LUVTruck.com

I appologize asking about this since a while back I got an answer but I can't find it anymore. That said, has anyone put a 2nd gen motor and tranny in a 1st gen Luv truck? I'm planning the swap but I'm a little intimidated by the cable clutch conversion. If anyone has done this and has some advice on it I'd love to hear about it.

Khy

Ive converted luvs from cable to hydraulic but havent done it the other way.

I would keep the hydraulic setup in it, the cable setups tend to break alot at the pedal.

If you can find a 76 or 77 transmission Im pretty sure its hydraulic and all you would have to do is plumb it up or try to find a 5 speed.

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1975 V8 Luv
1980 Bagged Luv

Thanks. That's what I suspected. I'd really like to put in a newer model Isuzu 5 speed but it's looking as if all of those are cable. Any ideas on that?

The Isuzu Impulse 5 Speed trans is a hydro setup. It is basically just like a 76-77 LUV trans in how it is set up, slave cylinder and starter both on passenger side. I have one out of an 88 Impulse but I believe the trans is basically the same from 84-89.

Some of the 5 speeds used on 2.6L powered Isuzu trucks are also set up for a hydro clutch too. See if you can find a truck that is 88 or newer with the 2.6L motor in it to see what they look like.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

I looked at a 5-speed from a 92 Pup yesterday. The throwout fork was missing but I did notice that it had no place for the slave cylinder on the bell housing so I assumed it was a cable (no slave cylinder) design. Where is the slave cylinder located on your Impulse tranny?

The slave bolts up just like the 76-77 LUV, which is basically to the motor not the trans. You have to look at how the clutch fork is set up to move the throw out bearing. If pushing it to the rear of the trans would move the bearing forward it is a hydro. If pulling the fork forward moves the bearing forward it is a cable. The slave cylinder mounts facing the back of the truck and pushes, the cable comes from the front and pulls.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

Seems like you could just put a hydro fork on a cable trans, no?

Its not so much the fork as it is the pivot point. The cable fork pivots agaist a pin on the trans that is on the opposite side as the fork comes out and the hydro fork pivots on a pin on the same side as it comes out. If you compare a 76-77 LUV trans (hydro) to a 78-up trans the fork comes out on the opposite side. But, there is a place in the casting of the front case/bellhousing where you could cut out and put the other style fork through if you wanted to experiment with that. I think there is also an untapped hole in the case for the pin on the other side so you could put either pin in and either fork, probably to support right hand drive setups and use the same fork/cables/linkage/whatever. Even the impulse 5Spd has the fork hole blank on both sides of the casting, just the passenger side is the only one with the metal cut out.

I don't have all my parts books or either trans handy with me to look at right now so I'm not sure exactly how easy or possible swapping stuff around would be. With enough engineering anything is possible but some things are more work than makes sense. After owning both, I think I prefer the cable setup myself but that is because I've rebuilt/replaced the slave on my 77 three times and the master cylinder a few also. I have never had to replace the cable on my 79 4x4 or my 86 Isuzu Trooper with the same setup. Once you drive 50-100 miles without using the clutch a few times because the hydro system screwed up, only to have to crawl under the truck for an hour and get fluid all over you changing parts and bleeding the system, you get kind of tired of messing with it. That said if you are swapping into a 76-77 the hydro setup Impulse trans is pretty near bolt in. The only change needed is the spline on the driveline yoke is different so you need to swap that around. They are even the same length. Well that and the shifter, the Imp has a remote shifter about 8-12 inches back but the LUV 4spd shifter will drop into the gearbox in place of the remote.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

I guess my only question is whether or not the Imp fork lever is on the driver side or the passenger. If it's the same as the 76-77, I'm good. I have a line on the master cylinder to trans gear with a guy in North Carolina. With that and the 5-speed I should be on the road. Bleeding stuff doesn't bother me much. There's a slightly retarded kid in the neighborhood who loves to be my shop help. Thanks for all the info. Let me know on the Imp fork lever if you know.

The impulse clutch fork exits the bell housing on the passenger side just like the 76-77 LUV.

_________________
95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good