I am kicking around some ideas for a build, I know where there is a 2door trooper that hasn't moved in several years and might try and buy it. If I can get this I want to make a versatile camping fishing etc etc.... oh yea and off-road ride. My only concern with the troopers is the "weak" ifs. I will not be running more than 34-36" tires (I want to be able to drive it on the road as much as off-road).
Ok few questions/opinions please:
1- The front of the 1st gen troopers seems cramped, can you get good flex with out lifting the crap out of it with a SAS? (seems most I have seen are lifted a bit more than I want and don't know if that is because people just want more lift or if scrubbing and rubbing engine trans etc. happens with a lighter lift).
2- Has the 2.6L got enough umph to turn 36" tires and still perform on and off road with a few mods? and will it be fuel efficient enough to make up for not just going for a V6 swap (3.4L).
3- If doing SAS I have seen many people say use waggy D44 other than that are there some other viable options for a D44? I see dana 44s pretty cheap here both for sale and at junk yards but if I have to get something special it might get interesting. And is that about the same as a 12bolt width?
4- For the application of part on road part off is it a bad idea to just use a LSD 12 bolt?

I am just tossing around the ideas for if I were to build up my 87, not sure about the year on the 2door but want to know some of this before I go buy something to build up if it's not gonna be able to do what I want it to.

I think it would be awful tough on the 2.6L without regearing. For 36" tires the 5.38s that were made some years ago would be ideal, but are very tough to find for the front axle. There are a few available for the rear axle. There is also reportedly a source importing 5.13 gears from Thailand that would be helpful.

Most folks consider 35" to be the practical limit for the IFS; I am running 35"s for fairly serious wheeling, averaging about one broken CV a year. Considering I can get junkyard CVs around here for $25-40 that isn't really a problem.

You just dont find to many 2 door troopers, only imported for a year or so. If you decide against the Trooper, I might be interested... Regards, Joe Bob

Here's my 2 cents on this.

One, if you are planning on using this as a camping / fishing truck why do you want to run 36" tires? I can see it if you live in Utah and your camping spots are on top of a rock pile. But with 36's comes a whole bag of other things you have to do to make them work with that truck and engine!

Never even seen any places in Uwharrie that required tires that big.

You should go to Moab in May with the Isuzu Group and watch how far you can go on an almost stock IFS 2.6L Trooper. Trust me, I took my tricked out Rodeo to play with those guys and saw them in my mirror 95% of the time, following me everywhere I went and had less money in their entire trucks than I has in just my transmissions.

A 2.6 L engine with Tera Lows in the transfer case, 33" tires and Lockers will go places you would will never believed they can go.. Big rocks can be driven around in many places. Some stout bumpers and "the Crack" is a breeze.

Straight axles and big body lifts may get you a lot of looks, but most of the time they will kill your rig as a Daily Driver and make them a pain to live with.


Confession Time: I took my 96 Rodeo and threw money at it like it was free and built a radical Rock Rig. Super Marfield Toy front axle, Marlin double case Tacoma tranny with High Angle Custom Drive shafts, ARB's in both diffs and a seriously modified Isuzu Dana 44 rear axle. Internal roll cage, heavy skid plates, winches on both ends, heavy ass bumpers and all the crap one thinks they need to play with. It was a work of art. The only problem was it breaks parts! Because since I had so much money in trick parts I go places and try obstacles because I can. Not necessarily should, but I try them anyway. And every many times I come home and have to throw more money at it.

I have a 2 door Topless Trooper that I got off a friend with a Dana 44 in the front 37 inch tires and it's totally undrivable. If I wanted to drive it the way he built it, it would take more money than it's worth just to get it on the road. A total waste of money and time. It was a blast to drive with the old IFS suspension and 33's. He had cut the top off like a Defender 90 and I built him a Laura Croft Roll cage for it. So much so it was even in 4 Wheeler Magazine once. The little 2.2 L Turbo Diesel it had in it was the envy of everybody. A sweet little street drivable trail rig that turned heads everywhere it went. It needed lockers and a set of tera low's to be an awsome rig. But he followed my lead and cut it all up to where it was a pain to drive and it never ever even saw Moab. Not once. He threw so much money at it and all he got was a yard ornament. He got frustrated with it and traded it to me.

I have plans to put that sweet little engine into my 2 door 86 Trooper that I have, and make me a daily driver / camping rig out of. It will have 33's and Tera lows with lockers in both diffs turning the 4"77' gear sets. I have an 89 frame to put under the "86" to get a 10/ 12 bolt combo under it. Simple and cheap.

Go get yourself that 2 Door, throw a lunch box locker in the front diff, an ARB in the rear, or another lunchbox in the rear if you want. Slap on a good Winch behind a good bumper, a little body lift and 33 inch tires and you will have a great streetable daily dirver than will get you to all your favorite camping spots every weekend and go get groceries all week. Or take you around the world if you want without a parts truck nearby.

Build a platform in the rear for your camping needs, like a slide out kitchen, and a flat place for your air matteress. You'll be money, and fun ahead of all the guys like me that have thrown a tons of money at a trailer queen we have in the shop collecting dust.

Unless you have some fall in your lap, remember 4:77's aren't that far off from 4:56's.
And 5:38's require big tires, body cutting and moster lifts. Not many guys running 5:38 on their daily drivers, and I'll bet you even fewer of them are driving cross country on them.

So unless your pockets are real deep and you have a nice daily driver and a trailer to haul your Trooper on. Save your money and build your Trooper into a Practical Expedition Rig you can drive all day around the world. Fishing is a lot more fun next to a nice river than pulling wrenches beside the same river.

Don't get me wrong, I love Troopers. I have 5 of them! But, I learned the hard way. I live in Texas and Moab is a long way off. $30K in a rig that gets to go to Moab and those other cool places once a or twice a year is a waste of money.

I love my Rodeo for what it is, but if I had it to do over again, I'd spend my cash smarter!

Just my 2 cents.
It's your money!
Enjoy it!

i have a 1986 2door Troop. i cranked the torsion bar and did a shackle lift to the rear, and a 1inch body lift.and with running 33's i would go just about anywhere,there was a little scrubing with the 33's but they were 12.50's i later went to 31x10.50's didnt notice any off road differences....now i have a Chevy 350 engine and trans with a 203 transfer and Blazer axles will be putting 38x14.50's on the Troop when i'm all done.
crank the torsion bar and lift the rear and a 1 inch body lift....33x 10.50's you will be happy with your play toy and it wont break the bank. 1 tire will cost more than the total lift.

I agree, just drive it......

Mine's just like trooper x's. Torsion crank and shackle lift, with 31-10.50's
I never have any rubbing issues, and more than enough flex to do everything I've tried.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e333/atwill/00952510.jpg
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My only plans are better bumpers, roof rack, winch, and maybe Aussie lockers.

My .02 cents is to weigh your budget :)

option 1 - (my old 89 troop): <$1000
personally, I had a ton of fun with my truck with a 3" body lift and 33s. It never broke anything. if you can get a set of manual hubs on it you'll be set to go a lotta places. That's the only thing that ever went wrong is the snap rings would pop off the stub axles inside the hub letting it slip out and no more drive on the front end. Weld up the rear end and if you leave the front end open you'll pretty much never break anything. cranking the torsion bars and a little add-a-leaf can make up for some sagged out suspension easily. I'd say this route you could spend less than $1000 if you find a good deal on a set of tires. If you do a lot of street driving this is the route for you because the trucks are pretty underpowered.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v18/145/14/226300075/n226300075_1951_8084.jpg
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option 2 - (new and improved 87 troop): +/-$3000
I'm really happy with the solid axle swap on my truck. I did it very budget conscious. It's VERY streetable and also VERY capable off-road. I can go 80 on the highway with 36s and keep up with the trailer queen guys. Between buying a dana44 for the front rebuilding that, building steering, gears/spool for front & welded rear, etc I probably spent around $3000. The tires put me out for another $650 used on top of that.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1133.snc4/149508_509957980224_226300075_235168_2467801_n.jpg
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