Craziest LS swap project yet... Will it fit? Super Trooper EP 1

4X the horsepower and twice as many cylinders with a Corvette LS2 V8 swap into this overland Isuzu 'Super' Trooper. There will definitely be a lot of cutting and welding to squeeze this in there. Check it out!
How to LS Swap difference between Gen3 Gen4 Gen5 Gen III Gen IV Gen V LS LSX engines Corvette or Camaro donor off-road overland camping roof top tent swampers or mud terrain tires using jeep dana 44 wagoneer axle swap or toyota Hilux 4 Runner SR5 Land Rover Defender D90 D110 does that thing have a hemi no but I should twin turbo or boost it with supercharger for phase 2 no nitrus nitrous NOS Holley EFI Dominator or Terminator X supports 1000HP horsepower on dyno

[@kennethcallei1242]

Hola Justin... This is gonna be great! I can't wait for part✌️ Awsome so far!

[@Clean97gti]

They're getting more and more uncommon but these old Isuzus have some serious benefits if you're trying to build one. The drivetrains on them are OK in stock form although the 2nd gen models are better in that regard with the beefier Isuzu Corporate 12 bolt rear end. This 1st gen likely has an Isuzu Corporate 10 bolt which is NOT the GM small 10 bolt. The Isuzu 10 bolt is comparable to a Dana 35 or Chrysler 8.25" in strength. They're an actual 3rd member design like a mini Ford 9" and they usually have gearing in the mid 4s from the factory with thicc gears. It's possible it has the Isuzu Corporate 12 bolt which is an even beefier version that is probably a bit stronger than a Dana 44. 2nd Gen troopers made in 98 or later got an even bigger, beefier rear end that sits between a Ford 9" and Dana 60. They're amply equipped for abuse. And take a look at 4:10 when he's removing exhaust and you'll notice this thing rides on a fully boxed frame, something you don't find in Jeeps. The 5-speed gearbox is a good unit although not the strongest thing ever. But these rigs didn't come with high HP motors so it didn't really matter. The automatic transmissions in these is another story though. Behind the 4-cyl trucks you'll often find the Aisin A30-40 aka the A340F from Toyotas or the AW4 from Jeeps with the 4.0l straight six. A good reliable transmission that can be built for higher power without much difficulty. If you were unlucky and got the GM V6, you ended up with a GM 4L30E transmission. That one is a turd. They put those transmissions in some BMWs and the old Cadillac Catera and they're fine in those cars, but something as heavy as a Trooper needs more. Luckily though, being a GM V6, you can get a 4L60E to bolt right up. Some wiring has to change (starter is on the other side) and you need the computer for the 4L60E. Some clearance on the trans pan is needed too because the drive shaft is super close. But it's doable without much fabrication. But the Isuzus have a ton of potential for the guys who recognize them. It takes more doing than ordering parts from a catalog for your Jeeps but the rewards are there. Also, the Isuzu Rodeos use basically the same frame as the Troopers, and all the same running gear except for the rear axle on mid-90s and later trucks. All those later ones get a heavy duty Dana 44 in the back with disc brakes from the factory! Bonus!! but yeah, do the solid axle swap up front. The big downside is that front diff. While it is probably the Isuzu corporate 10 bolt as well (could be the piddly little 8-bolt) you're going to have to do a lot more work to make it fit. The simple answer is a Chevy K10 pickup with the passenger side drop GM 10 bolt solid front axle. Independent4x.com has Trooper SAS kits that come with steering arms and use any number of Jeep or Toyota springs. The GM axle is going to be wider than you need though. The better option is probably the Dana 44 out of a Wagoneer as it is narrower. These are getting harder to find though. The GM axles are plentiful in junkyards and even use Dana 44 outers which make swapping parts around really easy. Narrow the GM and put some chromoly axles in so they never break. You'd want to do that for the Dana 44 as well, since the factory axle shafts are iffy to begin with if you're going to install a locker (which you should) and larger tires.

[@RhodeWerks401]

Great information! We have the SAS kit from Indy4X. Waggy axles proved very difficult to find, especially up here in the rust belt. So we are having a set of D44s built and narrowed so this stance will look just right. We have a NV4500/NP205 combo for it as well but first we need to ditch the front diff to make room for the LS2 and then start building back.

[@michaelcbstevens]

just to clarify - the automatic transmission on the 1st gen troopers tends to line up well with more engines? or the 4l60e? saw a guy swap a 1UZ-FE V8 into a trooper and he seemed to suggest the AT is a perfect fit for the 1UZ. any chance those A340F line up with Toyota engines well? Curious if a 5vze would work well in these things too.

[@Clean97gti]

@@michaelcbstevens The 1st Gen 4-cyl troopers came with the A30-40 transmission. I don't know if it will swap in behind a Toyota with the Toyota-pattern bellhousing. Controls may be different as well. Aisin made that transmission for a ton of different vehicles and they're not all the same. YMMV. If you have a GM engine in your 1st gen, the transmission will have the GM corporate 60 degree V6 bellhousing pattern, aka the Metric pattern. The 2nd Gen Isuzu V6 (6VD engines) also have this GM bolt pattern. Yes a 4L60e will bolt up if it has the same GM 60 degree V6 bolt pattern. Be aware that this is different than the GM V8 bellhousing. Theoretically you could grab a 4L60e from a 4th gen V6 Camaroor a Chevy S10 with the 2.2l i4. Or the older 700r4 from an earlier S10 with the 4-cyl or 2.8l v6. The 4L60e is wider than the 4l30e though, which makes front driveshaft clearance very tight. Also the starter is on the opposite side and the starter is a giant PITA on the gen 2 Isuzu V6 trucks. Finally, some (but not all) of the very latest Isuzus in the USA stopped using the GM transmissions and went back to the Aisins in 2003-2004. These are pretty rare.

[@michaelcbstevens]

@@Clean97gti seems like i have a lot to learn. From your perspective, it would be a score to find a trooper with aisin tranny? I am really green to all of this but would love to pick one of these beauts and give it the loves it deserves

[@Clean97gti]

@@michaelcbstevens if you're looking for a good off road trail vehicle, any of them will work fine. Throw a locker in the front diff, change out the auto hubs for manual hubs and just drive. They're very capable in stock form with a good set of tires. Any trooper or rodeo you buy is going to be 20 years old at this point, so you're going to have to do some mechanical work to it. The Aisin transmission might be preferable but it's a rarity in the 2nd gen trucks. Only a year or two had them and they might come with the Torque On Demand system which was Isuzu's attempt at an early electronic AWD system. The mechanical parts are ok but the sensors that make it work are not reliable and tend to be expensive. There's a work-around on PlanetIsuzu to eliminate the system and make it a normal part time 4wd selectable unit. The TOD system only came with automatic Troopers. Manual equipped troopers are not common. The manual transmission was much more common in the Rodeo and they do swap over. It's the AR5 transmission and is a good piece. Rodeo and Troopers are mechanically identical except for some of the suspension components and the rear differential.

[@wymansmith9101]

It will fit. Guy started one back years ago, don’t think it ever got finished. But the motor was in it. I have a 98 Trooper with a 6.0 LQ9 in it. 4l65e mated to a first gen Colorado transfer case. Stock 10 bolt front axle and stock “modified” 12 bolt rear.

[@technicalitems731]

Want to see your rig. Do you have a video? Thx

[@hoovestol3610]

This is going to be an EPIC build! And the end vehicle will be a beast. Can't wait to follow along! Subscribed.

[@balbirsinghrayat2496]

Great exited to see more progress

[@RhodeWerks401]

Thanks for the support and the encouragement!

[@gavinmcclure8047]

Awesome please keep posting updates I subscribed for this !!!!!

[@RhodeWerks401]

Thank you so much the support. I'm currently recovering from surgery so I'm sorry for the lapse but I am excited to get back to it as soon as possible! Stay tuned!

[@gavinmcclure8047]

@@RhodeWerks401 no problem I can wait

[@gavinmcclure8047]

Your health is more important than uploading the content can wait I prefer it to be your best.

[@nobodys7162]

Great Video, only down side is I have a second gen and can't find any swaps. If you ever get a chance to do a second gen with an LS4 mated to the mua5 manual keeping the 4x4 that would be great haha

[@codyantos5301]

I'm trying to do the same swap lol on my 2000 amigo

[@tylerparkin7615]

Is it possible to know what the labor to do the swap would cost if I brought in a very similar vehicle with a similar idea

[@CodyShell]

gosh the engine looks WAY bigger in there than I thought it'd be

[@gmf9472]

What type of transmission is used with an LS engine?

[@owl1873]

The only thing crazier than the hair is the head that it's pinned to. Dude is my loco.

[@respecttheshooter9640]

How much for something like this

[@mattgilbert4690]

What became of this

[@thegage1984]

Uhh what happened to the project

[@melvinandmichelle2584]

What happened to this build

[@codyantos5301]

Good question lol 😂

[@joeweber2780]

any interest in selling me the 4zd1?

[@RhodeWerks401]

Sorry, the drivetrain is gone. I was told it had a blown head gasket and no body locally on marketplace was interested so I got rid of it unfortunately.

[@joeweber2780]

@@RhodeWerks401 shoot. i'm having a heck of a time tracking one down. blown or not. thanks for responding! hope to see more on the build!