Japanese SUV goodness: 2001 Isuzu Trooper

BIGdaddy

Expedition Leader
Up and over
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Definitely some pucker-factor
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My wheeling partner for the weekend. Nice rig. 1966 willy's body, 80's blazer frame/drivetrain
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BIGdaddy

Expedition Leader
Love your troopy! Its an awesome underrated vehicle. Love it.

Thank you, sir, much appreciated from someone with as extensive a garage as you have, and I agree. I have had almost zero trouble from the this vehicle, and was QUITE surprised at how capable it is in its current form. The two vehicles I was with most of the time over the Anza Borrego were:

ZJ Grand Cherokee on 35's, rear locker, long arm RE 5.5" suspension

Willy's wagon, blazer frame, locked f&R, SOA @ about 4-6", on 33's-35's

My little stock truck on a 1.5" OME lift, 30's, and rear LSD did everything they did without a hiccup, with A/C, power windows, and mumford and sons cranked on the stereo..haha.

"the little trooper that could"
 

jeffryscott

2006 Rally Course Champion: Expedition Trophy
Nice thread, just caught up with it! One quick question. Did you ever find a light switch for the map lights? My 02 is missing both and those lights are so convenient.

I've built a similar table for my Trooper and support it with a monopod - adds a lot of stability and can support more weight. I have also been using a Kirkhams Auto Canopy for shade in the back - works really well, although the small ARB awning would be more convenient, but it would need to be mounted to a roof rack.

Keep the adventures going!

Jeff
 

BIGdaddy

Expedition Leader
Nice thread, just caught up with it! One quick question. Did you ever find a light switch for the map lights? My 02 is missing both and those lights are so convenient.

I've built a similar table for my Trooper and support it with a monopod - adds a lot of stability and can support more weight. I have also been using a Kirkhams Auto Canopy for shade in the back - works really well, although the small ARB awning would be more convenient, but it would need to be mounted to a roof rack.

Keep the adventures going!

Jeff

Hey Jeff, you know i have NOT found the switches, thoughi have been scouring wreckers and Ebay over the years. I agree the one i do have gets used a lot by my wife as its in the perfect spot for map reading, etc...

I'm working on some very low profile, minimalist awning mounts for thule bars that i'll post progress pics of. Need to get my Camping Lab awning out of the garage and back into use. :)
 

BigSwede

The Credible Hulk
I have a Kirkham canopy too. I put spring clamps on the leading edge of the rear spoiler and put the bar in the V of the clamps (rather than tying the canopy to the spoiler).
 

BIGdaddy

Expedition Leader
Ok, well I felt I should update this thread probably for the last time. At 195,000 miles, my trooper seems to have lost 1-2 gear, as I have no forward movement when in D. Two shops have both told me that repairs to the 1-2 gears and or a tranny replacement would be between $3000-5000.00. I have ready many, many troubleshooting posts on the Planet, and I know that it may very well be a solenoid (or several), but it was our decision to just move on (new vehicle already purchased) as my vehicle needs have changed, and my project focus as shifted to my Willys CJ2-a

This was a good rig for us, while it lasted, and literally never left me stranded even with a sick tranny. I'm going to post it up for sale, whole, and if not sold whole, will probably pull parts off and sell piece by piece.

thanks to all for your input over the 3 years or so that we enjoyed Cabby.
 
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kenny256

New member
New guy, I enjoyed reading your post and all the updates!

I just picked up a 2000 trooper and this thread gave me a lot of ideas!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

BIGdaddy

Expedition Leader
New guy, I enjoyed reading your post and all the updates!

I just picked up a 2000 trooper and this thread gave me a lot of ideas!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


Thanks! Hope you enjoy your trooper. We sure did. I wish it had lasted a bit longer, but until the tranny (a known culprit) failed, it literally had zero issues. Even with a sick tranny, it never left me stranded.
 

Andy G

Adventurer
Hey BIGdaddy...your thread lives on, as I'm following in your footsteps with my '02 Trooper build. Hoping, as all of us with automatics do, that it lasts a long time...!
 

BIGdaddy

Expedition Leader
Hey BIGdaddy...your thread lives on, as I'm following in your footsteps with my '02 Trooper build. Hoping, as all of us with automatics do, that it lasts a long time...!

Great to hear! My Trooper was an excellent rig and I feel like I got a ton of good service out of it.
 

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