Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

CJ · Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 16:18 Post subject:

I thought about that too, but once the bumper is on it'll hopefully reduce or stop any torsional stresses - and this stuff is mega thick so the welds it has are a lot stronger than you may think. I think it is about 6mm thick box!

I'm also going to be making a bash plate to go on the diagonals, which will brace it further.

Its all good!
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Cheers

CJ
1993 Isuzu Trooper 3.1TD Duty 5 Door (Is that 6 doors?)
1994 Mercedes e220 Estate Auto 7 Seater

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:::Matski::: · Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 20:20 Post subject:

Cool

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Front Aussie Locker - Rear LSD - Petrol Diffs
2" Lift - 1" Body lift - +2" shocks - 32" KL71s
2.5" free flow stainless system - TMIC - 20psi Boost
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CJ · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:41 Post subject:

Was round again looking at the trooper at the weekend.

Andy has the bumper nearly made.

He showed me how his winch (I have not yet bought one) would look on the mounts he made - and this is a common design based on a Southdown system. The winch sits on a cradle with carrying handles and it locks in to the drop pin points shown in my previous posts. These pins also double up as a pair of recovery points for my bridle.

The bumper will be cornered - the box sextion you see is just stock, un finished, to give an idea of hos its shaping up. It will be bolted to the two dumb irons, giving some sideways strength.

The raise from the chassis line to the winch/recovery points is not that big, it's the bumper mounts on top that made it look a little tall before. By raising it up htis little bit, it has transformed my approach angle.

Very excited.

Thing is, once it comes home again, I have a stack more welding to do myself, plus all that servicing and bug fixing. But I will at least be able to fettle the thing once more. And apply a lot of waxoyl.
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Cheers

CJ
1993 Isuzu Trooper 3.1TD Duty 5 Door (Is that 6 doors?)
1994 Mercedes e220 Estate Auto 7 Seater

CJ · Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 19:14 Post subject:

I have picked the tyres I'm going to put on the Trooper, after 6 months research.

It came down to 3 very similar priced options (all within £5 each of one another):

Kuhmo KL71 - nice distinct looking tread, but very directional, and rumoured to have very weak sidewalls

Maxxis BT754 Buckshot Mudder - typical M/T pattern, nothing unusual, but the sidewall has no protection or grip - and it's here that the Kuhmo actually would out perform it, albeit that the kuhmo's wall is weaker despite having the grip edge

Hankook RT03 Dynapro MT - slightly unusual take on an MT tread, non directional and with excellent edge grip and protection. Rumoured to have a very firm and strong sidewall construction and superb off and on road manners and lifespan

I have (as you will have guessed by now) elected to go Hankook. My tyre guy also recommends this brand overall, he runs his Jimny on them, and used to run his Touareg on Hankook road tyres - they got double the life that the factory contis got.

I've asked him to price them against an online seller in UK who can put 4 at my door for about £385 all in.

That's stunning value, especially given the 33"x12.50"x15" dimensions.

BTW, the reason I bang on about sidewalls is that it is here that off roaders tend to slice or pierce their tyres on rocks/roots etc. Strength here is extremely important, and its one reason you pay more for Cooper or BFG - they armour the sidewalls.

Also, the sidewalls and shoulders in particular need grip on them. When in mud or soft earth, it is the shoulders more often than not which make the difference - that's why all the really extreme tyres carry on grip treads over the shoulder.

This Hankook is the best of the bunch - and I has really limited for options at this size.

Cannot wait - here are a few pics to whet your collective appetites:

And if you are thinking about trying them out, look here:

http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40153

My tyre guy loves Hankooks, I know several who use them on a jimny too, and my welding guru runs them on his mostly road going yellow 110 and loves them.
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Cheers

CJ
1993 Isuzu Trooper 3.1TD Duty 5 Door (Is that 6 doors?)
1994 Mercedes e220 Estate Auto 7 Seater

fostri · ** Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 123 Location: Iceland

I´m using Hankook Dynapro MT also on my Trooper. They are 35/12.50/R/15 with icestuds. I went to a Glacier last Friday on them and they are great. Bite really well in the ice and snow. These tires get my recommendation.

BTW Nice project. I look forward to watch this thread to end.
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Isuzu Trooper 3.0 TDI 35"

CJ · Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 20:37 Post subject:

Any pics of the troop with these tyres on it?
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Cheers

CJ
1993 Isuzu Trooper 3.1TD Duty 5 Door (Is that 6 doors?)
1994 Mercedes e220 Estate Auto 7 Seater

:::Matski::: · Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 22:21 Post subject:

hillbilly col · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 0:05 Post subject:

although no mud plugger i've found my kuhmo's to be great ..yes my mates who have insa special's fitted (the norm thing for the LR lot up here) plough through thick stuff better but have found the grip from the KL's alot better on river/stream's with rock based bottoms and for climbing up rock based hills ect...havent had any probs with side walls yet....finger's crossed
Wink

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LTM NO.41

CJ · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 0:16 Post subject:

I think they (the Kuhmos) are a great tyre - a mate runs them on his pajeiro and says they rock on the mud/gravel type terrain we see a lot of on our RTVs over here.

I just read too many (and spoke to a few people too) reports about this issue, and that they are a budget tyre - mud treads on a regular carcass.

End of the day, for most people, they're probably fine, but I had to make a decision, and I just got romanced by the Hankooks.

Bound to be better than the colway mt / insa turbo sahara remoulds which are my only experience so far of tough tyres.

Loved the colways, but god they made a racket. LOVED the saharas, but god they wore out fast. Plus they are always going to be less well made than a new tyre, period.

If I could have found a remould in my size at a good price I'd have considered it, but none are available.

so I plumped for what I reckon is a safe choice, and one that looks cool, which counts more than anything, especially if I get ones with white lettering...
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Cheers

CJ
1993 Isuzu Trooper 3.1TD Duty 5 Door (Is that 6 doors?)
1994 Mercedes e220 Estate Auto 7 Seater

hillbilly col · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:10 Post subject:

CJ · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:20 Post subject:

That was John Craddocks who said that, and they were comparing it to Cooper, Mickey Thompson etc. - 50% more per corner.
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Cheers

CJ
1993 Isuzu Trooper 3.1TD Duty 5 Door (Is that 6 doors?)
1994 Mercedes e220 Estate Auto 7 Seater

TimBanham · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:34 Post subject:

Nice tyres

I have just fitted a set of BFGs on mine which at £111.15 a corner fitted I thought was a bargain
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3.0TD LWB Citation

fostri · ** Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 123 Location: Iceland

Here is a pic before fitting the tires

Two pics in the garage

And one up at the glacier with 4psi tirepressure

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Isuzu Trooper 3.0 TDI 35"

CJ · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 16:04 Post subject:

Looking very cool.

Have you got beadlocks in then to run down at 4psi?
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Cheers

CJ
1993 Isuzu Trooper 3.1TD Duty 5 Door (Is that 6 doors?)
1994 Mercedes e220 Estate Auto 7 Seater

fostri · ** Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 123 Location: Iceland

No no bed locks just ordinary 15x10 rims.
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Isuzu Trooper 3.0 TDI 35"