Trooper Skid Plate Install -- Pictures and Questions

[Grant Eaton]

I searched the forum but one particular good sounding thread is missing its photos. Anyway, here's my question.

Several years ago I bought a stack of trooper skid plates from a junkyard. Some of them might be redundant. I have since managed to figure out where 3 of them go but I have two remaining. These might just be redundant ones (since the exactly match plates already on the VX) or they might go somewhere I can't figure out.

Looking at these photos, does it look like I have all available factory plates installed (and correctly oriented)? Or am I missing one or two available plates? It's like a jigsaw puzzle down there!

The two plates pictured on the garage floor are the "left overs" that look like dupes or redundant ones, but I'm not sure. If they are indeed dupes, I'm happy to sell them to someone for a small fee plus shipping charges (which probably would be quite high -- $60+? -- since they need to be packed and will weigh a lot).

[VX1032]

The three you have on are what people refer to as trooper skid plates. the other two are redundant for you.

[Ldub]

Also, keep in mind that the one nearest the R/F wheel, will succumb to weight & pressure if you wheel it hard & abuse it mildly. And will eventually make contact with the front drive shaft.

It makes a HELLUVA noise, as the hex head cap screws grind away at it...

[Moncha]

Hi Grant!!!

Ok, I don't want to jack this thread but would like maybe to expand it... After all these years, I didn't know all of those plates were available for a Trooper. Does anyone have a parts list for a Trooper where we would be able to get the part numbers and know where the placement would be so as to make it easier to get what you want?

Back on the topic at hand, I don't need the ones you have left over but do want the ones I don't have (shown in my pic in red). I've got to search through and see if I can figure it all out. Just how far does the lower right plate hang down?

Good to see you on Grant

[Ldub]

Just how far does the lower right plate hang down?

Good to see you on Grant

Too far IMO...the part that bolts to the frame, closest to the R/F tire, is the weak point that collapses when massaged by rocks.(though a couple of gussets, welded to the back side might help)
A belly pan, like Tone sold at one time, is better protection, though more ex$pensive.

On the other hand...I've seen You & Ed drive Boss...
And at the risk of sounding like I'm smoochin' butt.....-..

I've seen the lines you pick...

I've seen "The Finesse"...

You need them a lot less than most.........

[Grant Eaton]

I attached one more pic that helps show how far it hangs down. Not an ideal shot but I'm too lazy to go down and shoot another one.

I would say it hangs down about 6" -- enough that at first I thought it was too low, but ultimately the shop manager and I decided it was useful and gave plenty of "crush zone" protection to bend before it made contact with the transmission case.

I haven't been active on the board in a long time since I bought my house and have been tied up with projects and living in France for 6 months and England for one month from 2007-2008. My VX fell into disrepair for several years, with a broken stereo that smelled of burning plastic, non-working ABS, ruined HID ballast, and miscellaneous issues like that. But lately I have given it renewed attention and replaced the HID headlights with new ballasts; added a new Kenwood stereo head-unit with iPod, GPS, and ICE amp hidden behind a rear quarter panel (thus negating the need for Tone's trunk box); all LED lights; fixed ABS; new exhaust; dual tail-pipe; etc. It's starting to be its old self again. A little more work and tuning and it'll be perfect again.

In other news, I also bought a used 2007 Mercedes SLK55 AMG in July 2008 and have used that as my primary driving car. It was fun to drive a 385 HP 7-speed hard-top convertible with a 5.1s 0-60 time (175mph speed-governed). However, being 6'3" the car is not all that comfortable and the passenger side is smaller than the driver side in terms of leg room by quite a bit -- making the car worse for long road trips. I'm going to sell that and use the VX as my primary car again. I prefer the high-up ride of the VehiCROSS and the ground clearance on the SLK is too short for a state with uneven roads and bad pavement (like Washington). The SLK just wasn't me; SUVs are. I just needed to spend another year with another car to figure that out. (My only other cars were an Isuzu Amigo and '72 Chevy Chevelle.)

[Moncha]

Thanks Dub, I have a belly pan but, just don't care for it. Plus on slow speeds, Moncha gets a little warm where I end up turning off the A/C. I have to have my A/C. I would maybe entertain selling it, but as we know, the shipping would be horrendous.

Grant, can you do a new thread on your Dual Tail-Pipe?

[newthings]

Hi Scott,
Is you belly pan steel or aluminum? I have the three Trooper plates.
Roy

[Ldub]

I would maybe entertain selling it, but as we know, the shipping would be horrendous.

...Bring it to Moab...

I'm guess'n that if you listed it for sale in March or April, at least ONE of the Moabites would be interested...

Not only for it's incredible rock crushing abilities, but to have a little peice of history, & a little chunk of the Boss's ride...

BTW...check my gallery pics, drilling holes in the lower edge seems to help.

Here's a sample...



WOOPS...wrong pic...

[Moncha]

Hi Scott,
Is you belly pan steel or aluminum? I have the three Trooper plates.
Roy

Not only a piece of Moncha, but a piece of Tone! It's heavy steel diamond plate. Lets PM 'cuz I don't want to jack this thread anymore than I have.

Grant, I'll or you can, post this in the for sell section too. I don't want to hurt you selling your parts.

[BigSwede]

The "RF" skid plate on a Trooper is crap IMHO...it is thinner metal than the other two and hangs down further and as 'dub said makes a helluva racket when pushed up into the front driveshaft U-joint...as soon as I got my passenger side exhaust re-routed around back of the t-case I got rid of that skid altogether.

BTW I have a transfer case skid plate for an automatic tranny Trooper that is available cheap, especially if I can hand it to you without paying for shipping (Minnesota area).

[crotchrocket]

You've got one more skid plate than me there, its the one on your drivers side, after the cross member

[crotchrocket]

Oh, and i really would treat these as guards rather than skid plates as they really dont take alot of punishing. I've taken mine off and bent them back to shape many times!

[Riff Raff]

Hmmm; for all you hardcore off-roaders, perhaps the bullet-proof Kilby Enterprises "belly pan" skid plates will tickle your fancy. The Kilby plates fit totally flush with the undercarraige and don't hang down whatsoever.

Visit: www.KilbyEnterprises.com
Once at the website homepage, scroll down on the left side and click-on the link to Isuzu Vehicross skid plates. A link is also provided under "Accessories" on this forum's homepage.

Photos of the Kilby belly-pan plates installed on a VX can be viewed at the photo gallery of: "KeithVXlvr"

[BigSwede]

You've got one more skid plate than me there, its the one on your drivers side, after the cross member

That is for the catalytic converter, something they perhaps don't use over there?