LUVTruck.com

Ok 4x4 Luvs came out in 1979 the Luv was the second compact truck to come out with 4wd. The Luv came with a standard four-speed transmission and two-speed transfer case combined in a single unit housed in a die-cast aluminum case. The LUV 4x4 used an independent front suspension similar to its two-wheel-drive brother incorporating torsion bars as a springing medium. The curb weight for a 2wd is 2425 and a 4wd Luv only added 160 lbs which brought it up to a light weight of 2585. 4x4 luvs did not come with a long bed option the same went for a automatic transmission.

The 80 4x4 Luvs where basically the same the only thing that change was 80 4x4 came with a 4wd light

I don't have a lot of info on 1981-1982 Luv 4x4

If you guys have any questions on any thing about stock 4x4 e mail me at http://www.Chevyluver79@aol.com or pm me

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If you cant find it grind it

79 4x4 1.8 liter
75 K 10 Lifted with 383 stroker
69 Jeepster comando v6

Cool!!

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77 2wd - Back on the road
05 Ford Five Hundred

"Love endures all things, Love never fails." - 1 Cor. 13:7,8.

Until then please call 411

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My old but now gone Luv...

Whoo Hooo! Now us 4x4 guys get our own special place! Of course now I got to get my FREAKIN CAMERA workin right!

Thanks!

never mind on the info I dont want to confuse any one but someone should put some info

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If you cant find it grind it

79 4x4 1.8 liter
75 K 10 Lifted with 383 stroker
69 Jeepster comando v6

what makes you think you would confuse some one?

I have to get my info strait so my info wount confuse anyone but I will post it

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If you cant find it grind it

79 4x4 1.8 liter
75 K 10 Lifted with 383 stroker
69 Jeepster comando v6

Actually from 79 to 80 the clutches are diferent. The 79 4x4 uses the 7.6" (i think) 2wd clutch and fly wheel while the 80 4x4s got an upgrade to a 8" clutch. Also i think that Isuzu beat Toyota by a month or two in realeasing thier 4x4 mini truck making the LUV the first 4x4 mini truck, im not 100% shure on that factoid though. But the LUV was the first mass production IFS 4x4.

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

4wd wasnt an option till 79 ? did not know that , learn something new every day. all my luvs are 4wd I was actually in the market for a 2wd cause I had a sbc sitting on an engine stand collecting dust, but all I could find were 4x4s so I got four of them and only two titles between them

O yea If i did not put some thing you guys think should be there post it I just put the basic

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If you cant find it grind it

79 4x4 1.8 liter
75 K 10 Lifted with 383 stroker
69 Jeepster comando v6

4wd was not a factory option until '79 although there were some companies that converted them prior to that.

Ok I'll add some stuff here.

The stock axles on the 79-80 4x4 Luvs were:

Isuzu "8" Bolt IFS for the front, utilizing CV joints and Upper and weird Lower A-arms

Isuzu "10" bolt solid axle for the rear, held in place by leaf spring packs in a "spring under" configuration

Oh and the tranny was an Isuzu MSG-4, connected to a gear driven 2-speed t-case

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

81-82 LUVs (and Isuzu PUPs up to 87) shared the same axles as the 79-80 luv with some minor differences. The a-arms were changed a bit, and somewhere in that time period brake parts were changed slightly front and rear.

Common points of failure are CV joints in the front, and pinion seals in the rear. Also the idler arm shaft bushing (bolted to the frame, right side straight down from the battery) tends to wear out causing loose steering. The 4 spd trans and integrated transfer case are nearly bulletproof at least with the power a stock 4 cyl can put through them.


Most common mod? Crank the torsion bars in the front and lift the rear with an add-a-leaf or shackle lift. http://www.planetisuzoo.com has a pretty good torsion bar lift how to written up, though I suppose we should have one here too. http://www.independent4x.com is a great source of lift parts, bushings, and so forth. Most of these trucks will get almost an inch of lift in the rear just by replacing the worn through shackle bushings in the rear with new poly ones.

I had headache with putting in a near bearing in the idler arm. Also I never did find the oil seal that fits the bottoms of the housing.

800x, IS there any rear end out there that uses a similar rear as the luv does with the same gearing. I know the trooper is close, in size, but not the same gearing. just asking, cuz I thought it be cool to get another rend like the stock, but be able to buy a Posi kit for it.

This is a cool addition to the site.

Trooper rear ends could be had with a choice of 4.30, 4.56, 4.77 and from the after market 5.38

The early Troopers have the same front axle os the Luv, what you can do is swap in a Trooper 12 bolt that has 4.56 gears, and then grab the third member from a <86 Trooper that had 4.56 gears and just swap that inplace of your 4.10 front gears, the third will just bolt right in.

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

I've heard the third member will bolt in from other people, but what able the CV joints? I know this question probaly belongs in the drivetrain upgrade.

they should just plop right in, same splin count. 17 I believe, or maybe 23, I don't remember

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

The CVs look virtually identical to my eye, but I have not had the ones on my trooper apart. There very well could be some differences in the shaft lengths though, so you might have to combine parts to get them to fit.