lift after settling (and with a sleeping platform/drawer system in the rear). Handling is much better, and the bumps are much smoother compared to the old springs. Very impressed so far, and it was an extremely easy process (Just drop the rear axle by disconnecting shocks/sway bar, pop out old springs, pop in the new. Didn't even need a spring compressor).
 

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