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Slammed Rodeo?

5K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  lowzone 
#1 ·
Anyone ever seen a Rodeo laying out on the ground? I see everyone lifting but I feel like lower is better..just my opinion...I have 2wd Rodeo and plan on bagging and bodydropping it but I didn't know if anyone else had seen any. Post up pics if you have any!!
 
#2 ·
You are in a pretty tough crown here when it comes to lowering. Most here are either lifted or stock height. I'm not too sure how the bags wrk on an IFS front end but you will have some major issues with front end alignment if you plan on running around with different ride heights.

Joe
 
#4 ·
all I can say is-

SPEED BUMP DETECTOR!!!!

hehe.

actually, while I would never recomend lowering an SUV, as it negates the purpose- I can see some positives- lower center of gravity, you could put stiffer suspension and stiffer anti-sway bars on it all for more handling. The gas milage would be slightly better.

All I could think- would be- uncrank the torsion bars, and put shorter shackles on the back- though I don't know if it will fuction correctly with shackles that are too short. might be able to get about 1.5 inches lower this way, then put some smaller tires on it for another inch or 2 of drop.
 
#5 ·
If it's an older rodeo you can use lowering blocks between the spring and the axle. A newer rodeo, you may be able to find a shortened spring.

Joe
 
#7 ·
if you uncrank the bars, wouldnt the front be like / \ and riding on the inside patch of the tire?
Yeah, but doesn't the opposite happen if you lift it? Wouldn't you just go and get an alignment done?
 
#9 ·
Hey ricersux, these guys here are real nice supposing you want to do anything to make it more truck like. Eventually they we will realize we (isuzu fans) are so few and far between that we all need to just stick together.

Stop the implied hate!
 
#10 ·
Quote:
if you uncrank the bars, wouldnt the front be like / \ and riding on the inside patch of the tire?

Yeah, but doesn't the opposite happen if you lift it? Wouldn't you just go and get an alignment done?
Yes this is true, but when you do the alignment after the lift we would need to add shims to get our alignment back into spec.

You can only take so many shims out till they are gone, then you will still not be in alignment.

Joe
 
#11 ·
Stop the implied hate!
I think you're making more out of this than it really is :? It may be that we (as a board) don't have much advice for someone wanting to lower an Isuzu simply because we don't know much about it. I think it would be a great addition to the board if we had some tech writeups on exactly that, but no one has done one yet.

I think some of us might have gotten a bit out of hand and off topic with the comments on another thread, but it was all in good fun. I'm sorry if you didn't take it that way.

You can only take so many shims out till they are gone, then you will still not be in alignment.
Couldn't you concevably use a ball joint spacer on an un-flipped joint to help with alignment? Just a thought.

Andre
 
#12 ·
I wasn't just talking about this thread. And i didn't mean that you guys HATED ppl that did that kinda stuff, more of a looking down type feeling. *shrug* just speaking from feelings.
 
#13 ·
hadji_85, I can't wait to see what it looks like. I think people on this board are very friendly and helpfull. I've gotten a lot out of it, like the article on changing your fuel send unit...something that is apparently a common problem with rodeos like mine.

I know nothing about lowering or raising an SUV, but just to lend some support for the lowering camp, most of the lifters are going for better off road utility...but no matter how high you lift your truck there's always that rear diff hanging about 5 inches off the ground. I bet there are mini vans with better ground clearance than an average truck. I often see these pickup trucks way off the ground, but right there in back is that rear diff ready to scrape something. A raised SUV looks cool, but physically and logically it seems moronic to me. You're way high up in the air, but a very integral part of the drive train is way low to ground, and as far from a wheel as it can possibly get, exactly in the middle.

Why isn't the rear diff gear box offset to the side a little? Why isn't there some type of skid plat under it? That would take advantage of a wheel's protection, ie, the wheel would be touching the rock that might scrape the gear box. There's even an article somewhere that describes how to change the rear diff fluid, and mentions pounding the cover flat after scraping it on a rock. Obviously it's because that happens a lot, and it makes sense.

I think the rule of thumb for lift bragging rights should be the distance between the ground and the lowest drive train component (besides tires).

Taylor
 
#14 ·
Most lifts are accompanied by a move to larger tires. This combination raises the height of the rear differential and increases ground clearence, which is one reason why it is so popular in the 4x4 community. Conversely, lowering a truck is often accompanied by a move to low profile tires both for appearence and because of the loss of room in the wheel wells.
 
#15 ·
Hey Ricersux,
I'm considering lowering my Rodeo Sport also. The reason is simply to
lower the center-of-gravity just a little. I'm thinking of just dropping my
lil' blue war pony about 1" - 1.5". Recently I changed shocks to the KYB
gas-adjusts and the cornering has really improved. I'm a city slicker and
don't offroad anymore than the driveway to the KOA kabins. So I want a
sports-car-like ride from my Rodeo Sport.
I think you can simply adjust the front torsion bars that much and only
require a correctional alignment. For the rear however, you will need
to change the springs.
I contacted the Eibach R&D folks about helping me with this. Bad news:
They require $16,000 to R&D and produce a 100 unit run of Sportline Systems.
That would reduce the height 1.7" - 2.3" and give the truck much better handling.
But I can't afford that. There is a company in Northern California (Santa Rosa?)
that is willing to manufacture custom progressive springs. If you're
interested I'll search my old emails for the name.
Good luck bro, and please keep us posted if you have any success,
See Ya,
johann
 
#16 ·
woo hooo another lowrider :)

I have lowered AND lifter Isuzus, hmm there is a joke there but im not touching it. www.streetsourcemag.com and there are MANY body dropped, bagged Rodeos on there. Check it out in the commuinity: readers rides section. Look up Rodeo or see if this link works:

http://www.streetsourcemag.com/OwnerProfiles.aspx?Model=85&Search=Search

Get in touch with me, i have some parts still for Isuzus 88-97 style and we can shoot the Sh_t about mods. i can send some pics that will floor you :twisted:
starchild- thanks for the recommendation
 
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