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Well, I've got a '80 4x4 with a 3 inch body lift and 30"s, may upgrade to 33"s soon, and the stock 1.8 and a Weber... Just curious if it would benefit me to upgrade gears...


And if so: What do I get it out of (make/model/year)? Is it just a bolt on or is there fabbing involved? How much do they normally cost out of a junkyard/on ebay? Should I/Do I need to upgrade my rear end too?

do some searching, but i do know that anything isuzu with a 4cyl from the 80's will work, as far as the drive lines you will need this adjust/re-fabbed, since the isuzu splines are all different, and remember if you change your rear end you will need the front end from the same rig, or at least one with the same gea ratio to match, it, but my first thoguht would be somethign out of a trooper that had a 2.3 since the 2.6 motor is hydro clutch, but im not much when it comes to 4x4's ide try rooting around the 4x4 section, ask 800xl, the aussie guys(they all seem to know what ever you might want to know about these trucks) and MEPR hes got a 4x4 that im sure hes looked into this stuff with... thats all i got for now if i run acrossed anythign else ill let youknow though...

-Dustin

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My LUV - R.I.P. 1979-2009, you will not be forgotten...

Would it be feasable to go to the older rear with 4:56's. Doesn't the 80 have 4:10's. With the taller tire I assume it raises the gear ratio quite abit.

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Too much to do and not enough time or money!
Courage is the other side of fear!
Pain is the weakness leaving the body!

About the only option I know of that doesn't involve swapping a straight axle into the front is the 4.56 gears from an Isuzu trooper, 1984-1986 (some 87s but they are tough to tell which has what front diff) It is an involved project to take the front diff apart but should not involve any fab work.

For the rear, you can take the axle out of the same years trooper, an older LUV with 4.56 gears, or get a much stronger axle from a bit newer trooper, 88-91 with disc brakes in the rear. It is a tad wider and you'll need to sort out a driveline that fits at both ends, but you get the same 4.56 gears, disc brakes, and much more strength than a stocker. If you really luck out you could even find one with a limited slip differential.

The aussies have a van that has 5.38 gears in the rear end, but I don't know of a source for a matching ratio for the LUVs front diff. They are basically all 4.10 or the 4.56 found in the troopers.

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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

The only options you have is to fit the 4.56:1 pumpkins out of Pups or Troopers, or do a solid axel swap using a jeep or toyota axels.

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1980 4x4 KBD40 ISUZU/Chev Luv
Factory Fitted c190 Diesel Engine, ARB BullBar, Ramsey Winch, Custom Tilt Tray,

So, I need to find a 84-86 Trooper for my front gears, and just take the rear end out of another (or preferably the same) 84-86 Trooper, an older LUV (what year did the 4.56 end?), or a 88-91 Trooper?


How complex would this/these swaps be?

I believe the rear is pretty easy to swap. I think an 84-86 trooper rear would basically bolt up, and if you use the trooper springs might even provide a little lift as well. If you go with the 88-up rear there is more to it, getting the driveline worked out being about the worst of it though. Do a search for Isuzu 12 bolt and you should find some info about the process.

The front is the pain. You have to tear into quite a bit in order to get the shafts pulled out of the differential enough to get it out of the housing. If you don't already, get you a haynes repair manual and check out the section in the back on the front axle components. It is also one of those projects that creates other projects. Since you have it all apart, you might as well replace the ball joints, wheel bearing seals, etc etc.

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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

When I did the rear disc conversion on the luv rear I found that the trooper rearend was wider that the luv by a good amount. If you want to go with the Isuzu rear end that I would look for the Imigo rear they are a little narrower and they still had rear disc.