LUVTruck.com

Ok, so I bought 2 parts rigs to use for updates and to get my 1980 4x4 Luv back on the road, one of them was another 1980 4x4 Luv that is complete but basically just VERY rough and not running. The other is a complete 1986 Trooper with a blown engine. My game plan is to rob the power stearing setup, and the 5 speed and assosiated drive shafts, etc. for the Luv, I was also considering swapping out the front and rear difs from the Trooper but I'm not sure on that one, seems like going from 4.10 rear to 4:56's will kill milage? Which is the main reason I want the 5 speed in the first place.

The reason for my post is this; In the front seat of the junky parts Luv was a HUGE box of brand new parts still in the NAPA boxes (score!), included is almost every part to rebuild the front suspension, ball joints, shocks, axle seals, center link, tie rods, a complete set of U-joints (for all the drive shafts), and even the complete drive axles with the CV joints! About the only parts I didn't see were the idler and pitman arms.

My question is this, will some or all of the Luv rebuild parts also work on the Trooper suspension should I decide to do the swap or are they all different parts?

5th gear in the Trooper tranny & 4.56 gears will give nearly identical rpms as the Luv tranny 4th gear & 4.10 gears, so Trooper differential & tranny swaps into the LUV will give better lower gear performance while retaining the same cruising power & economy you have now. The Trooper tranny with 4.10 gears will retain what lower gear performance you now have but reduce the cruising rpms, in theory increasing economy. The problem is the lack of power of the LUV engine. With anything but the small stock tire size you will find many situations when there is simply not enough power to use 5th gear. The type terrain you drive in will best determine what combination of swaps will work out best.
The Trooper & LUV suspensions are not identical, only some of the parts will interchange. Here is a way to determine what: log onto a good parts source (rockauto.com for instance, or NAPA since that is the brand parts you have), compare the same part for the LUV & the Trooper, if the part numbers are the same then they interchange.
I think to mount the Trooper power steering pump to the LUV engine you need the mounting bracketry from an '84 or '85 Trooper with the 1.9L engine, the bracketry from the 2.3L engine is different but maybe can be made to work. You will also need at least part of the Trooper steering shaft to mate the Trooper power steering gear box to the LUV steering shaft, there are several posts on the forum on what & how to do this.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

The Trooper power steer pump mounts on the driver side of the LUV engine using the smog pump mount bracket and you only have to drill one hole in pump bracket. Take the metal lines out of the hoses and mount to reservoir and steer box and your done.

I have posted pics of the finished job.

i have also posted pics of the 5 spd swap and using the trooper upper control arms.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

The 86 Trooper I have is a 2.3 engine rig, can anyone confirm that the PS brackets will work or not before I go through the trouble of removing it all?

Thanks!

As for bolting right up to a 1.8 no. Now anything is possible with fabbing bracket's but it will be a pain, Maybe someone on here knows a way to do it but they are totally different.

Does anybody ever pay attention

The 2.3 power steer pump mounts to the 1.8 using the 1.8 smog pump mount bracket.There are pic's and a sticky on this subject but nobody seems to look before asking.

As for the 5spd. trany swap the same holds true. On my swap i have the same size tire/wheel combo as the Trooper and the truck is near perfect with an average 25mpg and a perfect cruise rpm.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

Thanks for clearifying that TJ

Also, just to clearify, on your 5 speed swap...... Is your truck a 4x4 or 2WD? If 2WD what is your rear gearing? If 4x4 are your running stock LUV 4.10's or Trooper 4.56 gears? My plan was to run the LUV 4.10's first, add the 5 speed, and add the Troopers wheels and tires. If the truck is a dog I'll go ahead with the Trooper F&R diff swap but I'd like to avoid it. This truck will rarely see any off roading, it's just a street driver.

My truck has the stock 4.10s and with the 15 Trooper tires it will go up the hills here on the free way in 5th gear but thats about all it wants but it will cruise at 65-70 all day at light throttle. Keep in mind my motor is a tired rebuilt from long before i got it and is stock otherwise(carb and exhaust) with a 83 up electronic dist.

The trans/transfer (4X4) swap was relatively simple and straight forward but 1 I do this kind of work a lot 2 It is a lot easier to do if you have a hoist available.About the only pain in the butt was cutting the hole for the transfer shift lever and moving the fuel & brake lines so they don't rub on the transfer case.

For a recap the 5spd. swap is more then worth the trouble to hunt down a donor and doing the work.

PS if you have the donor Trooper be sure to get the power steering,front upper control arms and the rear springs more on that later.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

Ok thanks for the info.

I now have SECOND 1985 Trooper 5 speed trans and transfer unit already pulled from another rig, got the flywheel, cross member, and all the drive shaft stuff as well (too cheap to pass up for $150.00). I have it all steem cleaned and am detailing and painting it all before doing the swap (in my driveway, no hoist ). I will be stripping all the other trooper parts from the parts rig as well before I junk it so I'll have spares of most everything down the road.

*How did you attach the new trans cross member to the new location in your LUVs frame? Drill Holes and bolt up as original or something else?

more if you need them but you should get the idea. 3" cut out of each side of X member.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

I can see most of what's happening there but concerning the bolts etc. holding it in........Drilled new holes? Please explain how it all went in if you don't mind.

Used 3x6x1/4" angle cut the sides at 45* angle that welds to frame. This gives a more rounded weld to the frame so no to create a fracture zone frame welding straight up and down . I drilled the holes to use the Trooper bolts. Some people have welded angle iron on the outside of the frame and not modify the X member and had no problems. I did mine this way cause it looks like it came that way and looks better.

If you look at the pic of the floor you can see the metal to cover the holes that were the floor out of a scraped LUV.

Being a car builder/fabricator i tend to make things as close to stock appearance as possible.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

going to 4.55s with the O\D trans will make high gear just about the same as the 4.11s with the 4sp.

stay 4.11s with the new 5sp and drop about 300 rpm in high gear.

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86trooperT/D 2.2
84 L\B 4x4Diesel LS 2.2
84 S\B 4X4 gas rust bucket 1.9
86 L\B 4X4 gas 5 speed 2.3
the twins, 81 pup and 81 LUV both are diesel 2.2



The Energizer Bunny is trying to keep up, and is starting to gasp for air!!

are you shure its a 5sp no isuzu 4wd 1979 to 1985 is a 5sp there all 4sp

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86trooperT/D 2.2
84 L\B 4x4Diesel LS 2.2
84 S\B 4X4 gas rust bucket 1.9
86 L\B 4X4 gas 5 speed 2.3
the twins, 81 pup and 81 LUV both are diesel 2.2



The Energizer Bunny is trying to keep up, and is starting to gasp for air!!

Sorry, typo, it's an 86 Trooper, and yes, definately a 5 speed