Offroad-Express

Howzit,
Anyone have any Isuzu Bighorn related topics to post?
I have just bought my first 4x4 a 91 Isuzu Bighorn Irmscher S.
Its a LWB 2.8 intercooled turbo diesel.
Ive only had it a couple of weeks now and I have already had to recover my mates hilux from a pretty mean bog while pig hunting and to my amazement the old Isuzu pulled it out with ease considering the state of the area we were in.
Anyways post somethin in here if you are a newbie with a bighorn or something.
laterz :salut:

I have already had to recover my mates hilux

You opening up a can of worms with that comment around here buddy, brave man, brave brave man :headshot:

wont be long till your thankful of a toyota

hellbound, I'm sorry!
You too will be soon.

That's all one needs to say really!

haha yeah I know guess it was just luck but yeah still happy with the way the wagon went.
Not to many people keen on bighorns as far as i know.
Yip I know my time will come and atleast I know of a certain hilux that owes me a tow!
By the way I have always been a Toyota fan so dont get the wrong idea!

ya just cant beat a good bighorn....especially when your gettin freaky with the missuz and your all fired up and.....


ahhhh yea any ways.... im off to see what the missuz is doing....

wopass wrote:8) ahhhh yea any ways.... im off to see what the missuz is doing....

She's on the end of your arm as always

I ran a 92 Bighorn 3.1td with 3" lift and 33's.
Went well, but the front end was the problem, should've kept it and done the SAS on it.
Still like the Bighorns, and not a bad choice for your first 4wd.


Dave

Bighorns are nice trucks - the thing that lets them down is the UGLY-ASS dash they got in the early 90's... made them look like an American big ugly tank inside. The 2.8TD motors they started with and the 3.1TDs they got are good strong donks, although the 3.1's are prone to handgrenade if overheated or underserviced. They were pretty much the best diesels for strength and go when they were released.

They're good for a SAS because of the drivers side front output, so a Hilux axle goes straight under - piece of piss, walk in the park... no worries should take a few days to convert ...or a few months... *sigh*

They can be lifted quite easily - there are cheap 50mm lift springs available and with a ball-joint flip in the front you can tweak the torsion bars to suit and have a nicely lifted truck.

However, they can not articulate like a solid axle vehicle so the same driver with the same tyres in a Hilux and an Isuzu should get further in the 'Lux.... *should*...

The driver can make all the difference, and tyre choice will make a world of difference. go 32" muddies if its for offroad fun, they should go straight on. Check http://www.clubisuzu.com for more details on modding them, its an Australasian site for Isuzu owners with some very good and very clever people in there.

Steve

its an Australasian site for Isuzu owners

Umm isn't Wellington in NZ still

Easy mistake to make cobber, she be right blue

Well, I should have mentioned it is BASED in Wellington, but is Australasian wide - there is an Oz section and a Kiwi section.

Note the difference between Autralasian and Australian...

Steve

me............................. you
:instagib:

Me readim good now, not like gettim shot down


hehehehe

*puts on pope-like hat thingy and big white cape*

I forgive you my son, now go forth and spread the good word... well, the good mud

Steve

Cheers fellas i wish i found offroad express earlier!
Shit the SAS on the Bighorn sounds the go!
Im gonna have it for a while so im pretty keen on throwing some $$$ at it and gettin as much out of it as possible.
Can anyone give me a rough idea of what it might cost me to do a SAS?
I spose the cost could vary a fair bit depending on where I source the parts from and who I get to do it.
Anyways that will be my 1st mission then I shall help spread the GOOD MUD! :salut:

spose the cost could vary a fair bit depending on where I source the parts from and who I get to do it.

Supralux is the ball of knowledge for these, and you may have to book in advance with him:!:

Where do you do your wheelin' in Blenheim?


Dave

I would recommend you have $3-3500 in your pocket before looking at an Isuzu SAS. By the time you buy all the parts you need, engineer the others and get everything assembled and finished you'll have blown all that and you'll still need to cert it ($350-odd).

Thats assuming you drive the truck to me and ask me nicely to do it. If you have engineering skills and a sense of adventure then you could do it yourself but it is a 5/5 bananas job.

Steve

Hows it
I havent really had that much time to do much wheeling been to bloody busy with work! off it!!!!
Ive just been playin around down river banks and that yknow coz my trucks pretty much stock at the mo and im a bit of a newbie so yeah just muckin round with holes and stop banks n all that weak stuff!!
I dont really know of any decent 4wd tracks around here yet but I know a few hunters and that so ive got my ears open and hopefully I can make a weekend of it soon.
Do you know of any tracks arond the Marlborough area that you DONT need a supra powered hilux to get you through??
Bout the SAS,I think im gonna save a cupla 3 more grand than you mentioned steve just so theres no financial probs halfway through the job haha and then I could also think about a lift and some decent tyres!
Lastly lockers........How do they work? and how much of a job are they to install?
Anyways haha soz for the essay! LATERZ :salut:

Have you thought about contacting the Blenheim 4WD club? I've just joined recently, and found it to have some VERY good people - very helpful, and the club trips range from shiny truck suitable to some very challenging stuff. The more challenging trips usually have options to bypass the really knarly bits if you or your truck are not up to it. If you're a newbie, I'd recommend you try a few trips, talk to some people, and look at other trucks before you decide to get too carried away with mods. Get a plan together, then do the mods in stages.

I will be joining the local club shortly, but I have limited experience myself.
Have been getting Permits from a local Forestry manager lately, doing a few tracks in the Para Swamp, Picton, and Waikakaho Valley area, and off up the Maungatapu on Sunday for a quick drive.


Dave

wow theres a collection of blenheim guys on here, If you want I'll put you in contact with 2 of my mates there that do a lot of 4wd'ing

Afternoon fellas, Hey DAVEM ive seen sum pretty cool forestry tracks up the Port Underwood where they are logging at the mo.
Steep as with big drop-offs if ur keen on that.I didnt check them out properly coz I was round that way in my car.Mite go for a look up the waikakaho if u reckon its any good.
MATT4U have u got that ISUZU yet or u off it?
:salut:

MUDDY,Have you been on any good tracks around here lately? :salut:

na im off that one, im off to look at a surf tonite a,

Any you lads in the Renwick fishing competition next weekend?

A couple of us will be heading over the Maungatapu to Nelson on sunday, then possibly checking out a couple of tracks up the Maitai, and home the same way. Nothing serious, just an excuse to get out really.

We will be looking at going up around Port Underwood in 2-3 weeks, and head towards the Tory Channel entrance, but will depend on if we get permission, as no permission, no insurance if something does go wrong.

May look at heading up Para Swamp in a couple of weekends too, just have to get up there before it dries out, as permits will be refused in a few weeks if it dries up.


Dave

I've only been out with the club, which has access to some great areas which you can't get into privately. I believe DOC have been closing off access to the top end of some of the tracks up the Wairau like the Leatham & Branch rivers. I haven't been out enough to help much, but would be keen to tag along if something is sorted.... Hoping to go over to Nelson Sun arvo to look at a PTO winch for the 40. There used to be a good playground at the mouth of the Diversion, but I think most of it got washed away a couple of months ago when the river was up. Might be worth a look though...
I'm on shiftwork so have to work weekends pretty often, but keen to get out if something's on. Maybe Labour day?

Hellbound wrote:Bout the SAS,I think im gonna save a cupla 3 more grand than you mentioned steve just so theres no financial probs halfway through the job haha and then I could also think about a lift and some decent tyres!

Lol... never hurts to have a spare wedge in the back pocket, but if you attack the project with your eyes open there shouldn't be too many surprises. A bit of a breakdown for you:

SAS - parts required (mostly) for the single axle conversion (If you also replace the rear axle as I did then you can drop to lower ratios by using matching Hilux diffs front and rear - otherwise you have to stick with 4.5 ratios as used in most Isuzus - conveniently the 4.5 ratios are virtually the same betwen Isuzu and Hilux)
$500 Hilux front Axle complete - 4.5 ratio diff
$250 Hilux front double cardan driveshaft (NOT surf one)
$350 Hilux ute rear springs (need to be in good condition or new)
$20 Hilux rear of rear mounts
$155 Hilux rear shackles, pins and bushes
$1000 IFS removal, new crossmember & general fab in the front
$400 Spring over in rear inc. u-bolts and plates
$250 Shock remounting
$500 Engineering of crossover steering and driveshaft adaptors
====
$3425

Then add $350 for Certification when its all done. I'll make sure it will pass, and will make any modifications required by the certifier to ensure it does as part of the job (I only ask that you use my certifier, as he is familiar with my work)

This is the basis for the price - although I'm always happy for someone to drive in and strip the IFS and mounts out themselves - I hate that job If you do that portion then knock $400 off the bill... I'll even let you use my grinders... Oh, and I've priced new springs in the equation in case no good second hand ones can be found. Also, any parts you can find yourself on the cheap will help as well. Note: The front axle SHOULD be rebuilt as most of them will need it - although you can just bolt it in and drive it and worry about that later if neccessary.

Would be a good idea to add $1500 or so for decent 35" tyres and Hilux rims at the same time so you don't have to drive around on a big lifted truck with tonka toy wheels Eh Conan?

Steve

Anyone keen on a heading out this weekend? Don't know where, but I need to test the pto to make sure it works.
Keen to go anywhere really.


Dave