Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

JCS · Newbie Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Florida

Has anyone converted a 4X4 into a 2WD vehicle. With the price of fuel, would be nice to shed the weight of the front axle. Looks like it can be done except for covering the holes where the splines go into the hubs? JCS

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dxmedia · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:02 Post subject:

Very easy.

Just leave teh little leaver in 2wd?

There's auto hubs, so no issues with spinning the front diffs.
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biggus · * Joined: 28 Apr 2007 Posts: 45

What a ridiculous idea.

Why not just get a large 2wd car instead?

Philp · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 13:26 Post subject:

Landrover did supply some series vehicles as 2wd to mostly military customers abroad, theres even a few 2wd lairportables knocking around, IIRC one was a parade vehicle used by the Queen. The idea was they were used for on road duties only but they are pretty rare these days. Pretty bloody pointless too. I'd just get a big estate or a van/people carrier if you need the carrying capacity.
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Phil

96 or is it a 98 Isuzu Bighorn Lotus

JCS · Newbie Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Florida

Arthur · *** Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 149 Location: Kent

how much you paying for a gallon out there then?
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JCS · Newbie Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Florida

Please accept my apology for posting my question. I thought maybe the forum was part of a technical group who could directly answer a question without sarcasm and with answers directly related to my question. I have owned the vehicle since infancy, have done all the service myself with all the original shop manuals. And was pretty sure I could do what I asked about. However, not being a know it all, I elected to ask for other professional advice. I believe I posted under Mechanical? I will see if I can un-join the guild and look for a mechanics forum. Thanks for the participation. JCS

Philp · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 14:10 Post subject:

No need to be so sensitive, this is a friendly forum and people are just offering sensible advice.

If you simply fit free wheeling hubs you will stop the front diff spinning and save a little energy but don't expect major gains in economy, maybe 1 or 2 mpg, same with the weight saving losing the diff, it's not going to make much difference to the MPG/performance. You'd need to also remove the front prop and blank off the transfer box or what maybe a better option would be to look for a suitable 2wd gearbox to mate to the engine, that way you'll lose the weight of the transfer box too. What may be a better idea in that case is to go for an engine swap to a 2wd diesel.
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Phil

96 or is it a 98 Isuzu Bighorn Lotus

Philp · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 14:20 Post subject:

BTW this is an owners club so most members are not professional mechanics, just enthusiasts and its a UK based forum so some of the humour and approach may be a little different to your usual forums. TBH asking a bunch of 4x4 enthusiasts how to turn your vehicle into a 2wd is likely to get you a few bemused answers! No one is trying to be offensive but the amount of engineering involved to do this sort of conversion safely would IMO make buying a cheap 2wd station wagon or van a much more viable alternative.
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Phil

96 or is it a 98 Isuzu Bighorn Lotus

the-toby · ** Joined: 12 Aug 2007 Posts: 76 Location: ST HELENS ;-0

if the setup is the same as a paj/shogun,,,,,

the c/v joint at the hub take this apart removing the ball bearings,,,remove drive shafts from the diff/axle
drop the front prop and take out the cross shaped joint at the t/box end,,,what is left should be secured to the box so it cant fall out

you now have 2wd
HTH Paul

markymoan · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 17:48 Post subject:

To start with i would strip the locking hubs and get them to unlock thus stopping the front diff from turning, then you could look into modifying the outer cv's to creat blanks to stop water ingress into the wheel bearings, then i suppose you could remove the front diff completley.
But for the 60 or 70lb you would lose in wieght i would say would not save any fuel, in my opinion the best course of action would be to get those hubs unlocked as that will save fuel.

Mark
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Philp · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 17:52 Post subject:

If you were in the UK I'd say get a 2.8 turbo diesel, fit a front mounted intercooler, optimise the fuel pump, gearbox from a Vauxhall Brava pickup which used a 2wd version of this engine, re-engineer the front end to lose the diff and away you go.
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Phil

96 or is it a 98 Isuzu Bighorn Lotus

markymoan · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 17:55 Post subject:

Good idea Phil, i'm sure there maybe some Isuzu KB pickups in the salvage yards over there Question

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dxmedia · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 19:13 Post subject:

How much do you value your time?

Say you rate your self $20 per hour? (or what every you earn at work)

Stripping out all the front wheel drive components is going to cost in real terms more than 1. The amount of fuel your likely to save. 2. The cost of a. Putting some manual hubs on. b. Fixing the front diff problem. c. Selling the trooper and buying something 2wd.

If your trying to increase the fuel economy by lightening the vehicle, you'll make far far better savings running on bio diesel or slowing down 5mph. The fuel ecomony increase by lightening by the weight of the front diff will be insignifican IMHO.
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